Dr Kate Adams has spoken out about what she says is a relentless double standard faced by successful women.
Speaking to news.com.au, The Real Housewives of Sydney star revealed she is routinely targeted online for being single and child-free in a way her male counterparts are not.
The 42-year-old said the criticism is so relentless, she can’t go a single day without judgment on her personal life – despite her professional success.
Adams pointed to fellow Bondi-based veterinarian and television personality Dr Chris Brown as the clearest example of the imbalance.
Both are well-known vets. Both are in their 40s. Neither has married. Neither has children. Yet Adams says only one of them is routinely questioned and criticised for it.
‘I get asked all the time, “Why do you put the Dr before your name?” and people say, “You’re not a doctor”, but do you see people running around asking why Dr Chris does that?’ she said.
Kate Adams has spoken out about what she says is a relentless double standard faced by successful women
Speaking to news.com.au, The Real Housewives of Sydneystar revealed she is routinely targeted online for being single and child–free in a way her male counterparts are not
She added that the scrutiny goes far beyond her professional title, extending deeply into her personal choices.
‘Do you see people running around asking Dr Chris if he has children? And screaming insults at him about being childless?’ she said.
Adams, who owns Bondi Vet Hospital and holds a doctorate, said the trolling overwhelmingly centres on her not having a husband or children, rather than anything to do with her career or credentials.
‘All the trolling revolves around something to do with not having a husband or not having children,’ she said.
The reality star revealed she keeps screenshots of the most confronting comments she receives, many framing her life as a cautionary tale for women or predicting she’ll end up alone.
While she is sometimes able to laugh at the abuse, Adams said the volume and persistence of it underscores how deeply entrenched traditional expectations remain.
She explained that simply sharing her life online – whether it be home renovations, dining out or travel – often triggers hostile reactions from men seemingly threatened by her independence.
She added that the scrutiny goes far beyond her professional title, extending deeply into her personal choices
According to Adams, the backlash stems from the fact that her lifestyle challenges long-standing social norms.
‘It does not benefit the structures and the powers that be for women be child-free, not just from a population perspective, but from a control perspective,’ she said.
Adams also pushed back on claims that having children guarantees companionship or security later in life, arguing that the financial and professional sacrifices expected of women are rarely acknowledged.
She said she never made a deliberate decision not to have children; she simply never met a partner she felt was right to raise a family with.
