Kelly Clarkson Denies Pregnancy, Explains Decision to Elope

Kelly Clarkson has denied that she is pregnant and has offered an explanation as to why she and fiancé Brandon Blackstock are planning to elope.

The "Tie It Up" singer announced this week that she and Blackstock have chosen to call off their elaborate wedding, in favor of an intimate ceremony.

Speculation about the couple's relationship intensified days later when a radio station mistakenly reported that Clarkson was pregnant.

Clarkson set the record straight in a message posted on her Twitter account on Thursday (August 22).

"FYI ....Brandon & I are getting married & no I am not pregnant. We are eloping for one reason only. We both want an intimate ceremony," she tweeted.

The American Idol winner explained earlier in the week that her and Blackstock's busy schedules led them to opt for a smaller scale ceremony.

"We are so busy that we finally just came to terms the other night and were like, 'So, we change our minds and we want to elope'," she said.

Clarkson had previously commented that she was "so over" wedding planning.

Watch the video for "Tie It Up" below:

Photo: Getty Images

From Cosmopolitan.com. Visit Handbags reviews and advice for best reference here

What Guys Think of Pregnancy Style

Korin Miller
Korin is the site director for Cosmopolitan.com. She loves uncovering cool new research and learning more about what makes guys tick. Outside the Cosmo office, you can find her running with her dog, trying to convince friends to go to karaoke bars, and watching as much reality TV as humanly possible. Hit her up on Twitter: @korinmiller
Read More

Find all posts by Korin
Contact Korin

Michelle Ruiz
Michelle is the news editor for Cosmopolitan.com. She's obsessed with interviewing celebrities and spotting the latest pop culture trends. Her life highlights include chatting with Ryan Gosling about sex dolls, dancing on stage at the Oprah show, and shopping with her mom on Long Island. Tweet her: @michelleruiz
Read More

Find all posts by Michelle
Contact Michelle

Dara Adeeyo
Dara is the associate web editor for Cosmopolitan.com. She's intrigued by all things digital. Dara loves playing with html and discovering new studies. When she's not reading up on the latest cocktail recipes (for work, of course), she can be found breaking it down on the dance floor or watching the Investigative Discovery channel. She also has a sick obsession with nail polish, elephants, and most importantly, Nutella. Dara basically lives on Twitter, so tweet at her and say hey: @dadeeyo.
Read More

Find all posts by Dara
Contact Dara

Elisa Benson
Elisa Benson is the senior editor of social media for @Cosmopolitan?so, yes, she tweets about sex for a living. Elisa grew up in Ohio, attended Colgate University, and wrote love and relationship advice for Seventeen before graduating to Cosmo. She lives for girly things (weddings and eyelash extensions and Pretty Little Liars?) and frequently tweets about all of the above: @elisabenson.
Read More

Find all posts by Elisa
Contact Elisa

From Cosmopolitan.com. Visit Amazon Beauty Center here

Politician: Pregnancy From Rape Is "God's Will"

Here we go…again. This election cycle has seen enraging comment after comment from male candidates on the topics of rape and reproduction. And we've still got almost two weeks to go.

Recently, Richard Mourdock, the Republican (and Romney-endorsed) Senate candidate from Indiana said in a debate that pregnancy resulting from rape is God's will. Yep, you read that correctly. Here are his exact words:

"I struggled with it myself for a long time, and I realized that life is a gift from God, and I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something God intended to happen."

As a woman (who grew up in the Hoosier state, no less) I was appalled and embarrassed. I can only begin to imagine how a rape victim would feel hearing that statement.

Mourdock's opponent Joe Donnelly released this statement: "I think rape is a heinous and violent crime in every instance. The God I believe in and the God I know most Hoosiers believe in, does not intend for rape to happen—ever. What Mr. Mourdock said is shocking, and it is stunning that he would be so disrespectful to survivors of rape."

Mourdock tried to distance himself from his original remarks in a post-debate statement saying "God does not want rape, and by no means was I suggesting that he does."

Sorry, sir. Seems like the damage is already done.

Are you fed up with all of these out-there statements by men in regards to women's bodies and rights? Tell us in the comments.

From Cosmopolitan.com. Visit Amazon Beauty Center here

Politician: Rape Pregnancy Is Like Having Illegitimate Baby

We thought Todd Akin's statement about "legitimate rape" was the most ridiculous thing we'd hear all year about women's reproductive rights. Unfortunately, we were so, so wrong.

Tom Smith, a Republican who is running for a Pennsylvania Senate seat, stepped up to the plate to deliver the latest moronic soundbite about rape. During a press conference, Smith compared a pregnancy caused by rape to…having a baby out of wedlock.

Here's what went down: After he said that he feels that abortion should be banned without exceptions, a reporter asked how he would feel if a family member of his became pregnant as a result of rape.

Smith said he already went through something like that in his family, adding, "She chose life, and I commend her for that. She knew my views. But, fortunately for me, I didn't have to…she chose the way I thought. No, don't get me wrong, it wasn't rape."

The reporter asked how this was similar to rape, and Smith replied, "Put yourself in the father's situation. Yes, it is similar."

So, essentially he's saying that getting pregnant with your boyfriend or fiance is the same as getting pregnant by a rapist. And, according to him, we need to focus on how the men feel about this situation—even the rapists.

What do you think of Smith's comments?

Click here for more information on rape and what to do if you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual violence.

From Cosmopolitan.com. Visit Amazon Beauty Center here

Politician Says "Legitimate Rape" Blocks Pregnancy

We've heard some out-there comments from politicians about women's reproductive rights, but a recent remark might be the one of the most moronic things ever said on record.

Rep. Todd Akin (R-Missouri), who takes a strong stance against abortion, declared on Sunday that in cases of "legitimate rape," a woman's body will block an unwanted pregnancy.

During an interview with a St. Louis TV station, Akin said, "It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors, [pregnancy resulting from rape is] really rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let's assume that maybe that didn't work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be of the rapist, and not attacking the child."

His remarks are so ridiculous and dead-wrong they're almost laughable—or would be if they weren't so dangerous. First of all, there's no form of rape that's "legitimate." Secondly, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, an estimated 25,000 American women become pregnant after an act of sexual violence each year. And our bodies can't somehow prevent pregnancy without the help of birth control.

Akin later backtracked and said that he "misspoke" and that he has "sympathy" for women who are raped. He added, "I recognize that abortion and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally-charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life, and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action."

So, basically, he still thinks that women who become pregnant after being raped do not have the right to have an abortion.

What do you think of Akin's comments?

Click here for more information on rape and what to do if you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual violence.

From Cosmopolitan.com. Visit Amazon Beauty Center here