Erin Napier doesn’t have time for mom-shaming on her social media. In a new interview with Us Weekly, the “Home Town” star discussed the negative comments she’s received while raising her three-year-old daughter, Helen.
“I don’t understand why people feel like they can say on social media things they would never say in person,” Napier said. “I’ve never behaved that way on social media. I just expect everyone to have the same level of polite conversation.”
The 35-year-old HGTV star said that the negative comments have become “teaching moments” for her.
“I typically have a rude comment from someone and I can look at their profile and see this is a mother who has children,” she explained “This is another woman attacking me as a woman or a mother or whatever. I like to begin with: ‘You would absolutely not speak to me this way in person. Why do you feel like it’s okay to do it here? It’s not. And this little corner of the Internet belongs to me so you’re not welcome here anymore.’”
She continued, saying, “Any time someone feels like they can be rude on my social media account, I’d like to let them know this isn’t an acceptable way to communicate and you’re not going to be welcome here anymore, and I block them.”
Her husband, Ben Napier, added that there is “no bright future” if online criticism is “here to stay.”
“We have to learn to respect each other the same way that you do on the street,” he said. “I don’t care where you go, whether it’s a small town or a big city, I’ve never had someone be rude to me there or criticize my weight gain or criticize the way that I’m playing with my daughter or anything like that.”
In December 2020, Napier called out the barrage of comments about her reproductive choices.
“I think it’s really weird and unnecessary,” she told People. "People saying things like, 'You need to give Helen a sibling,' or 'She doesn't need to be an only child.'"
The home renovation expert shared that while infertility is “not necessarily” a problem for her and her husband, it is for many of their friends, so when they are asked about their plans it “cuts deep.”
“I want to change the narrative,” she said. “It’s a delicate conversation and people need to be more careful talking about it.”