I Became a Meme on the Internet. Here's What It Did to Me.
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March 2026
12 min read

I Became a Meme on the Internet. Here's What It Did to Me.

RB

Rashmi Bhat

Restaurateur · Lifestyle Creator · ToastyIndian

Two years ago, I posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter). Within hours, it had been shared thousands of times — not because it was beautiful or inspiring, but because strangers had decided it was funny. I was the punchline.

The Photo

It was a normal photo. Me at an event, smiling, happy. The kind of photo you post without thinking twice. Except the internet decided to think about it a lot. The comments ranged from confused to cruel. People questioned my worth, my appearance, my choices. They made sweeping assumptions about my entire life from a single image.

I Took It Down

I deleted the post. I told myself it was because I didn't want the negativity, but honestly? I was ashamed. Of myself. I had internalized the cruelty. I thought: maybe they're right. Maybe I should be smaller. Maybe I should take up less space. That's what online bullying does to you. It makes you question things you never should have questioned.

Two Years Later, It Came Back

I had moved on. Or so I thought. Then, two years later, the photo resurfaced. Someone had screenshotted it before I deleted it. It was circulating again — this time on Instagram, with new captions, new cruelty, new audiences. The comments were brutal. People who had never met me, never eaten at my restaurant, never read a single word I'd written, were dissecting my appearance, my marriage, my life.

What I Did Differently This Time

I didn't delete it. I posted about it. I talked about it on my stories. I named what was happening: this is racism. This is misogyny. This is what happens when Indian women dare to be happy in public. And something unexpected happened — thousands of people responded with support. Women who had experienced the same thing. Men who were horrified on my behalf. People who said: thank you for not disappearing.

The Hindustan Times Article

A journalist at Hindustan Times reached out. They wanted to write about my story — not just the meme, but the broader issue of how Indian women in intercultural relationships are treated online. The article went viral. Hundreds of thousands of people read it. My inbox was flooded with messages from Indian women around the world who said: this is my story too.

What I Want You to Know

If you are an Indian woman who has been told to be smaller — by your family, by your community, by strangers on the internet — I want you to know: you don't have to shrink. Your happiness is not up for debate. Your choices are not a public referendum. The people who mock you are not the ones who have to live your life. You are.

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RB

Rashmi Bhat

Rashmi is a hospitality entrepreneur, restaurateur, and lifestyle creator based in New Braunfels, Texas. She is the owner of 7 Monks Cafe — the first Indian restaurant in New Braunfels, voted Best Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurant 7 years in a row. She shares her life and her mom Neeta's recipes on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and right here.