Are Vanessa Trump and Tiger Woods dating?
According to media reports, Vanessa Trump and Tiger Woods have been seeing each other since late last year.
Tiger Woods and Vanessa Trump – like many celebrities and regular people before them – pressed publish on an Instagram post and let the world know they’re together. A “hard launch,” if you will.
“Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side!” Woods wrote on the social platform over the weekend. “We look forward to our journey through life together. At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts.”
Fans sifted through the announcement and started scratching their heads: “Confused on how one requests privacy when making public announcements,” one commenter wrote. Another added: “Privacy but here’s my new girl.”
Celebrities toe a tricky line when it comes to their relationship statuses. Not acknowledging something breeds incessant speculation, while acknowledging it invites opinion after opinion. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, for example, didn’t announce to the world they were a couple right away, though everyone had plenty to say before and after the fact. The same goes for Woods and Trump, who was previously married to Donald Trump, Jr.
Therapists say celebrities have myriad reasons for pulling that proverbial “hard launch” trigger. But whether it’s a carefully curated moment or an impulsive expression of love, you can’t unring that bell.
“Every aspect of the relationship can become fodder for public consumption and scrutiny, putting a spotlight on the couple and creating pressure to be seen as a healthy match,” Jeff Guenther, licensed professional counselor and author of “Big Dating Energy” previously told USA TODAY. “You’re also leaving yourself open to increased criticism.”
The trickiness going public
The butterflies in your stomach. The lump in your throat. The unsexy sweat dripping from your forehead. Dating is tricky no matter who you are, especially early on until you decide to start telling people. Multiply that by a lot and you may find yourself empathizing with celebrities.
“When we introduce someone as our partner, there is an expectation that we’ve vetted this person,” Kimberly Vered Shashoua, a licensed clinical social worker who who often works with people in their first relationships, previously told USA TODAY. “It can be embarrassing to have to go back to friends, family and Instagram and update them with a breakup.” Think about all the couples, celebrity or otherwise, who never announce a thing. Often, it’s a matter of self-preservation. And it’s more than that when kids and exes are involved, like in Woods and Trump’s case.
‘It can feel strange’ to hide a relationship
Still, it’s easy to see why celebrities might want to shout about their relationships anyway. They’re just like anyone else. It feels good to be part of a couple.
“When we feel confident in our partner, it can feel great to show them off,” Shashoua says. “It’s a lot easier to be honest with our friends and family than sneaking around. If we’re active on social media, it can feel strange to have such a big part of your life hidden.”
Plus, a public launch works that much better when you’re a famous figure so you can manage how and when people find out – and, crucially, before tabloids do.
“Celebrities can have more control over the narrative, which might reduce speculation and gossip,” Guenther says. “Although it’s probably more of an illusion of control, I would imagine it still has a positive effect on their overall mental health.”
It’s a decision that requires care and conversation. And if and when the hard-launched couples of today fall, here’s hoping for a smooth landing.
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