A Black mother was forced to defend herself on social media for having multiple children. Leslie Lewis, who is an influencer and posts pictures of her family with coordinated looks, took to Instagram to address critics who called her out for having too many children, according to Yahoo Lifestyle.
The married mother of four is currently pregnant with her fifth baby.
“So I don’t usually publicly address the Negative Nancys and Pouty Pauls that find it necessary to judge my life choices. BUT a number of ppl have been commenting and even having the nerve to send me DM’s regarding my pregnancy… ‘I thought y’all was done?’ ‘How can y’all afford 5?’” the married mother of four wrote.
“Listen here! I am a married, ADULT! I have one baby daddy,” she continued."'How did this happen?' SEX…sex is how this happened got damnit."
The pregnant mom then went on to clarify that she was in no way shaming anyone whose circumstances were different than hers. She said she simply felt the need to defend herself against the messages she had been receiving about birth control and her sex life.
“The last straw was when another woman felt the need to send me really hurtful messages assuming I must be on welfare and how I should be on birth control,” she told Yahoo.
The popular vlogger believes that many of the negative connotations hurled at her were rooted in racism, noting the double standard that families of color are often portrayed in the media as unable to provide or care for their children. Lewis asserts that working-class families of color have historically been large.
She’s not wrong. In the 1970s 40% of women ages 40–44 had four or more children, according to the Pew Research Center. In 1988, specifically for Black families, 30% of women in the same age range had four or more children. By 2014 that number had dropped to just 18%.
In spite of the harsh criticism, followers also commented with encouraging words on her post.
“Folks always have their lips on something. Smh. Love to see this beautiful family. I came from a family of 7. Mom had her last at 37. We all 37-51 and have had a blast. God bless y’all,” wrote one follower.
“You have a big beautiful family! It is none of anybody's business but yours and your husband's. Course you don't need me to tell you that. Lol,” commented another.
Even with the intrusive and rude questions, Lewis is determined to use her platform to promote the imagery of a healthy and large Black family.
“I have learned to use my platform to uplift families and women of color, and to use the criticism as fuel to meet and exceed my personal and family goals,” she said. “Maybe one day we will get a reality show since there’s no families of color with multiple kids on TV that people can relate to.”
