When will the World Stop Judging Women on How They Choose to be a Mother?

Priyanka Chopra baby news has triggered a surprising debate on social media. Chopra is now at the receiving end of many nasty comments since the time the couple announced a baby through surrogacy. What's making trolls question Chopra's unconventional route to motherhood? The 39-year-old is facing comments that range from accusing her of 'using' another person's body in a bid to save her own from the pressures of pregnancy, to questioning the 'kind' of mom. Does a surrogate baby make Priyanka Chopra less of a mom?

Ever since Chopra and her husband, singer Nick Jonas made a surprise news update on the arrival of their baby, they asked for privacy to focus on their family. The couple issues a joint statement saying, "We respectfully ask for privacy during this special time as we focus on our family."

Chopra, who has fans across the world, has triggered a busy conversation among her fans. On social media, this is how the commentary went.

"Is this how she wants to keep her figure intact," said one comment. Another person said women 'will not make good mothers if they don't have their babies naturally."

Priyanka Chopra in Aitraaz

"Rich people pay poor people to have kids for them so their bodies don’t get wrecked," one Twitter user wrote, remarking on Chopra and Nick's surrogacy child. "Surrogacy for vanity purposes. It’s exploitative & unethical," tweeted another.

Many women came to the rescue and questioned trolls. "As long as she is happy, we are no one to judge. It's her life, her decision. You live your own life, make your own decision. Stop interfering in others."

Another one said, "Oh people just want to shame mothers no matter what they do. If you opt for c-section you are weak. If you feed formula milk you don't care enough. It's as if the joys of motherhood is justified only through constant mental and physical pain one endures. Do what is best for you and your child. Your ">body your choice. People who understand don't shame, and those who do, don't understand."

Suggested Reading: Priyanka Chopra Welcomes Baby Via Surrogacy: Here Are Others Celebs Who Did It

Many others are defending the couple's right to choose.

Chopra is not the first mega-celebrity to embrace motherhood through surrogacy. Kim Kardashian welcomed her third child Chicago via surrogate in 2018. Shah Rukh Khan also popularised the idea of surrogacy in the mainstream back in 2013 with his son AbRam, born via surrogacy. Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan had their baby through a surrogate too. Schauna Chauhan, a well known business woman from Mumbai too has spoken up about surrogacy and why women should have the right to choose. Here are more names.

Suggested Reading: Does Priyanka Chopra deserve all this hate?

So why is there so much trolling Chopra and Jonas? Does the couple deserve this hate coming their way?

It's high time we raise some important questions.

• Why must only a natural birth define motherhood? Mothers should have the option to choose who they want to have a baby. Why does social media, and society in general feel they can have an opinion on what's motherhood, what's not.
• How does a baby via surrogacy make a mother less of a mom?
• Why do mothers judge each other so much?
• What about Chopra's right to choose?
• What about our rights on our own body?

It's shocking how easily we in India, judge women for their choices. Whether its about not going through a 'normal' delivery over a C-section, or about how motherhood can only be natural.

No matter why Chopra chose surrogacy for her child, it's a choice she made for herself, her family and her body. We cannot question it no matter what. It should not be a concern for anyone if she 'chose' surrogacy to keep her figure or because she had another medical reason. It's none of our business.

In one of our other analysis, we raise an important question. Could it possibly be that the deluge of judgment coming Chopra's way is an extension of the outrage around the other stereotypes she has overstepped? Of marrying a man younger than her and of another nationality, of making it big as an independent, successful woman, of speaking her mind candidly. Read more of that article here.

Does the route one takes towards motherhood define the kind of mother they will be?

Stop Judging Women

There is no perfect rule for raising kids, but why is there a lot of room for comparison and judgment? Mothers get 'advice' every single day that they neither need and nor did they ask for.

Moms are faced with decisions on how to parent our children: what food to feed them; what energy boosters to pump them with, when and how to say no, what activities to enrol them in and so on.

It’s somewhat ironic, but the more a woman judges other women, the less confident she likely is in her own ways. It's high time we stop this now.