Millie Bobby Brown took to her Instagram today to address a “very necessary” conversation that affects any “young woman who grows up under public scrutiny,” blasting the media for spending time “dissecting” her looks in “disturbing” articles.
“I started in the industry when I was 10 years old,” she began in a video post, also including her words in the caption below. “I grew up in front of the world, and for some reason, people can’t seem to grow up with me. Instead, they act like I’m supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on Stranger Things Season 1. And because I don’t, I’m now a target.”
The Electric State actress then listed a few posts exemplifying the topic at hand: “Why are Gen Zers like Millie Bobby Brown aging so badly?” to “What has Millie Bobby Brown done to her face?” to “Millie Bobby Brown mistaken for someone’s mum as she guides younger sister through L.A.” to “Little Britain’s Matt Lucas takes savage swipe at Millie Bobby Brown’s new ‘mommy makeover’ look,” adding that the lattermost example was “amplifying an insult rather than questioning why a grown man is mocking a young woman’s appearance.”
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Brown continued, “This isn’t journalism. This is bullying. The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices is disturbing. And the fact that some of these articles are written by women makes it even worse. We always talk about supporting and uplifting young women, but when it comes down to it, it seems a lot easier to just tear them down for clicks. Disillusioned people can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman, on her terms, not their own. 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.”
The actress concluded in her impassioned speech, “We have become a society where it’s so much easier to criticize than it is to pay a compliment. Why is it the knee-jerk reaction to say something horrible rather than just 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 the fear of being torn apart for simply existing.”
Having entered the entertainment industry at the age of 12 and faced a rapid rise to fame given the success of Netflix’s blockbuster sci-fi series, Brown has previously spoken of the “really overwhelming” experience of growing up within the public eye.
“I have definitely been dealing with that more within the last two weeks of turning 18 — definitely seeing a difference between the way people act and the way that the press and social media have reacted to me coming of age,” Brown said in 2022. “I believe that that shouldn’t change anything, but it’s gross and it’s true, and … it’s a very good representation of what’s going on in the world and how young girls are sexualized.”
The post Millie Bobby Brown Blasts “Disillusioned” Writers For “Disturbing” Articles Commenting On Her Looks: “I Refuse To Apologize For Growing Up” appeared first on Deadline.
