Social media exploded with the news of the YouTube star’s pregnancy on Monday, and opinions could not be more divided. In the aftermath of the announcement, one consensus rings true: we all need to live through the next nine months, otherwise “we risk the possibility of being reincarnated as Trisha’s baby.” 

Those who have followed Paytas in the decade since they created their YouTube channel (originally a Quentin Tarantino fan page) couldn’t be more surprised. For years, YouTube’s favorite troll lamented to their followers about their fertility issues, and some viewers collectively breathed a sigh of relief that no mini Paytas’ would be heard crying on the kitchen floor. Or that no child would be fed by a bedazzled bottle. 

Throughout their tenure on the Frenemies podcast with Ethan Klein, Paytas talked often about how they were trying to get pregnant with then-fiance Moses Hacmon. Hacmon is Klein’s brother-in-law, whom Paytas often picked fights with regarding Klein’s parenting decisions on the podcast. Specifically, Paytas––unprompted––told Klein she would never let a nanny around her child, unlike Klein and his wife. These fights eventually led to the end of the podcast, and the end of the familial relationship between Klein and Hacmon. 

These fights are more relevant now than ever before. Now, the world will see what kind of parents Paytas and their husband are going to be, and if their complaints about Klein are reflected in the parenting choices they make. 

Given Paytas’ controversial presence on Frenemies, and their numerous public scandals, the internet’s reaction to the pregnancy has been less than positive, to put it lightly. Looking at Paytas’ past actions, it’s easy to see why. In one specific meltdown, Paytas allegedly drove their car into their ex-boyfriend’s house while high on meth. 

Though Paytas is sober now, their time on the internet has been marked with repeated scandals and controversy, some of which has been heightened by substance abuse. Many of these meltdowns and scandals have involved Paytas dragging others down with them, and hurling insults and allegations at anyone who might be slightly involved in their life. 

These meltdowns often come seemingly out of nowhere, and Paytas is quick to spiral. These frequent, and sometimes unprompted, breakdowns are obviously a cause for concern when it comes to someone bringing another life onto this planet.

Considering Paytas’ proclivity for publicizing these breakdowns, and how they have already made their pregnancy public at nine weeks, the internet wants to know whether they would bring a child into these public spirals.

While all of this is valid reason for discourse, the way the internet has responded to Paytas’ pregnancy is completely unacceptable, and beyond parasocial. It only takes a glance at Paytas’ Twitter feed to see the recent influx of hateful comments about their pregnancy. Certain groups— and I’m looking at you r/Trishyland—have been publicly advocating and hoping for Paytas to miscarry. 

I don’t think I even need to explain how incredibly messed up that is, Paytas’ problematic history aside. Wishing a miscarriage on anyone, especially someone who has struggled with infertility, makes you a bad person. Point, blank, period.  

Scrolling through r/Trishyland reveals masses of people proclaiming their desire to “check out” and stop watching Paytas. If you are so involved in an influencer’s life that you have to “check out” because you’re upset with a decision in their private life, especially one as serious as a baby, you should probably go touch some grass. 

Even those advocating for child protective services to intervene and take the child away need to knock it off. If CPS decides to intervene and remove the child, it’s because they deem it necessary for the child’s wellbeing, not because idiots on Reddit told them to. 

The truth of the matter is that we know nothing about who Trisha Paytas actually is in real life. The persona we see online could entirely be a character, and we would never know. It’s safe to say that we all hope  that the popular internet personality is fake and won’t be the one creating a  mini-me. The world can only handle one. 

The internet needs to stop assuming that they know everything about an influencer’s life solely based on the content they post online. Paytas has uploaded countless videos and posts during their 10+ years on social media, but even still, this could only represent a fraction of who they are. 

Only time will tell what kind of mother Trisha Paytas is going to be, and making assumptions nine months out proves nothing. The jokes about not wanting to be reborn as Paytas’ child, or how the baby could be born a Scorpio are genuinely funny, as long as they don’t get any darker than that. 

This is not to say Paytas should be shielded from valid criticism simply because they are pregnant. Paytas deserves to be called out for their numerous offensive comments about marginalized groups, and their tendency to appropriate religions and cultures which they don’t belong to, among other grievances. But regardless, we shouldn’t allow ourselves to become an angry mob. There are many acceptable ways to criticize Paytas without wishing death or misfortune on their unborn child.   

As problematic as Trisha Paytas is, and as genuine as people’s concerns may be, all we can do as randoms on the internet is sit back and let the family live their lives. Besides, we should all look on the bright side, we’re definitely getting an updated version of “I Love You Jesus/I Love You Moses” with the baby’s name.