Millie Bobby Brown names and shames news outlets for bodyshaming her, dissecting her appearance: This is BULLYING; WATCH
Actor Millie Bobby Brown, known for playing Eleven on Netflix show Stranger Things, criticises ‘disturbing’ news articles, journalists for insulting her looks
Actor Millie Bobbie Brown has called out media agencies, news outlets, and journalists for their relentless scrutiny of her physical appearance, labelling it “bullying”. The 21-year-old, known for playing Eleven in the Netflix series Stranger Things, shared a powerful video on Instagram alongside a lengthy note addressing the “disturbing” reportage. She also criticised the female journalists who contributed to this “negativity”.
This comes after she was heavily trolled during her recent public appearance at the Electric State tour, where she was heavily body shamed. Some media outlets and social media users claimed that she appeared older than her actual age.
'I'm now a target'
Millie, now 21, debuted at the age of 10. Ever since, she has been in the spotlight. She started her video addressing “something that I think is bigger than just me”, saying that it is “necessary to speak up about this”.
Millie names and shames media
The actor called out the various news outlets and journalists who have been spreading negativity about the changes in her physical appearance, some of which are often written in mocking tones designed to “tear young women down”.
She said, “Let’s talk about the articles, the headlines, the people who are so desperate to tear young women down. ‘Why are Gen Zers like Millie Bobby Brown ageing so badly?’ by Lydia Hawken. ‘What has Millie Bobby Brown done to her face?’ by John Ely. ‘Millie Bobby Brown mistaken for someone’s mom as she guides younger sister Ava through LA’ by Cassie Carpenter. ‘Little Britain’s Matt Lucas takes savage swipe at Millie Bobby Brown’s new “mommy makeover” look’—written by Bethan Edwards, amplifying an insult rather than questioning why a grown man is mocking a young woman’s appearance.”
‘This is bullying’
Millie has slammed this kind of trolling by professionals, saying, “This isn’t journalism. This is bullying. The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, it’s disturbing. The fact that some of these articles are written by women? Even worse.”
She also took a stance, saying that this goes beyond the realm of just an occupational hazard of being in the limelight, stating that it's about seeing a young girl growing up on her own terms, rather than those dictated by the gatekeepers of society, social media, and the expectations of women's evolving bodies.
“Disillusioned people can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not theirs. I refuse to apologize for growing up. I refuse to make myself smaller to fit the unrealistic expectations of people who can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman. I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself. We have become a society where it’s so much easier to criticize than it is to pay a compliment. Why is the knee-jerk reaction to say something horrible rather than to say something nice? If you have a problem with that, I have to wonder—what is it that actually makes you so uncomfortable? Let’s do better. Not just for me, but for every young girl who deserves to grow up without fear of being torn apart for simply existing,” she ended.
What do you think about Millie's strong statement?
