Female celebrities who were treated poorly by the media
Since watching the docu about Britney Spears, this has been stuck in my head. Of course, it has — fortunately — been much more in the news lately, and hopefully, that will actually lead to change, but if you look at how it used to be... As far as I'm concerned, there are quite a few people who owe an apology to a long list of female celebs. Because my goodness, how poorly women have been treated by various types of media in the past. No idea what I'm talking about? Just check this list.
1. Britney Spears
Yes, the inspiration for this entire post has to be number one. As far as I'm concerned, a lot of people should apologize. At number one: all the late-night talk show hosts who mocked her for her very public mental breakdown. At number two, all the journalists who shamelessly asked about her virginity. Shared number two: all the people who publicly accused her of being a bad mother. Number three: all the media that shamed her for the breakup with Justin Timberlake. She was said to have cheated (that was pushed into the world after the Cry Me A River clip) and meanwhile, Justin acted cool on radio shows saying ‘yeah, I f*cked Britney.’ Gross.
2. Janet Jackson
Again, someone who was poorly treated by the media and by Justin Timberlake. Everyone still remembers the incident at the Super Bowl, where Justin ripped her outfit and she stood there with a bare breast in front of millions of people (because it was live on TV). Just a fun fact in between: this is the reason YouTube was created — so many people searched for this video that the creator thought: wouldn't it be handy to have a platform for this? But anyway, Janet Jackson was ridiculed and shamed, and Justin? Well, not much happened to him.
3. Megan Fox
She also deserves an apology, especially from Jimmy Kimmel (even though I generally find him and his late-night show really the best). In this 2009 interview Megan Fox told him about her experience with director Michael Bay. She was 15 when he asked her to dance for him in a bikini. He thought this was an appropriate solution because she was too young to drink and be in a bar (where she had to film a scene). Anyway, Megan Fox has always been open about how poorly she was treated by him, even when she worked with him on Transformers. The result? She was fired, her career has faded into obscurity, and the men are still at the top.
4. Taylor Swift
As a big T-Swift fan, I also demand an apology for her. From all the media that slut-shamed her for the ~large~ number of exes she supposedly had. Do you hear anyone mocking John Mayer for that? No, he's just a sexy playboy. Or George Clooney (for Amal), Leo DiCaprio? As Taylor Swift sings: ‘They would toast to me, like the players play — I’d be just like Leo, in Saint Tropez’ in her song The Man. Painfully close to the truth, how she sings about how she would be treated if she were a man.
5. Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson is a mother and has been pregnant. So far, nothing new you would say, right? Well, except that Jessica had gained a few pounds during her pregnancy. Way too much, thought the media — and that's why she popped up in articles about ‘celebrities who clearly ate for two during pregnancy.’ Ehm, excuse me? Who ever approved these articles?
6. Jennifer Aniston
Yes, even all-American sweetheart Jennifer Aniston hasn't had it easy with the media. Because as a successful, single fifty-something woman without children — that's just the recipe for criticism. Anyway, I find the question ‘why don't you have children?’ totally inappropriate; I feel sorry for Jennifer when I think about how many times she has had to answer that question.
7. Gigi Hadid
During Milan Fashion Week in 2016, she was walking with security — who I think wasn't paying attention? — on the street when a ‘fan’ tried to lift her and take her away. She definitely didn't think so, and without any doubt, she hooked that guy in the face. Seems more than logical, right? No way: ‘NOT model behavior’ the media headlined.
8. Meghan Markle
Well, I don't even think I need to explain much here. From the moment she started dating Harry, she has had a hard time with the media, especially the British. She can never do anything right. When Kate Middleton promotes avocados, it's great, but when Meghan does it, she's inciting slavery. When Kate holds her pregnant belly, it's sweet and shows nesting instinct, but when Meghan does it, it's being dramatic.
9. Ariana Grande
A breakup is often tough for normal people, let alone when you're in the spotlight like that. And then you also have to publicly deal with the fact that your ex, in this case, Mac Miller, dies of an overdose — and his fans blame you for that. Because Mac Miller supposedly had such a hard time with the breakup that he went back to drugs. Ridiculous, right, that Ariana has received so much shit from his fans for this?
10. Lindsay Lohan
The actress hasn't always had it easy, with many struggles with addictions, multiple trips to rehab, and yet she has always bounced back. Not if it was up to the media, by the way: they shamelessly confronted her with her struggles. ‘Why do you think this time it will work to quit, because it didn't work before?’ was a question she received during an interview, to which she responded that this was absolutely not discussed in the rehearsals. In fact, she fled America because of things like this and moved to Dubai; there it is forbidden to take photos of people without their consent. A paparazzi-free life, finally.
I could seriously make this list four times longer (at least), but I guess I wouldn't have your attention anymore. But hopefully, you agree with me: these women deserve apologies.
