“Her body is ruined”: like many women, this famous actress cannot escape body shaming

“Our Barbie is no longer Barbie”, “Her body is ruined”, “She was sexy before”, “No one finds this beautiful!”, “Is it her husband she is carrying in her womb? “, “It’s over guys, we have to move on”. These are the type of sexist and fatphobic comments that we can read on Instagram following various publications showing Margot Robbie pregnant. The 34-year-old Australian actress and producer is expecting her first child and since the pregnancy was made official, she has been facing a storm of body shaming. The decryption of Karim Bennani in Hello! The Morning TF1 (new window).

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Criticized and mocked… because she is pregnant

She has withdrawn from media life for some time, yet she is in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Recently, stolen photos of her baby bump were posted on social media. On vacation on Lake Como with her husband, we can see a radiant woman in a bikini, flaunting her pregnant belly. The pregnancy has since been made official. But since then, she has been criticized, mocked, mocked… Margot Robbie is the victim of what we call body shaming. This practice involves criticizing, humiliating, or making fun of someone because of their physical appearance, weight, height, body shape, or other physical characteristics. Very often, these grossophobic remarks are directed towards women. And the actress who played Barbie, Harley Quinn and Naomi Lapaglia in The Wolf of Wall Street, unfortunately, does not escape violent and nauseating comments (especially from men).

Despite the inappropriate and misogynistic criticism, the star was able to count on the support of many women, starting with the American influencer Bree Lenehan, interviewed by ELLE magazine: “These comments made me angry… Not only as a pregnant woman, but also as a decent human being who had the privilege of being born thanks to my mother who carried me and gave me life. Margot is absolutely amazing“. Content creator @lachetonassiette also reacted on Instagram: “Imagine, you’re a woman, your body does this amazing thing which is conceive life and all men have to say on the internet is how ‘wasted’ your body is“.

Body shaming, a more widespread practice than we think

Several international and French stars have also been victims, this is the case for example of the singer Louane, Miss France 2024 because of her haircut or even Camille Cerf, also during her pregnancy. For influencer The Body Optimist (new window)this wave of sexist comments on Margot Robbie’s physique is “a sad observation which shows how women are constantly judged by their appearance“. Moreover, according to a study by the YouGov Institute, 30% of French people have already been victims of body shaming and have already received malicious criticism and mockery about their physique on social networks. However, only 8% know what body shaming is. To fight against this practice, Lola Dubini, actress and victim of online mockery, decided to take legal action to scare away cyberstalkers.that there is a framework of jurisprudence which indicates that fatphobia is an offense and discrimination. It is not yet enshrined in law, it is not yet recognized as such“Moreover, this approach is also personal.”As a victim, I needed to take back my power. Justice seemed to me to be the best way, even if in France, it takes a little time“.

To combat body shaming, body positivity is growing more and more. This movement aims to accept all body types. However, if he always comes up against the image of the perfect woman, without flaws and without extra pounds in magazines, advertising, cinema… and which we always find in children’s dolls. Proof that the fight against the injunctions imposed on women’s bodies is far from won.