Marlene Schiappa, the French government minister for social economy and associations, has found herself at the center of a controversy after appearing on the cover of Playboy magazine. The 12-page interview accompanying her photo shoot was focused on women's rights and LGBT issues, which may have contributed to some critics' surprise.
Schiappa has been a long-time advocate for women's rights and was appointed as France's first Gender Equality Minister in 2017. During her tenure, she spearheaded the introduction of a new sexual harassment law that allows for fines to be issued on-the-spot to men who catcall, harass, or follow women on the street.
However, Schiappa's appearance on Playboy has drawn criticism from some of her own party members and even from French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. The prime minister was quoted as saying that the cover was "not appropriate" during a particularly tumultuous period in France's social landscape.
The controversy has also been linked to President Emmanuel Macron's recent moves, including his decision to give an interview to children's magazine Pif Gadget. French politician Jean Luc Mélenchon criticized both Schiappa's appearance and the president's decision, stating that it was a sign of the country's decline into chaos.
Despite the criticism, Schiappa has stood firm in her defense of women's rights, tweeting "Defending the right of women to have control over their bodies... In France, women are free. With all due respect to the detractors and hypocrites."
Her supporters, including French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, have come to her defense, with Darmanin calling Schiappa a "woman of character" in an interview. While the controversy surrounding Schiappa's appearance on Playboy continues to unfold, one thing is clear: she remains a vocal advocate for women's rights and social justice.
Schiappa has been a long-time advocate for women's rights and was appointed as France's first Gender Equality Minister in 2017. During her tenure, she spearheaded the introduction of a new sexual harassment law that allows for fines to be issued on-the-spot to men who catcall, harass, or follow women on the street.
However, Schiappa's appearance on Playboy has drawn criticism from some of her own party members and even from French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. The prime minister was quoted as saying that the cover was "not appropriate" during a particularly tumultuous period in France's social landscape.
The controversy has also been linked to President Emmanuel Macron's recent moves, including his decision to give an interview to children's magazine Pif Gadget. French politician Jean Luc Mélenchon criticized both Schiappa's appearance and the president's decision, stating that it was a sign of the country's decline into chaos.
Despite the criticism, Schiappa has stood firm in her defense of women's rights, tweeting "Defending the right of women to have control over their bodies... In France, women are free. With all due respect to the detractors and hypocrites."
Her supporters, including French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, have come to her defense, with Darmanin calling Schiappa a "woman of character" in an interview. While the controversy surrounding Schiappa's appearance on Playboy continues to unfold, one thing is clear: she remains a vocal advocate for women's rights and social justice.
She's always been a strong voice on women's rights and all, but I guess you can't always control the narrative, right? 
The pics with her are actually pretty empowering, so maybe it's not as bad as everyone's making it out to be... But at the same time, I get why some people would think it's weird, especially when there's been so much talk about social justice and equality lately. 
I'm just glad she's still standing up for what she believes in, even if that means riding the controversy wave 
. And tbh, who wouldn't want a Minister of Social Economy on the cover of Playboy? 
, this whole situation with Marlene Schiappa has got me thinking... I mean, who wouldn't want to see their face on the cover of Playboy magazine? 
But seriously, it's not about that at all - it's about what she stands for. She's been a total boss when it comes to women's rights and social justice in France, introducing laws like the one about catcalling and harassment. That's some serious power right there 
.
I mean, who decides what's "acceptable" for a politician? And why do they get to dictate what women can and can't do with their bodies? 
It just seems like another example of how society still has a long way to go in terms of equality.
. It'll be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out... maybe it'll be a wake-up call for France to take women's rights seriously? 
I'm actually kinda surprised that Marlene Schiapppa took a risk like this, but at the same time, it makes total sense given her stance on women's rights 
. It just goes to show that there's still so much work to be done when it comes to breaking down these kinds of barriers 
. But on the other hand, I mean, Playboy? It's like, isn't that kinda the antithesis of everything she's fighting for? 
. Can't we just give her a pass for using her platform to make a difference? 
. And can we talk about how messed up it is that the PM is publicly criticizing Schiappa? Like, isn't she his minister or something? 
or just gets her attention 