It’s no surprise that nineteen-year-old education activist Malala Yousufzai has got thousands of followers within just days of two days of Twitter. The Nobel peace prize winning teenager has 645,000 followers with fans across the world supporting her mission to promote girls’ education.
Today is my last day of school and my first day on @Twitter [THREAD]
— Malala (@Malala) July 7, 2017
Fresh out of high school, Malala retweeted her dad (one of eleven people she is following, the list also includes Melinda Gate and Queen Rania) to pay homage to late philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi on his first death anniversary in a special tweet.
Edhi, a selfless & devoted humanitarian, is my hero. I will give to #EdhiFoundation in Pakistan. Will you? https://t.co/PUGoZcus49 https://t.co/Yyk9Yqghcm
— Malala (@Malala) July 8, 2017
Malala received a warm welcome from some inspirational figures like founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates and Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres. The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among her new followers
You continue to inspire me, @Malala. Thanks to you, young women around the world can dream of a brighter future for themselves. https://t.co/PuPt6aKn8I
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) July 7, 2017
They commended Malala on her courage after surviving an attempted assassination by Taliban for speaking against a ban on girls’ education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She later moved to the UK and started an aggressive campaign for the promotion of women education.
I welcome @Malala to Twitter, where she will bring her unique dedication and inspiration on behalf of girls’ education. pic.twitter.com/Vwkr9qJAnb
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) July 7, 2017
Your bravery and commitment to education – both yours & others – is inspiring. Congratulations on graduating high school @Malala!
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 7, 2017
Welcome to Twitter, @Malala! It’s inspirational to see young women like you fighting to be the change we want to see in the world. pic.twitter.com/2Ywd3OzYnT
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 7, 2017
Some drew a comparison between Malala and other prominent women.
#MalalaYousafzai is the real feminist not you #IvankaTrump #Maşallah pic.twitter.com/8LKPAgkEQX
— Sarah✨ (@Sarah_Alden83) July 7, 2017
While most were full of praised for Malala there were a few trolls who resorted to old conspiracy theories.
I never knew #hypocrisy can give u so many followers! #malala #MalalaYousafzai.. Agent in making pic.twitter.com/ZcZnTJnTYE
— Ihsan Samad? (@IhsanSamad007) July 8, 2017
And could not fathom the idea how strong young woman could be a representative of…young women.
#MalalaYousafzai just because she was attacked she thinks she knows how woman think,I don’t think so lady you know nothing
— Scott chappell (@scottchappell73) July 9, 2017
Others pointed out that her critics are just going to have to deal with her awesomeness on Twitter.
Tough days for the likes of Orya Maqbool and Ansar Abbasi. Malala on Twitter.#MalalaOnTwitter
— Muzammal ilyas (@Muzammalilyas1) July 8, 2017
In response to these negative tweets, Malala’s supporters have also come out to give haters what they deserve.
#Malala joined Twitter. Back off haters. Anyone messes with her: You will feel the full extent of my wrath. pic.twitter.com/qvnSGTe5hl
— Angry Brown Ayşe (@cosmopolitAsh) July 7, 2017