Source: Prince Williams / Getty
Instagram and video model Bernice Burgos is known for turning heads, but these days, she’s also known for being a young and sexy grandmother. The 39-year-old, who has quite the following on social media (she has more than five million followers), is a mother of two girls. Her oldest daughter, Ashley, whom she had at the age of 15, welcomed her first child last year. And while people associate grandmas with certain characteristics and behavior, like being matronly, it hasn’t stopped the 39-year-old beauty from showing skin proudly on social media.
When she visited Hollywood Unlocked this week, Bernice was asked why she thinks people age shame her for letting it all hang out as not only a mom and grandmother at almost 40. Her guess? “Because I’m poppin.'”
“I think it’s because I look freakin’ good,” she said. “Being in your 30s, you’re not old yet, or even in your 40s. Get me when I’m in the 60s and you can talk about ‘Oooh, damn she looks good.'”
Bernice said she’s noticed that at any age though, if you’re a mom in the public eye and you are unabashed about your sexuality, people are always telling you to take care of your kids and stop showing your body. She’s learned not to pay attention to negativity, though.
“I don’t really pay them no mind,” she said. “I really worry about the people that be around me, that’s my main concern, because your own closest friends could be the ones that’s hating on you and those be the ones that hurt me the most. That’s why I try to be careful who I bring around my circle.”
“I just keep on going. I don’t let that sh-t bother me because it don’t do nothing for me,” she added. “I know what I’m doing. I’m [going to] keep on growing and doing other stuff. I don’t even read my comments like that. I used to but now it’s just like, I read the comments of the people that follow me, like it, put kissy faces, and then I’m done. I just keep on living.”
The model, who has an online boutique, hosts events and is a successful entrepreneur, says she may slow down in the near future for only one reason, and that’s another kid.
“I still want another baby,” she said. “I want one more. I always said I wanted three kids and then that’s it.”
Bernice gets into the age shaming she faces at the 20-minute mark below:
