"Growing older will not make you miserable": Pokimane claps back at online criticism over her age

In April 2025, Imane "Pokimane" Anys pushed back on criticism she'd faced online following a post which some social media users had termed "childish." The backlash spawned a greater debate of age and perception, especially in open forums such as the internet, where celebrities are always called out. When answering criticism, Pokimane stated,

"although idc about the comments, i do worry about the impact it has on other girls & women who see this type of harassment - and to them, i want to reassure you that life only gets better. growing older will not make you miserable, but living your life trying to appease random shi*ty people definitely will!"

This was also meant to de-mystify her position on aging and how it is presented on the internet.

Before this comment, she had stated that,

"i’m the happiest, richest, most knowledgeable & self assured i’ve ever been, and that only becomes more true with every year that passes :)"

Although there were some theories among some users that the backlash was related to birthday content, there has been no public posting of any birthday-related content from Pokimane as of April. She was born on May 14, 1996, and will be turning 29 in May 2025. Controversy seems to be only on the photo that she shared in April, which became controversial among users.

Timeline of events

The controversy on the internet started not long after Pokimane shared a humorous picture on her social media sites throughout April 2025. Certain of the users reacted negatively, declaring the post "childish." Although the picture was not very birthday-like, the backlash occurred at the moment when information regarding her birthday in May was on everybody's desk.

The backlash prompted her to respond publicly, where she directly challenged the tone and implications of the criticism.

Public declaration and response

Pokimane's age remarks were posted on various platforms; her remark "Growing older will not make you miserable" was largely positively received by most of her audience. Her response summed up her sentiments towards age and self-image and was accompanied by posts that she felt safe and grounded in her current state of existence.

The post became popular for addressing the criticism head-on instead of brushing it aside.

Extended discussion

Pokimane's reply has been one aspect of a wider conversation on the topics of representation, aging, and public sentiment among influencers. While opinions online have been split, her response is part of a wider trend among online creators who are coming to speak increasingly about the issue of visibility and critique in public life.

This episode is merely one illustration of how public figures, and especially women, deal with complicated discourses on aging in the age of social media.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback