There are families all over cable television who are celebrated for having a ton of kids. There are teenagers on cable television having two and three children before they’re old enough to drink. Religions push people into not using birth control with the argument that humans are meant to populate the (overpopulated) earth.

But listen, when black or brown people hit the town with their broods that include more than two or three littles, the judgment is quick and harsh.

They couldn’t possibly afford all of those children. They couldn’t possibly be a nuclear family? They must be a drain on society!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8kGjEdAA6D/

No.

And Leslie Lewis, a black mother of four and curator of the popular Instagram account @TheLewis_Show, just couldn’t keep quiet when people began to make snotty comments on her pregnancy announcement for their latest addition.

Leslie is married to her husband, Joe, and together they have two sons, two daughters, a scruffy dog, and one on. the way. They are ridiculously cute, usually in adorable, matching outfits (even the dog!), and she has a strong following – but the haters were ready to pounce on her post about #5 joining the crew.

On February 3, she posted a picture of the family in matching denim and added this caption to address the rude, unnecessary, and unwanted feedback on her decision to grow her family.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8G-TJ_AUXE/

“So, I don’t usually publicly address the Negative Nancys and Pouty Pauls that find it necessary to judge my life choices. BUT a number of ppl have been commenting and even having the nerve to send me DMs regarding my pregnancy… ‘I thought y’all was done?’ ‘How can y’all afford 5?’

Listen here! I am a married ADULT! I have one baby daddy (This post isn’t by any means intended to shame OR  offend anyone whose situation is different). I don’t appreciate getting messages about birth control and questions like ‘How did this happen?’ SEX…Sex is how it happened.”

Her post has grabbed 65,000 likes and tons of comments in support of her decision to speak up, more than a few of whom mentioned the divide between how large white families and large families of color are treated.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B89B9aUgd8L/

“Tell ’em sis! The Duggars captured 2.3M viewers. Now when brown and black families have large families, folks and their microaggressions assume we are exploiting the system,” said one person.

“This is definitely a ppl of color issue. No one questions white women when they have large families, hell it’s encouraged but ppl are always policing our brown bodies,” agreed another.

When Leslie spoke with Yahoo Lifestyle, she said that one woman’s comment in particular encouraged her to speak up.

“The last straw was when another woman felt the need to send me really hurtful messages assuming I must be on welfare and how I should be on birth control, etc.”

Leslie would like to use her platform and her influence to help normalize the idea that people of color, and working-class families across the board, are allowed to – and always have had – larger families.

“I have learned to use my platform to uplift families and women of color, and to use the criticism as fuel to meet and exceed my personal and family goals! Maybe one day we will get a reality show since there’s no families of color with multiple kids on TV that people can relate to.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Q5vKTguGU/

I don’t know about you, but I’d definitely be on board to watch these cuties (plus the little girl that’s coming soon!) run around being adorable and changing perceptions all over the world.

Do you think she was right to call out the haters? Why do you suppose people of color have to deal with more judgment surrounding a decision to have many kids? Let’s discuss in the comments!

Or, you know, we can also just talk about which of her family’s outfits are the best, but that road would be long and winding and never end, I fear!