A couple with an age gap of 40 years have defended their 'beautiful love story' amid fierce criticism from online trolls, arguing that "it's easy to judge when you don't know the story".
Nixon Motta, 63, and Maria Eduarda Dias, 23, both from Brazil, first connected in 2015, back when out-of-work broadcaster Nixon had been working as a photographer.
Maria, who was just 16 at the time, reached out to Nixon on Facebook to ask if she could use some photos he'd snapped of two singers, as she ran their fan clubs.
A friendship soon developed, which ultimately blossomed into a full-blown romance. Many of their friends and family members were against the match, but by this point, the pair were already in love, and knew they had to fight for each other.
The couple tied the knot in June 2021, in a remote wedding ceremony, and went on to welcome their baby daughter Maria Alice to the world after Nixon underwent a reverse vasectomy. They recently opened up about their relationship in a TikTok video, which has since clocked up more than 10 million views. They were surprised by the negative backlash they received.
Maria, who lives in the city of Campina Grande, in Paraíba, Brazil, told local publication Paraiba : "I even imagined it would go viral, but in a positive way. Of people thinking: 'look what a beautiful love story…', but that's not what happened”.
Although some people had reached out to compliment the couple and wish them well, many others slammed them for the large age gap, which they described as 'not normal'.
One person commented that it just wasn't 'normal for an almost old man to be with a 16-year-old girl' while another wrote, 'this is so uncomfortable in so many ways'.
Hitting back at the criticism in a follow-up clip, Maria shared footage of various famous age-gap couples, declaring, 'Long live love!'
Writing in the caption, she added: "It's easy to judge when you don't know the story. We are very happy and accomplished and built a beautiful and blessed family.
"Nobody has the right to disrespect us. Long live love! Love each other! Stop instilling hatred and evil in people. That's not cool!"
Nixon has previously dismissed allegations that Maria is a 'gold digger' in an interview with Paraiba, clarifying: "I'm not rich. A lot of people say I probably am and she wants financial stability. There was never any interest on her part.
"They also commented that we probably met before she was 16. When I met her she was 16 years and six months old. After that, we met, got closer, started hanging out as friends, and ended up hooking up in the beginning."
The age of consent in Brazil is 14-years-old, and there are no laws to prohibit relationships between those with large age gaps. Despite this, many were left feeling 'uncomfortable' upon learning just how young Maria had been at the time of their first meeting.
Maria said: "Everything between us has always been consensual. He never did anything without me accepting it. There was never that possessiveness, or forcing me to do anything, or taking me to places I didn't want to go, as many people wrote."
She added: “If you love a person, fight for him! If you like it, if there is respect and complicity, despite the age difference or any other obstacle, fight!"
Do you have an age-gap relationship story to share? Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
