Millie Bobby Brown called out by name several journalists behind remarkably mean spirited coverage of her appearance over the weekend, asserting, “this isn’t journalism. This is bullying,” and vowing she will not “apologize for growing up.”
In a video posted to Instagram, the “Stranger Things” star cited headlines from four recent Daily Mail articles as well as their authors: “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; And “Little Britain’s Matt Lucas takes savage swipe at Millie Bobby Brown’s new ‘mommy makeover’ look” by Bethan Edwards.”
“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 added.
You can watch the full clip below:
“I want to take a moment to address something that I think is bigger than just me, something that affects every young woman who grows up under public scrutiny. I think it’s necessary to speak up about this,” Brown said at the start of the clip. “I started in this industry when I was 10 years old. I grew up in front of the world, and for some reason, people can’t seem to grow 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.”
She then listed the articles and their authors, adding noting that Bethan Edwards’ article citing Matt Lucas was “amplifying an insult rather than questioning why a grown man is mocking a young woman’s appearance.”
“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 continued. “We always talk about supporting and uplifting young women, but when the time comes, it seems easier to tear them down for clicks.”
“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,” Brown said.
“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 concluded.
