22 Celebrities on Being Mom Shamed & Coping With Unsolicited Judgement

Mila Kunis

During an interview with Vanity Fair, Mila Kunis opened up at length about the mommy shame she experienced when breastfeeding in public. The Bad Moms actress explained, “I support every woman’s choice in what she wants to do and whatever makes them happy, but for me, I did nurse my child and I literally breastfed everywhere.”

She continued, “There were many times where I didn’t bring a cover with me, and so I just did it in a restaurant, in the subway, in the park, at airports, and in planes. Why did I do it in public? Because I had to feed my child. She’s hungry. I need to feed her whether it’s out of a bottle or out of my boob no matter where I was.”

Kunis added that the public recoil to her breastfeeding made her and husband Ashton Kutcher feel “weird,” explaining, “It took us a little back because people actually looked at us in a shameful [way], and we were like, ‘Oh my God,’ because it’s so not a sexual act. It didn’t matter to me what other people thought. That’s what I chose to do, but I think it’s unfortunate that people are so hard on women who choose to do it and do it in public.”

She pointed out the root of the problem, saying, “In the States and in our culture, we sexualize the breast so much that there’s an aspect of it that people just don’t know how to wrap their head around the idea of showing your breast in public. But I respect the opinions on both sides. If it’s not for you, don’t look.”

Jenna Dewan

After experiencing a tidal wave of judgment on Instagram in response to a photo of herself in lingerie, Jenna Dewan told Women’s Health, “Apparently, when you become a mother, you’re supposed to leave your sexuality at the door, and I never understood that. I think there’s nothing sexier than becoming a mother. You give life. It’s everything. And you don’t change who you are inside just because you have a kid.”

Cardi B

After being slammed by a Twitter user for not letting her daughter listen to her song “WAP,” Cardi B responded, “Ya needs to stop with this already! I’m not Jojo Siwa! I don’t make music for kids, I make music for adults. Parents are responsible [for] what their children listen to or see. I’m a very sexual person but not around my child, just like every other parent should be.”

Jada Pinkett Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith has famously let her kids make their own style choices from a young age, and on an episode of Red Table Talk, the actress addressed the mom shaming she faced. “I got shamed a lot for Willow,” referring to her daughter’s shaved head. “That was hardcore. I think as Jaden got older, you know, when he did the Louis Vuitton thing, when he was wearing a skirt. And then he isn’t what people consider your typical Black man, which is like, what is that supposed to be?”

Maren Morris

Addressing the hate she received for her Playboy photoshoot, Maren Morris wrote on her Instagram Story in 2022, “I did @playboy in 2019 and got a lot of hate at the time, but I’m the proudest that I showed country female sexuality in its realist form here. We are nuanced, we are messy and stretch-marked in the most beautiful way. Don’t sleep on us. We tell your down-home stories in the most unflinching, gorgeous lane. Don’t forget it.”

The country musician also shared a screenshot of someone’s comment, “Please dress appropriately,” adding her own comment: “RESPECT 4 MOM BOOBZ … I see this kind of comment a lot on country music accounts at me, soooooo GET OVER IT.” The unashamed mama concluded, “Letting all the prudes know women in country music own their sexuality too.”

Kelly Clarkson

In response to a wildly inappropriate tweet saying her bustling career was the cause of her divorce and that she needed to go back to being “the good old country girl we fell in love with,” Kelly Clarkson tweeted, “Wow. Shaming a woman who has a great work ethic, is a great mom, and who steps up and fills in when a friend asks for a favor because that’s actually what ‘good old country girls’ do…. this can’t be who you are deep down. I have more faith in your heart. Aim higher please.”

Gabrielle Union-Wade

How does Gabrielle Union-Wade handle mommy shamers? By raising a metaphorical middle finger and going about her day. In an interview with People, the Bring It On icon said, “I had to hit the mommy-shamers day one. I want to be able to make whatever choice I want to make and not have to answer to anybody but me. As long as I feel good, as long as I feel confident, screw you. Look in the mirror and fix your own life.”

Shawn Johnson-East

After sharing a video of her 3-month-old daughter doing her first flip, Shawn Johnson-East received a slew of mean-spirited mommy-shaming comments on Instagram — one of which read, “While she may have been perfectly safe, sometimes you are a bit rough handling such a young baby, and not making her warm enough when you take her out. She needs at least socks if not shoes, as well, and hats.”

The Olympic gymnast responded, “Were you holding her? Have you physically felt her sweat when she wears socks? Or felt her strength when she stands? Or seen her fuss until she stands up because she hates laying down? Nope. You haven’t. I’m her mama. I know.”

Johnson-East took to her Instagram Story a few days later to share, “All of us moms are doing the best we can. So you guys should celebrate all the mamas out there. If you have advice, try to say it in a very kind way because, let’s be real: None of us know what in the heck we’re doing.”

Pink

Pink is an absolute legend when it comes to clapping back at mommy shamers. She took to Instagram to share a photo of her daughter with this banger of a caption: “Here’s a picture of my child running through water. It wasn’t even filtered. What a waste of water. And no helmet? I hope she had sunscreen. If she slips and falls she may be traumatized for life. And her mother wasn’t even there. I was….. gasp…. working!!!! In another country! 🤘🏽👎🖕.”

She added the following hilariously snarky hashtags: “#instagramisfun #f—ktheparentingpolice #ifyoufeellikeunfollowingpleasegoddoitquickly #opinionsarelikea—holes #somanya—holes.”

Shay Mitchell

Another icon in the mommy-shaming clapback arena is Shay Mitchell. Under an Instagram photo of her breastfeeding her daughter, one rude person wrote, “She’s not even looking at the baby, she’s not connected with the baby.”

The You actress snarkily responded, “I missed the part in the baby books that stated I had to maintain eye contact with my daughter while she feeds rather than capturing an amazing moment we were having. Pls let me know where I can download your parenting manual, I’ll get right on it!”

Alyssa Milano

Opening up about how being mom-shamed for breastfeeding affected her, Alyssa Milano shared during an appearance on The Talk, “I got really sad about it. Because… who are we, that now we get upset as human beings if we see a woman feeding her baby? It’s crazy to me. Crazy, crazy, crazy. I just think, ‘Where are we that this has now become offensive?’ So not only is it beautiful, but it’s also a necessity. I’m feeding my kid.”

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi

Jersey Shore alum Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi isn’t afraid to clap back at the trolls who come for her on social media. Mom shamers called her out for not brushing her daughter’s hair for a photo, and the reality TV star commented back, “Are we mom shaming? Who gives a f—k. We drove with the windows down singing and enjoying life. Sorry I can’t always brush and braid her hair like you, perfect mom.”

Coco Austin

Coco Austin vulnerably opened up about the serious mental strife caused by being the target of non-stop mom shaming, tearfully sharing on The Tamron Hall Show, “You don’t hear what good you do. You don’t hear the goodness. You just hear the bad. And I know I’m a good mother because I dedicated the last six years of putting everything aside — my career, everything, just for her.” On the brink of a sob, Austin said, “You just want a little love, a little respect from people.”

Julia Stiles

“It was brought to my attention that in the previous photo I am not holding my baby correctly,” Julia Stiles captioned an Instagram photo of the band Clash. She continued, “Wow, I didn’t expect that. What was supposed to be a shout out of products I like, suddenly becomes an invitation to comment on my baby, and my ability as a mother. That’s the internet for you, the carnivorous plant from ‘Little Shop of Horrors.'”

The Prince & Me actress went on, “I was trying to keep much of my son’s image private, including, I guess, his little feet. And it was just a photo taken at home, not how I normally carry him around. Thanks for the concern, anyway.” Calling out toxic social media users, Stiles concluded, “Yes, Mothers, always read the safety instructions. But also, Instagrammers: instead of writing snarky comments about a 5 week old, try dancing around your living room to a Clash record. It’s way more fun.”

Halle Berry

Proving that you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t, Halle Berry has received a lot of criticism for not showing her children on social media. In response to one nasty Instagram commenter in particular, the actress wrote: “I’ve noticed you have said this several times now so let me be clear — I’m not at all ashamed of [my] children. I try to find creative ways to incorporate them into my feed because they are the biggest part of my life, but I also work very hard to keep their identities as private as I can considering they are only children.”

Emily Ratajkowski

After receiving an unbelievable amount of hate for holding her son with one arm, Emily Ratajkowski took to her Instagram Story to write, “We are all reflecting back on shaming Britney and calling her a bad mom when she drove with her baby in her lap. We talk about how we have to ‘do better’ as a culture.”

The model continued, “Meanwhile, my comments are filled with awful remarks about how I don’t deserve to be a mom. Shame on you all.” Ratajkowski added that no one deserves to be told by strangers that they’re a “sh-tty mother.”

Hilary Duff

Hilary Duff was slammed for sharing a photo of herself kissing her then-4-year-old son on the lips. “For anyone commenting that a kiss on the lips with my 4-year-old is ‘inappropriate’ go ahead and click a quick unfollow with your warped minds and judgment,” she wrote on Instagram. 

Khloé Kardashian

While Khloé Kardashian was pregnant with her daughter, she received a ton of criticism for touching and cradling her bump. In response to the ridiculousness, she tweeted, ​​”People are very opinionated about my bump. I choose to cradle my bump because it’s MINE. I’ve waited for this VERY short moment for YEARS. I have only months to enjoy this phase in my life, so I will touch my bump and love my bump as often as I choose. Mommy loves you baby!”

Kim Kardashian

Similar to Cardi B and Jenna Dewan, Kim Kardashian has come under fire for being “too sexy” as a mother. She shut down the ridiculous sentiment, writing in a statement, “The body-shaming and slut-shaming — it’s like, enough is enough. I will not live my life dictated by the issues you have with my sexuality. You be you and let me be me. I am a mother. I am a wife, a sister, a daughter, an entrepreneur and I am allowed to be sexy.”

Megan Fox

Megan Fox opened up about the nasty comments she received from mommy shamers about her sons’ hair and clothing, saying during an appearance on TODAY, “I let my kids wear what they want. They will tell me what they are. It’s not my job to teach them that.” She added, “I thought it was illegal, honestly, to shame a child or shame a mom for what a child wears in 2018.”

Witney Carson McAllister

During an interview with Us Weekly, Dancing with the Stars pro Witney Carson McAllister said she receives comments from mommy shamers “all the time.” She explained, “I mostly get positive things and it’s amazing, but one or two negative comments like ‘You shouldn’t do that with your baby. You shouldn’t hold your baby that way. You shouldn’t let your baby sleep like that.’ … I haven’t [responded] so far, but if anybody were to comment on Leo, I think my mama bear [would come out].”

Michelle Branch

After being criticized for breastfeeding in public, Michelle Branch tweeted, “I just got shamed by another mother (who was holding her own young infant!) for nursing my 6-week old baby on a bench at a playground while my toddler was playing. She said I wasn’t ‘being modest’ I am in shock that this kind of judgment was coming from a fellow mom!”

The musician added, “…and to clarify, I had a nursing tank top on and was seated away from others. It’s not like I walked into the crowd and whipped my tits out. Being a mom is hard enough. Can we not judge one another for how we feed our babies?”