Erin Napier responds to criticism over post about husband Ben: ‘A man’s job is to keep girls safe, to cherish and protect them’
Erin Napier is celebrating her husband on social media — and her followers are having mixed reactions.
The home renovator, who stars alongside her spouse Ben Napier on their HGTV series Home Town, went on Instagram on Nov. 16 to share a photo of Ben cuddling with the couple’s 3-year-old daughter Helen. Erin captioned the pic, “Tonight he told her ‘A man’s job is to keep girls safe, to cherish and protect them.’ Dangit if we didn’t hit the jackpot in this house.”
Erin received plenty of praise for the message, with one commenter writing, “If that isn’t the sweetest. It’s exactly what girls should grow up both hearing and seeing be put into action.” Another added, “He's the role model our world needs right now,” while a third wrote, “I wish all men could be like Ben.”
However, others pointed out that it isn’t only the job of men to protect women. One pointed out, “As long as he adds that women, like you, their mama, are equally obligated to keep girls safe and cherish and protect them. As equals to the men that do that same job. Because, you and I can and do, that same job!”
Another added, “Yes, but it's also a woman's job whether it's a mother, aunt, or grandmother. There are many children without a man in their lives and those children need to feel safe, too.”
One commenter also encouraged Erin, who welcomed her and Ben’s second daughter Mae earlier this year, to make sure Helen knew she didn’t have to rely on men, writing, “But please, PLEASE add, ‘And women can do everything they dream and are reliant on no one.”
Erin replied to the message, writing, “Well, she’s three. And we’re teaching her about finding her strengths. One important thing we’re teaching her is that her parents are a team who rely on each other, and she can rely on her family. Maybe when she’s four she can go out and start a company or something.”
Back in June, Erin confirmed that there would not be a second season of the pair’s spin-off series Home Town Takeover on Discovery+ due to their commitment to being there for their children. She wrote on Twitter at the time, “I’ll be honest, the takeover life is not all that simpatico with family life. it was an amazing adventure for us, but likely the only one like it until (maybe) our girls are much older.”
