Reality television star Ijeoma Otabor, widely known as Phyna, has disclosed that she occasionally wishes she were born male, pointing to the societal pressures and stigma that women face daily in Nigeria and beyond.
The winner of the BBNaija Level Up season (2022) made the revelation on her podcast while discussing how gender shapes expectations around ambition, success, and personal freedom.
According to the reality TV personality, men benefit from a more straightforward life path, as society simply expects them to work hard and achieve financial stability.
Women, she argued, encounter far more judgment, restrictions, and rules that actively limit what they can aspire to or achieve.
“I low-key wish I were a man. I feel it’s much easier for guys. But us girls, we’ve been stigmatised, and there are so many rules and regulations covering us,” Phyna said during the podcast episode.
She elaborated that numerous unwritten societal codes apply exclusively to women, from how they should dress and speak to what career choices are considered acceptable and how they should balance professional ambitions with traditional domestic roles.
The reality star noted that these gendered expectations can discourage women from pursuing ambitious goals or stepping outside conventional roles in the workplace, entertainment industry, or even within their own families.
Phyna has previously been outspoken about the challenges facing women in entertainment and business, including public backlash over her cosmetic procedures and personal lifestyle choices. Earlier this year, she defended her BBL surgery against critics, accusing them of targeting her because they themselves were struggling financially.
Many of her followers online agreed with her assessment, sharing personal anecdotes of workplace discrimination, family pressure to marry early, or being labelled negatively for pursuing goals that would be celebrated in men.
Others, however, argued that being a man comes with its own set of societal burdens, including pressure to be sole providers and emotional stoicism. Phyna did not dismiss these challenges but maintained that the volume of restrictions placed on women makes their situation uniquely difficult.
Since winning the BBNaija show, she has built a significant media presence and continues to use her platform to speak openly about gender, body image, and personal autonomy.
She has also previously stated that she would rather be a pet parent than have children, further challenging traditional expectations of womanhood.
