Malala's 'Pakistani accent' at Oscars divides social media users

Even after becoming the world's youngest Nobel Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai couldn't protect herself from cyberbullying and unsolicited opinions.

The girls education activist recently attended the Academy Awards show — a huge feat for both Yousafzai and Pakistan — and stunned everyone from the audience to social media users. However, not many people rooted for her. Rather, many people criticized her for her accent, particularly her "Pakistani accent". 

As ridiculous as it sounds, the 25-year-old was trolled by Pakistanis themselves for sounding like a Pakistani speaking English. 

The fiasco started when a Twitter user shared her uncalled-for thoughts about Yousafzai speaking English during an interview on the red carpet. As soon as the tweet surfaced online, all hell broke loose, dividing social media users.

The original tweet read, "Even after living in America and marrying an elite British citizen if your spoken English is pathetic then shame on your "training"!   

Amreeka mein reh kr b, Aik British elite se shaadi kr k b agar Apki angrezi Itni pathetic hai to laanat hai bai Aisi “Training” per !

And idc how many haters I get after this !pic.twitter.com/43lFK7dJ4q

— meenay (@lanadelmeem) March 13, 2023

Zunaira Inam — an Associate Research Analyst at the Institute of Regional Studies —  responded to the viral tweet mocking Yousafzai's accent after her appearance at this year's Academy Awards.

What exactly is wrong with her English?? Are you trying to imply that having an accent is the problem? Because that's a really elitist, bullshit stance. Colonialism really did a number on us, didn't it? https://t.co/20DVsgPn4V

— Zunaira Inam Khan (@ZunairaInam) March 14, 2023

In response, most Twitter users were divided in polarized opinions while some had a neutral stance.

twitter user lanadelmeem is a hero: she has actually managed to say something so stupid that she has united the malala haters AND the malala fans (go see the replies) https://t.co/y727yxn0aK

— Preloved Feminist (@agirlhasnogames) March 14, 2023

Not a fan of malala but im also not a fan of people who glamorize accents

Its fine the way she's speaking actually better than faking it because then she'll be called out for faking it instead even if it's a natural transition

— broom broom broom (@BubbleLOEY) March 14, 2023

Twitterati went ballistic over Malala being subjected to such conventional and colonial standards of intellect and English language. Many social media users criticized the user for her unsolicitied opinion. 

Yall made me realise the first date questions should include what is your opinion about malala… “idc how many haters i get after this” edi tu rihanna https://t.co/LCbrtcK2Ls

— ???? (@strawb3rryspic3) March 14, 2023

I’m not a Malala fan but before tweeting do some research hun, she lives in UK???????? not Amreekaaa ????‍♀️????‍♀️

— BeeBee ???? (@Bee11Q) March 14, 2023

May Allah give you Himmat to bear this and May Allah turn your jealous into Taugeeq. ????

— Qasim Shah (@Qasim_Shah77) March 14, 2023

Not a fan (dislike her actually) but i don’t think there’s anything wrong with her english. If it’s about the pronunciation then that’s a diff case and I don’t think it should be a problem as long as she’s making her point clear

— saylor twift :p (@nothooriaa) March 14, 2023

Iss qoum ka aik masla hy. Jalti hy dosroon ki success dekh kar. Bus. Im so happy that she is living her life to the fullest while people are stooping as low as possible here to earn some tiny external validation.

— ⒸⓊⓅⒾⒹ X (@TheJaanIbraheem) March 14, 2023

Amreeka mein reh kr b, Aik British elite se shaadi kr k b agar Apki angrezi Itni pathetic hai to laanat hai bai Aisi “Training” per !

And idc how many haters I get after this !pic.twitter.com/43lFK7dJ4q

— meenay (@lanadelmeem) March 13, 2023

Tum wohi log ho Jo 4 ghantay ke layover mey he accent utha letey hain?

— - (@maulana_banana) March 14, 2023

"Accents or grammar don't matter in English. Many Chinese, Europeans, and Indians are proficient in English, using it as a communication medium, despite it not being their mother tongue. Great teachers and subject specialists are among them." #EnglishProficiency #LanguageSkills

— Em A Jay (@MMalijavaid) March 14, 2023

Raho gey tou phir ap log angrezon k ghulam he na????

Accept Itna matter karta hai? English isn’t even our language yet we speak it. Angrezon ko kabhi khalis urdu accent me boltay suna hai? No ? Because it’s not important ????

— Fatima???????? (@fattuuz) March 14, 2023

Lol maybe she likes speaking in the same accent she’s been speaking in since childhood? Ya’ll r pressed when people who haven’t lived abroad speak differently and pressed when people who do live abroad don’t speak differently. Kisi haal me khush nai ????

— ???? (@finickybnch) March 14, 2023

Her english sounds fine. Its actually a good thing she is speaking in her original accent and not adopting a new one. Shows that she’s comfortable in her own skin

— AMW (@AMW__777) March 14, 2023

Ralph Lauren ghusney bhi nahi de ga apne store me aap ko and has tailored the dress specifically for her. Angrezi ka accent agar daar-o-madaar hota tau sarey cambridge or lums walay government officials honey chaiyen

— ⒸⓊⓅⒾⒹ X (@TheJaanIbraheem) March 14, 2023

Acchi hi hain, yaar. Aur accent kii baat hain then it's better to keep your original desi one than to imbibe a faux-UK one

— Nadir Cazi (@nadircazi) March 15, 2023

While many people were critical, there were a bunch who agreed with the user to some extent. 

Till date don’t I fail to understand k baji ne ‘girls girls’ karne k Illawa Kia Kya hai. Ye malala propaganda ppl will find out in coming decades. And to haters, bhaee hum ko chaiye hi nai aisi success

— M (@nm_maddy) March 15, 2023

Why is she lagging?

— Nawab Shami (@fcukyuow) March 14, 2023

I was wondering the same ????

— صفاء (@safam97__) March 14, 2023

Bachi ki parchi gum gai thi ????

— Zarish k (@zarish_Kay) March 14, 2023

Yousafzai tied the knot with Asser Malik in 2021. The couple attended the award show together for her short-film Stranger At The Gate.

Malala's Oscar dress steals the spotlight