‘Home Town’: Erin Napier Explains Why She Obscures Daughter Helen’s Face on Instagram

Home Town star Erin Napier recently took to Instagram to address some questions that fans had about her 3-year-old daughter, Hellen, whom she shares with husband Ben Napier. The HGTV personality posted a photo on Monday in which she and her husband can be seen reading a book with their daughter, whose face is obscured to maintain her privacy. When an Instagram user questioned why Napier does not post photos with her daughter’s face in them, the Home Town star soon addressed the topic to all of her followers on her Instagram Story.

Napier noted in her Instagram Story on Tuesday that she responded to a “rude comment” about her daughter that a user left on one of her recent posts. She wrote, “I explained to a very rude comment about Helen, but don’t want her being dogpiled. I can block her and move on. But for those who must ask why we hide her face?” In a subsequent message, the HGTV personality explained exactly why she and her husband choose to obscure their daughter’s face when it comes to social media, noting that it’s an “awful” feeling to see unfair criticism about her child. She also wrote that she does not share photos of her daughter’s face so that outside sources cannot utilize those snaps to “promote” their businesses.

“It’s an awful feeling to have millions of people pick apart an image of your baby’s face,” Napier’s message began. “It’s an awful feeling to see a photo of your child used to promote some sort of overseas clothing company. It’s upsetting when strangers visiting Laurel to see our Home Town (thank y’all for doing that, btw) see her out with her grandmother and reach out to embrace her when she doesn’t know them.” The reality star went on to say that it’s her and her husband’s jobs to protect their daughter’s privacy, particularly as she did not sign up to be a public figure like them.

“We are the protectors of her image. Without Helen, our lives would be hollow and there would be nothing to share. She exists and we are proud of her,” she added. “But her likeness is ours to protect and decide when it’s okay to share, no one else’s. That’s our personal choice, and it’s not the same for everyone. We love and appreciate everyone who supports the show, but Helen doesn’t owe anyone anything.”