A 22-year-old influencer has created quite a buzz since marrying her 60-year-old high school teacher. Minea Pagni has received significant criticism for marrying her former teacher, and she has now issued a strong response.
22-year-old Minea Pagni has hit back at critics who call her a “gold digger” after marrying a 60-year-old man, Massimo, who is also her former high school teacher. The Italian influencer went viral after sharing several posts about their near four-decade age gap.
“Reducing a woman’s choices to money is one of the oldest and most unfair stereotypes. I have my own goals, my own work, and my own independence. I married him for who he is — his mind, his values, and the way he loves,” Minea Pagni told the NY Post.
She continued, “I knew not everyone would understand, but I wasn’t fully prepared for how intense some reactions could be. Still, I’ve learned that criticism often says more about society’s fears than about our love.”
Pagni and Massimo met for the first time five years ago. He was her high school philosophy teacher, and the 22-year-old revealed on her Instagram that she “had a crush on him.” However, nothing ever happened.
22-year-old Minea Pagni married her 60-year-old high school teacher
Years later, they met again. They bumped into each other in a bookstore and began dating. In December last year, they tied the knot.
“Christmas feels a little sweeter this year… maybe because I’m spending it with the man I once only dreamed about,” Pagni captioned an Instagram video, which gained more than 16 million views.
“I was captivated by his intellect, his sunny personality, his values, his boundless love for knowledge and learning, his curiosity about every aspect of life, and his lack of prejudice,” she told the Post.
In another video, Minea Pagni compared photos of them from 2010. At that time, she was five years old, while Massimo was 45, which caused a storm in the comment section.
“Why do people keep normalizing/ romanticizing this? That guy looks like he could be her grandpa.” one commented.
Many social media users didn’t buy her story. Several comments stated that she did it for the money, branding her a “gold digger.”
Some users spotted the now-professor wearing a €60,000 Rolex watch. However, Minea said it wasn’t true at all.
“He doesn’t own, wear, or even desire a Rolex. He has two beautiful watches, one of which I gave him as a gift, and he values them deeply,” Minea Pagni told the news outlet, adding that he supports how she details their relationship on social media.
Hits back at haters
She continued, “He understands that storytelling is part of who I am, and he trusts my intentions. We are very aligned on what we share and why we share it.”
In another post on her Instagram, the 22-year-old, who now studies medicine, said that although he isn’t her teacher, he will “always be the professor of my heart.”
In response, one social media user said, “Too bad he didn’t teach you manners.”
So what did her parents think of her relationship with a man almost 4 decades older? At first, Minea Pagni said, they did question it.
“But once they saw how respected, supported, and happy I am, they trusted my choices. Today, they see the love and stability we share,” she told the NY Post.
While many questioned Minea and Massimo’s marriage, some came to her defense. One user said, “love doesn’t know age,” while another responded, “Love does know age. You need to seek help.”
Does love know age or not? Please share your thoughts on this in the comment box and share this article with friends and family on Facebook!
READ MORE
- The internet is divided over this family’s controversial holiday card photo
- Doctor claims you could be aging terribly if you can’t do these five things
