Mariam Ansari recently shared her candid thoughts on dealing with body shaming and harsh criticism during pregnancy in an interview with BBC Urdu. The interview, titled “How to deal with body shaming and negative comments during pregnancy,” featured insights from several women who discussed their experiences of facing bullying during this significant phase of their lives.
During the interview, Mariam Ansari reflected on the backlash she encountered after sharing a pregnancy photoshoot with her husband, a special moment meant to announce the arrival of their baby daughter, Amaya Khan. Unfortunately, the photo shoot became a target for trolls who criticized her for proudly showcasing her baby bump. In response to the negative comments, Mariam took to Instagram stories to express her justified frustration:
“It’s my profile; my choice. I’ve even had my child. It’s my choice to post whatever I want. If you don’t like it, you shouldn’t follow me. I don’t understand, since when is being pregnant a form of ‘badtameezi or behayai.’ You too were born just like this, so what?”
Despite her resilient stance, Mariam Ansari confessed that the hurtful comments took a toll on her emotional well-being. She shared her experiences of feeling demoralized by comments suggesting that her actions reflected Western culture and implying that Muslim women should not openly celebrate their pregnancies. What should have been one of the happiest moments in her life was unjustly turned into a source of shame, leaving her disheartened.
The overwhelming negativity eventually led Mariam to deactivate her Instagram account, as she couldn’t bear the hateful comments any longer. She described the emotional impact, saying, “I broke down emotionally. I became very vulnerable.” Her story sheds light on the importance of addressing online bullying and the need for empathy and support during such transformative life events.
