Beyoncé has already made history with her latest appearance on the cover of Vogue, ensuring the always-coveted September issue became the magazine's first-ever cover shot by a black photographer. Now the story itself, told in Bey's own words, has provided a rare peek into her personal life, touching on pregnancy, her body image, her Coachella performance, her current tour with JAY-Z, her ancestry, and why she chose 23-year-old Tyler Mitchell to shoot the cover.
The article sees Beyoncé most notably candidly exploring the birth of her twins, and her poor health around the time. "I was 218 pounds the day I gave birth to Rumi and Sir," she explained. "I was swollen from toxemia and had been on bed rest for over a month. My health and my babies’ health were in danger, so I had an emergency C-section. We spent many weeks in the NICU. My husband was a soldier and such a strong support system for me. I am proud to have been a witness to his strength and evolution as a man, a best friend, and a father. I was in survival mode and did not grasp it all until months later."
She says it took a while to get used to her body post-surgery, explaining, "After the C-section, my core felt different. It had been major surgery. Some of your organs are shifted temporarily, and in rare cases, removed temporarily during delivery. [...] During my recovery, I gave myself self-love and self-care, and I embraced being curvier. I accepted what my body wanted to be. After six months, I started preparing for Coachella. I became vegan temporarily, gave up coffee, alcohol, and all fruit drinks. But I was patient with myself and enjoyed my fuller curves. My kids and husband did, too."
She stresses the importance of women seeing the beauty in their own bodies, which is why she "stripped away the wigs and hair extensions" for the shoot with the magazine.
Among many other topics, she also opened up about her ancestry. "I come from a lineage of broken male-female relationships, abuse of power, and mistrust," she explained. "I researched my ancestry recently and learned that I come from a slave owner who fell in love with and married a slave. I had to process that revelation over time. I questioned what it meant and tried to put it into perspective. I now believe it’s why God blessed me with my twins. Male and female energy was able to coexist and grow in my blood for the first time. I pray that I am able to break the generational curses in my family and that my children will have less complicated lives."
Read the full article here.
