I'm 19 & married a guy 21 years older than me – I want to be a young mum & we don't care about what our families think

The Sun

2 days ago

LOVE stories come in all shapes and sizes, and can often challenge traditional notions of romance.
For one woman, Iyah, her journey to finding "the one" involved a significant age difference that's now sparking conversations and strong opinions across social media.
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Iyah recently caught the attention of her 839,000 TikTok followers by sharing the surprising details of how she met her husband, who happens to be 21 years her senior.
When their paths first crossed, Iyah was just 19 years old, while her now-husband, Rafah, was 45.
In a previous video shared on their TikTok page, ' @rafal_and_iyah ', Iyah openly described connecting with Rafah as nothing short of "a dream come true."
And in another video, she delved deeper into what brought them so close together, despite the age gap.
She explained that at 19, she was already set on getting married and becoming a young mum.
Then, she met Rafah, who, at 41, had "wanted a family for so long."
Iyah revealed that both of them were initially worried about the age difference and what their families might think.
However, they ultimately decided that they "didn't care" and chose to go ahead and start a family together.
The video, shared on 3rd July, has since gone viral with an astonishing 2.3 million views and 926 comments, reflecting a wide range of mixed opinions.
One commenter wrote: "So, he couldn't find a woman in her 20's, 30's or 40's? No, he specifically wanted a teenager."
Press sec Karoline Leavitt calls 32-yr age gap with husband 'atypical' & admits life turned into 'circus' after they met
A second added a word of caution: "I just hope that he understands that you're young.
"Even though you're a mom you're still so young and have so much to learn and grow. Also don't forget to have fun, pursue a career! Live!"
However, many were quick to hit back at the negative comments and defend the couple.
One person wrote: "People honestly need to mind their own business on things that have NO relevance or consequence on their life at all.
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She was 19 and an adult, she can rent her own flat, vote, manage her own finances but because there's a teen on her age suddenly she's like five and can't ever possibly know what she wants in life and can't make her own decisions?"
Someone else praised Rafah, saying: "Look how he married late and still looks good.
"Men have to establish themselves before providing. He did that."
Speaking in a previous video, Iyah summarised their whirlwind romance: "Don't mean to be a bad influence, but we met when I was 19 and he was 41.
"Three weeks later, I moved in, eight months later, he proposed and now we are married with a baby."
A-list age gap relationships that have stood the test of time
Kris Jenner & Corey Gamble - 25 years
The Kardashian matriarch, 69, met her younger man, 44, at a mutual friend's 40th birthday party in Ibiza. They've been together since August 2014.
Sam & Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 23 years
The director, 57, and actor, 34, reportedly met at a film audition in 2009, and were married by 2012. The pair share two daughters and Sam has two children from a previous marriage.
Rosie-Huntington-Whiteley & Jason Statham - 20 years
The model, 37, started dating actor Jason, 57, in 2010. They were wed in 2016 and have since welcomed a son and a daughter together.
Catherine Zeta-Jones & Michael Douglas - 25 years
Catherine, 55, was introduced to Michael, 80, a film festival in 1996 and engaged three years later. Shortly after their engagement, the couple welcomed a son and married in 2000.