My thoughts on Mikayla

I've seen an inflow of Mikayla hate lately, and I just wanted to share some of my thoughts on her as someone who has always been team Whitney and recently had a change of heart towards Mikayla. (I put a TLDR at the bottom)

First the content she’s been putting out during the filming break is very brave and seems like the most authentic Mikayla I’ve seen as someone who didn’t follow her before the show.

In S1 Mikayla had some funny/snarky comments, but otherwise didn't stand out much. She took a major back seat roll due to her chronic illness. 

However, online she beat the 'Whitney is the villain' narrative like a dead horse. I don't think Mikayla was ever valid for making content and profiting off Whitney hate. But I do think we're missing a lot of context on the conflict between Whitney/Mikayla/Mayci, and we got a better idea of it recently when the girls were drawing parallels between their friendship with Whitney S1 during the Jen/Whitney S4 fall out. 

While she handled the grief of her and Whitney's fall out poorly, she was surrounded by people like Jessi and Mayci and her sisters who were encouraging her to make content about Whitney, not to mention it helped her stay relevant in S2 and gave her a storyline for the show. I'm sure production was encouraging some of her snark during the 'vote for Whitney,' campaign. 

I'm not saying this to justify any of Mikayla's behavior, just that I realize how in that kind of environment you can get in that mindset, and then be encouraged to maintain it for a TV show. I don't think she would have naturally processed her friendship with Whintney that way if she wasn't filming, so I don't think it's as deep a hit to Mikayla's character as I judged it to be in S2 and S3. 

I also realized the depth of Mikayla hurt over the fall out when I saw how emotional she was about missing Baby Billy's newborn and baby stage. That just really moved me.

Outside of Mikayla's identity as someone with chronic illness and trauma trying to heal, I do think she works hard to be the best person she can be in whatever role she's in. She seems like a wonderful mother, and a good wife (intimacy issues aside), and I think she's a damn good friend. 

She and Mayci may come off as annoying on the show, but it's clear they have a deep and loyal friendship. And since making up with Whitney Mikayla makes a lot more of her negativity focus on Dadtok and sketchy men than she does on any of the girls in the group. 

and she’s funny. She gets awkward or sometimes takes it too far but overall her commentary is entertaining. (She had me cracking up during the airport scene in S4)

Obviously she and Mayci have an incredible friendship. She flew across the country for Mayci's book tour. And during S3 and S4 Jessi says Mikayla and Mayci were at her house nearly every night comforting her and helping her make a plan to leave. And she was the first to clock Jessi walking around with an overnight bag when she and Jordan were fighting. 

I think some of Mikayla's trauma and being a teen mom stunted her maturity some, and she comes off as a bitter person at times. But snarky comments aside Mikayla doesn't say anything behind anyone's back that she wouldn't say to their face. She shoots straight and is up front and honest every time. And I respect that.

I also think she's putting in the work to heal and better herself, and seems more capable/open to growth than some other cast members. She’s one of the only people who realized she does have all the resources in the world with her new wealth and status and she’s using as many as she can to heal and be a better mom.

Mikayla was supportive to Taylor when she had limited information on the DV situation and seemed protective of her around Dakota and Demi. However, Jessi made it clear Mikayla put a firm foot down once she had a better understanding of the situation and I find her standing up to Disney and production to be very admirable.   

She seems very observant, protective, and present. She's also been one of the most grounded about not letting fame get to her head (aside from the Whitney tiktoks). and I think she does a good job of keeping the group grounded as well. I can’t think of times when she’s been a major instigator of conflict she‘s not apart of.

Processing trauma and being chronically ill with no answers are both hard positions to be in. Those who can relate know the strain it puts on you. she’s also relatively young in the group, and despite being a mom of 4 I think she’s at an appropriate place for someone still developing their brain considering she’s the sole provider for her husband and four children.

TLDR; I don't excuse Mikayla's excessive bullying of Whitney. But I understand how in a reality TV environment with friends and family backing the drama you could fall into the mindset that it's okay to do that. Outside of her fight with Whitney Mikayla seems mostly harmless, just a little snarky. In fact she's one of the better friends in the group and seems the most immune to fame getting to her head. I also respect how honest she is and how she seems to be leading a lot of the boundaries momtok is putting up between Disney and production regarding Taylor's DV situation BTS. And I hate that while she’s posting a lot about her healing she’s getting so much scrutiny bc there’s nothing else to talk about rn.