Instagram’s ‘Doctor’s Wife’ Faces Online Criticism for Being Tone-Deaf: Here’s Her Side of the Story

In the diverse world of social media influencers, there are niches for nearly every lifestyle. Among them is the unique category of "doctor's wives," women who share their experiences and challenges of being married to medical professionals. It is comparable to that of influencers married to police officers or military. Laura Noonan, one such influencer, has made a name for herself on Instagram by chronicling her life as the spouse of a doctor.

On Noonan’s profile page, @itslauranoonan , she has written, “Life With a Physician” beside her name, as well as, “Finding balance with a spouse in scrubs,” in her bio. In every post, such the one below introducing herself, she includes several hashtags, including #doctorswife, #medspouse and #medfamily.

Noonan posts daily videos for her 20,000 followers, highlighting her life with her husband, Tim, an infectious disease specialist, and their sons Ethan, 4, and Levi, 2. The couple is expecting their third son in October. Her content focuses on dealing with medical school debt, relocating for work and date nights interrupted by emergency consult calls. In one reel, she criticizes the double standard of physicians asking for higher salaries compared to “anyone else” and advocates for better treatment, especially from insurance companies.

“There are so many unique aspects of being married to someone in medicine,” Noonan told  TODAY.com. “Residency and fellowships are just some things you can’t fully grasp unless you’ve experienced them.”

Laura Noonan on facing criticism from social media users over her ‘Doctor’s Wife’ content

Noonan often faces criticism, being labeled as  tone-deaf and out of touch. ”Is this your entire personality?” one critic commented. Another added, “do u have a job?.” One Instagram user even questioned Noonan’s use of the phrase “physician family”: “When you say physician family…. I automatically thought the husband and wife were both drs, and now I see that it’s your husband… why do you base your personality off what HE does?”

More criticism included the following:

• “Saying ’doctor's wife’ brings us back to the days when women lost their identities after marriage and called themselves ’Mrs. John Smith.' Be your own person.”
• "I’m sure people would appreciate if you showed that despite being a doctor’s wife, you still have your own passions/interests and are able to be someone outside of what your spouse does.”
• “As a healthcare professional I think part of the ick for other working moms/partners is how you talk about you and how hard it is for you but don’t spend much time acknowledging how hard it is for your husband.”

Laura Noonan responded to online critics

Recently, Noonan responded to the criticism with another reel. The graphic is titled, “To all the haters,” in capital letters:

In the clip, Noonan writes, “Do you think I’ve no accomplishments of my own?.” She continues by reminding viewers that not everything you see on social media is reality. She also points to how groups for doctors’  wives exist on other social platforms like Facebook and asks for more inclusivity on Instagram.

“Everyone thinks my husband’s job is my entire personality,” Noonan, 34, told  TODAY.com. “But all they're seeing is one sliver of my life that I choose to post on social media."

Laura Noon is moving forward on social media

Despite the backlash, Noonan continues to share her life online. She aims to offer support and insight to others in similar situations. She receives numerous messages from people who feel understood by her posts. “I get so many DMs from people saying, ‘I’m so glad I found your account. I feel so seen,’” she shared .

And in return, numerous supporters have been quick to defend her. One user wrote, “Who says being a loving, supportive wife and having children isn’t an extraordinary accomplishment?” Another addressed Noonan herself: “Love your account! Thanks for your perfect presence!”

Noonan, formerly a family support specialist at a low-income preschool, knows her role is exactly what she should be doing. “For those who say, ‘Get a job,’ if I did, our kids wouldn’t have much support. We don’t have family here,” she says. “Managing our lives is important work.”

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