Screenshots of influencer Hayilaa Dyolf celebrating her divorce have gone viral across social media, igniting debate about parenting expectations and gender double standards.
In the widely circulated posts, Dyolf shared a photo smiling beside her ex-husband after their divorce was finalized and wrote “Divorced.” She later clarified that her former partner did not win custody of their child — she voluntarily gave it to him.
“Your son didn’t win custody… I gave him custody,” she wrote in one post. She added that she plans to see the child on weekends and used the hashtag #He’sTheSingleMamaNotMe, suggesting her ex-husband would now take on the role of the primary parent.
Some users criticized the influencer, accusing her of publicly celebrating what they viewed as abandoning parental responsibility. Others pointed to a perceived double standard, noting that fathers who relinquish custody rarely face the same level of backlash.
The debate also reflects broader custody trends. In the United States, about 80% of custodial parents after divorce are mothers, making cases where fathers receive primary custody less common. Researchers estimate roughly 2.5 million women are non-custodial mothers, a group that often faces significant social stigma.
Supporters argued that custody decisions can depend on many factors, including relationship dynamics and family circumstances, while critics warned that publicly celebrating freedom from parenting responsibilities could have long-term implications.
Dyolf has not publicly responded to the backlash following the viral spread of the
