On March 14, a Twitter account shared a video from Variety in which Malala Yousafzai expressed her love for popular American singer Rihanna. The user mocked the Nobel Peace Prize winner's "English accent" and wished the activist had better "training to speak properly”.
After the tweet circulated online, many people came to Yousafzai's defense, including veteran actor Nadia Jamil. "Shame on you for mocking our heroes," she wrote while re-sharing the tweet with her followers. "You take a bullet in the face, that paralyses half your face to stand for educating girls and win the Nobel Prize for Pakistan."
Before concluding, Jamil expressed her disdain towards people who were "jealous" of the Oxford graduate and still suffered from an inferiority complex. "I just blocked this profile for having an English accent complex and being a nobody who is jealous of a very brave and fine young woman!" she said.
Shame on you for mocking our hero’s. You take a bullet in the face, that paralyses half your face, to stand for educating girls & win a Nobel Prize for Pakistan.
— Nadia Jamil (@NJLahori) March 15, 2023
Blocked for having an angrezi accent complex and being a nobody whose jealous of a very brave fine young woman! https://t.co/wivh2qyN0N
Twitterati also came forward to highlight the anonymous profile's "colonial complex" and slammed the account for spreading unnecessary "negativity" online. "It’s very easy to send unnecessarily critical tweets from an anonymous account without having the courage to reveal your name or face. Also, jealousy is such a negative emotion it would eat at you. Maybe you can do better!" penned one tweep.
Very easy to send unnecessarily critical tweets from an anonymous account without having the courage to reveal your name or face. Also, jealousy is such a negative emotion it would eat at you. Maybe you can do better!
— Sarah B. Haider (@bohotsaara) March 15, 2023
Another Twitter user reminded everyone of Yousafzai's accomplishments. "She is the youngest Nobel laureate in history, an Oxford university graduate who heads an international welfare fund and has addressed the UN multiple times and survived an assassination attempt. Her English is perfectly fine, your hatred is not," read the comment.
She is the youngest Nobel laureate in history, oxford graduate, heads an international welfare fund, has addressed the UN multiple times and survived an assassination attempt. Her English is perfectly fine, your hatred is not
— Hasan Saeed (@hasansaeed6) March 14, 2023
Others also requested the person reflect on themselves. "There should be a limit to a colonised mind! Ironically, the actual colonisers don't care about her English, plus she has socialite status there. But one random individual is not impressed. It's time to reflect on yourself," said the tweep.
colonized mind ka bhi level hai, the actual colonizers don’t care about her English, plus she has socialite status there. But one random loser from Kot Addu is pressed. It’s time to self reflect.
— ominous (@lubbadubbdubbb) March 14, 2023
Yousafzai was recently seen on the red carpets of the 95th Academy Awards held this Sunday. The 25-year-old Pakistani activist attended the film's biggest awards as the executive producer for the Oscar-nominated short documentary, Stranger at the Gate.
In addition to her advocacy work, Malala has also been involved in producing films that promote education and social justice. However, regardless of her long list of triumphs, the idol continues to face criticism and ridicule online.
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