Jenna Dewan bares it all for Women's Health cover as she discusses motherhood and her relationship with Channing Tatum
Jenna Dewan is not shy to let go off her clothes as she poses for Women’s Health‘s annual Naked Truth issue. “I’ve been a dancer my entire life, so I’m used to little clothing. You lose a sense of modesty,” she told the magazine. The actress has always been proud of her body and has never been afraid to flaunt her curves on social media even though there are times when it leads to body-shaming. “Apparently, when you become a mother, you’re supposed to leave your sexuality at the door, and I never understood that,” she said. “I think there’s nothing sexier than becoming a mother. You give life. It’s everything. And you don’t change who you are inside just because you have a kid.”
Despite the criticism, Jenna says that she will never hide the topic of sexuality from her daughter, Everly, with ex-husband Channing Tatum. She wants Everly to understand that sexuality is to be appreciated and not be ashamed of. “I want my daughter to see that and be like, ‘Wow, my mother was a fully actualized, sensual woman,’" she said. At the same time, Jenna confessed that there is a lot of hard work she puts in for her strong body.
“I really like to feel strong, and I like to feel curvy. And when I say ‘curvy,’ I mean ‘muscular.’ In the gym, I add more weight rather than increasing my reps because I want to build muscle, so I can pick up my daughter,” she said. “Before, it used to be like, ‘I wanna get long, lean muscles.’ Now, I’m just like, ‘I wanna feel strong and good.’ ”
Jenna believes that her focus on the gym has changed ever since she and Channing announced their split back in April. She is now focused on what is best for her and her daughter while making sure she prioritizes her needs. “It’s been a journey, and it’s been a transformation of myself — my needs and wants as a woman,” she said. “I think everyone wants to hold on to what’s in front of them, but when you open your mind saying, ‘I want what’s best for myself and my daughter,’ you have to be okay with however that looks. I feel like I’ve been on a wave of growth. It does look different; it’s a new normal, and I really think we’ll get used to that.”
This has also helped Jenna understand who she is as a person. “I did a lot of work healing from the inside out, becoming more in touch with my womanly power,” she said. “It was always ‘I’m a dancer,’ or ‘I’m married,’ or ‘I’m an actress.’ Over the last couple of years, it became about learning about myself.” Jenna also added that she and Channing have a positive relationship with each other even after the split and they tend to keep it that way.