Do we really all have the same 24 hours in a day?

 I am writing in response to Molly Mae’s recent interview which has gone viral. She was quoted saying “we all have the same 24 hours in a day”, which has led to many people labelling her as tone deaf, privileged, and classist.

Molly Mae became famous through Love Island. It is unlikely that she would have the immense following she has now without starring on the reality show. She is also white, middle class, able-bodied, and conventionally attractive. Unfortunately, each of these attributes make success more likely. That’s why you don’t see ‘unattractive’, or even ordinary looking people on the show. Failing acknowledge her privilege when talking about her success indicates a level of ignorance.

The influencer secured a £500,000 deal with Pretty Little Thing in August last year, making her the creative director. For some context, the average salary in the UK is £25,971, and this number is inflated by people who earn considerably higher wages. National minimum wage is £8.91, meaning that if the average person worked full time, they would earn £311.85 per week before taxes. In the UK, the average cost of full-time childcare for a child under the age of two is £263 per week. Add food costs, fuel/transport, rent/paying back a mortgage, gas and electric and money is already incredible tight. Then consider supporting family members, paying back a loan, or studying. On top of that, there are prescription charges, unexpected bills, the exhaustive list of costs related to having a child, and personal wants and needs. You can quickly see that we aren’t all on a level playing field.

Disability, illness, chronic pain, and poor mental health are all considerations that the influencer hasn’t considered. Many people cannot work full time, no matter how much they want to. This leaves too many people in the impossible situation of deciding between buying food and paying for heating. It has been estimated that around 2.5 million people relied on foodbanks to feed their families in 2020/21, although the number is likely to be significantly higher. Foodbanks not only feed families, but also provide household items and toiletries that many people would otherwise have to go without.

“Working hard” looks different for everybody. A factory worker, such as those employed by Pretty Little Thing, arguably has a much harder work schedule than Molly Mae. It is common for factory labourers to regularly work seven-day weeks and sometimes 16-to-18-hour workdays. These employees are often working-class women from minority ethnic groups who don’t have the same privileges and opportunities as Molly Mae.

The 22-year-old has done incredibly well for herself. Nobody is denying this. But it is not the case that any of us would be able to find the same level of success by simply ‘working hard’.