Mainstream WeeklyWomen’s online voice - Postpartum shaming
Today, Instagram and similar digital platforms are not just for entertainment or watching reels. Instead, they have become more informative spaces where women can easily share their thoughts, rights, feminist views and their opinions on public policy and social issues in our society. Women often cannot speak openly because of patriarchal rules, but these platforms act as a helpful tool for them to voice their minds. This is a very good thing because it allows women to talk openly, share positive viewpoints and inspire other girls. Moreover, this trend is not limited to just one area; whether we look at different countries, women might come from different locations and social settings, but many of their life experiences match because of this, with women happily and excitedly sharing their views online. They talk about how these issues are connected to their own lives, share their personal experiences and build a strong sense of connection while learning from one another. Yet at the same time, we also see a negative side of these platforms. The post touches upon women’s rights issues. It faces a huge amount of online misogyny, including attacks, hate and safety threats. This harassment has become very common nowadays, and we need to understand why this toxic trend is growing so fast.
The trolling incident and women’s counter answers
Recently, when an actress attended a public function, a few months after giving birth, her photos and videos went viral online. Instead of showing respect, people started trolling her heavily. They made cruel memes, put insulting songs in the background, cracked bad jokes and said very strange things about her changing body and how she looks. Yet, this time, many ordinary women stood up and gave strong counter answers in the comment sections or by posting reels. These women openly questioned the trolls, asking them if their own mothers or sisters had never given birth and how they could be so completely blind to what happens to our women’s bodies after childbirth. This entire situation made me realise that even though online platforms give women a voice, they are also rapidly becoming a dangerous ground for deep-rooted misogyny and patriarchal attacks on women.
This trolling also shows how easily people judge a woman’s body without understanding what her body has actually gone through. After pregnancy and childbirth, a woman’s body cannot suddenly return to the way it looked before. Her weight, skin, hair and body shape may change, and she may need time to recover. But on social media, people often expect actresses and other women to look perfect soon after giving birth. When they do not match these expectations, their bodies become a subject of jokes and public discussion. We need to understand that a postpartum body is not something to make fun of. It is a body that has gone through pregnancy and childbirth and needs time, care and respect.
The scientific reality of postpartum depression
To understand why this online shaming is so wrong, we must look at the real medical facts of childbirth. A famous scientific research paper published in September 2026 in the International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health by Amaya Prakash and Sithara Balan VijayKumari explains the heavy physical and mental stress a woman goes through. The study states that the postnatal phase is a short period marked by major hormonal changes, physical strain, musculoskeletal stress, and extreme fatigue for the mother. According to their scientific findings, they also confirmed that this phase is a highly vulnerable time in a woman’s life.
Postpartum is not only about depression. A woman may also go through physical pain, lack of sleep, tiredness, breastfeeding difficulties and emotional changes after childbirth. At the same time, she has the responsibility of caring for a newborn baby while her own body is still recovering. Not every woman experiences these problems in the same way, but this period can be physically and emotionally difficult for many women. This is why people need proper knowledge before judging how a new mother looks or behaves after giving birth.
The online reality of misogyny
Now we have to understand why this online shaming happens. We must look at the GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report 2026. Even when internet access increases for women, safety and security remain the primary barriers that prevent them from using digital spaces freely. Our formal school education only provides general knowledge but fails to prepare young people for the gender pressures of online public spaces. The moment a woman tries to express her independent opinion online, she enters a highly hostile environment. A major study by Dehingia et al. 2023 proves that online misogyny is not just about a few random bad comments. It actually forms a wide hostile environment filled with sexist abuse and threats. Recent research by Berškytė and Popa-Wyatt (2026) shows that this severe online harassment successfully silences women by forcing them into self-censorship, avoidance, and complete withdrawal from digital platforms.
The absence of men in delivery rooms, and a lack of empathy and knowledge
This severe trolling shows that people lack basic education about the real impacts and struggles of pregnancy. The main reason for this ignorance is that in deeply patriarchal societies like India, husbands and men are traditionally kept completely away when a woman is pregnant or delivering a baby. In most hospitals and homes, men are not allowed to enter the delivery area. Only female relatives stay with the mother. Because men never see the actual process with their own eyes, they do not have practical knowledge about how intense the pain and physical struggle are that a woman goes through to bring a new life into the world. They take the whole struggle very lightly because they are kept outside in the corridors, away from the reality of childbirth.
Pregnancy and the postpartum period are among the most vulnerable times in a woman’s life.
Men should not learn about pregnancy only when their wife becomes pregnant. Boys should also learn about reproductive health from an early age. Pregnancy, menstruation, childbirth and postpartum health are often treated as only women’s matters in our society. Because of this social silence, many boys grow up without enough knowledge about these basic realities of women’s lives. Later, this lack of knowledge can also be seen in the way some people talk about women’s bodies online.
Husbands should also be more involved throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period. Hospitals can provide simple classes where both partners learn about pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum recovery and mental health. Where hospitals allow and it is medically appropriate, husbands can also support their wives during childbirth. Even when they cannot be present in the delivery room, they can still be properly informed about what the mother is going through. Pregnancy should not be treated as something that only women need to understand.
What social media teaches and what our education does not
Another important problem is where young people are getting this knowledge from. Today, many young people learn about pregnancy, relationships, women’s health and reproductive issues through Instagram reels, YouTube videos and other online content. Some of this information can be useful, but everything we see online is not always correct. If schools and colleges do not provide proper reproductive health education, young people may depend on incomplete or wrong information from social media.
This is why reproductive health education should not only teach biological facts. Young people should also understand how pregnancy changes a woman’s body, what happens during childbirth, what postpartum recovery looks like and why mental health matters during this period. This education can help both boys and girls understand these experiences with more knowledge and sensitivity.
Practical solutions, Hospital programmes and school education
To fix this insensitivity, we need real practical changes in our society and institutions. First, hospitals should start mandatory programmes and awareness classes for pregnant couples. Health workers should visit homes to explain the changes and struggles of pregnancy to both husband and wife, showing them what to expect. Most importantly, we must normalise husbands’ presence in delivery rooms so they can see the reality themselves. This essential education should start early in our schools and colleges, breaking the social silence around reproductive health. Only when we teach young people about the physical and emotional realities of motherhood can we stop this toxic online shaming and build a society that truly respects women.
The responsibility of social media platforms
Schools, hospitals and families have an important role, but social media platforms also have a responsibility. When thousands of people attack a woman’s body, make insulting memes or send abusive comments, we cannot simply call it harmless online fun. Platforms should make it easier for women to report gender-based abuse and serious threats. Stronger action should also be taken when online jokes turn into repeated harassment or threats.
At the same time, social media can also be used in a positive way. Doctors, health workers, women and responsible content creators can use these platforms to share simple and correct information about pregnancy and postpartum health. The same digital space that spreads cruel jokes can also become a place where people learn why those jokes are harmful.
Men can also become part of this change
We should also recognise that this change cannot come from women alone. Many young men are already speaking against misogyny and supporting women when they face online trolling. This is important because gender equality should not become a conversation where only women are expected to speak. Men can question sexist jokes, challenge their friends when they make insulting comments and learn more about women’s health instead of treating these issues as embarrassing topics.
If boys and girls learn these things together from school, we may slowly create a generation that does not laugh at a woman’s postpartum body because they already understand what her body has gone through. This kind of education can help us change not only what happens inside our homes and hospitals, but also how people behave when they enter digital spaces.
Building a safe, digital space and conclusion
In conclusion, most importantly, major reform is needed in our education system in India. India urgently needs mandatory school and college education on reproductive health, pregnancy and the serious realities of postpartum depression. Young people must be taught about the physical and mental struggles a woman’s body goes through during and after childbirth. Only when we break the social silence and provide proper scientific knowledge can we build deeper empathy in our society by combining real-world education with online safety. We must create a better online environment and a safe space where women can speak up completely without any fear and judgement in today’s society. It is encouraging to see that many young men are also supporting this change. They are actively posting reels and sharing content online to fight against misogyny and patriarchal thinking. This shows that the mindset of the younger generation is slowly changing for the better. We need to work harder to maintain this supportive environment. Women should never feel afraid of facing bad comments or hate before sharing their thoughts, views or ideas. Online digital platforms should be a peaceful place for everyone. By increasing the number of both men and women who stand together against online abuse, we can build a safe digital world that values women’s voices and respects their dignity.
(Author: Mohini Yadav Research Student, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) )