‘90 Day Fiance’ Star Miona Claps Back at Blackfishing Comments: ‘I Will Always Represent Myself as Serbian’

90 Day Fiancé newcomer Miona Bell is already facing a lot of heat from fans this season — and it isn’t about her relationship with South Dakota native Jibri Bell. While his mother was concerned about the provocative way she dressed online, TLC viewers are speaking out against Miona for a completely different reason. 

The Serbian beauty, 23, is getting called out by 90 Day Fiancé fans for blackfishing after old photos of her resurfaced online. “She wants everyone to forget she was once white,” one Reddit user commented. Another wrote, “Homegirl is super blackfishing! It’s kinda crazy tbh. She probably doesn’t know that’s a thing though.” 

Blackfishing is a word used to accuse someone of pretending to be black or mixed-race, per the BBC. Aware of the harsh claims against her, the TLC personality clapped back. “I’m Serbian! I will represent myself as such! I love my country and my people and I’m born and raised there,” she wrote via Instagram on Thursday, April 21. “I thought there is no need to clarify this because in my country we don’t nonchalantly abuse other people without knowing anything about them.”

Explaining that her family’s roots are both Middle Eastern and Mexican, the makeup artist continued, “I will always represent myself as Serbian because that’s my culture.” Also sharing photos of traditional Serbian braided hairstyles, “My now 87 year old grandma [taught] me how to braid my hair, my dad helped me perfect it.”

“My ancestors went through 500 years of occupation and slavery, and my parents survived a couple of wars of Yugoslavian soil!” she penned in another slide. “SO DON’T EVEN DARE TO THINK YOU KNOW ME BECAUSE YOU SAW ME ON REALITY TV FOR 3 MINUTES!”

Having his fiancé’s back, Jibri took to his own Instagram Stories to defend Miona. “Everyone go show @mionabell some love!” the Black Serbs frontman, 28, wrote on Wednesday, April 20. “She’s receiving death threats and being bullied online.” 

The pair made their debut on season 9 of the flagship TLC show. While Jibri previously resided in Los Angeles, the engaged couple will live in South Dakota with his parents to save money following the costly K-1 visa process. 

While in the past, Jibri didn’t feel he fit in growing up in his small Midwest hometown, “I’m really hoping that by bringing my fiancé here, she can really understand who I am,” he explained in a confessional to producers. “And she can see the beauty that I now see, which I didn’t see when I was younger.”

Keep scrolling to see Miona Bell’s transformation over the years!