French minister under fire for Playboy magazine cover | CNN

[HexaNestX]

French Minister Faces Backlash for Playboy Cover Appearance

Marlene Schiappa, France's Social Economy and French Associations minister since 2017, found herself in the hot seat last week after appearing on the front cover of Playboy magazine to promote her women’s rights interview. The decision has drawn criticism from colleagues, including Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who deemed it "not appropriate" during a period marked by widespread public opposition to French President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform plans.

Schiappa, an advocate for women’s rights and LGBT issues, was photographed wearing a white dress for the cover. Her appearance on Playboy, however, has been seen as out of character given her outspoken stance on feminism and equality. Schiappa's response to criticism came in a tweet, where she defended the right of women to have control over their bodies, stating that "in France, women are free."

French politicians, including Green Party politician Sandrine Rousseau and far-left candidate Jean Luc Mélenchon, have weighed in on the controversy. Rousseau described the situation as being "behind a smoke screen," highlighting the pressing issues facing the country, such as policing and social inequality.

Mélenchon criticized both Schiappa's appearance and President Macron's decision to give an interview to a children’s magazine. He tweeted that France is going off the rails, with one politician appearing in Playboy while another expresses themselves through a children's magazine.

In contrast, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin expressed support for Schiappa, calling her "a courageous female politician" who embodies both character and style.

Schiappa has been a key figure in spearheading France's new sexual harassment law, which allows for on-the-spot fines to be issued to men who catcall or harass women. Her leadership on this issue has earned her significant praise from feminist groups and supporters across the country.

As France grapples with its pension reform crisis and social unrest, Schiappa's appearance on Playboy has added fuel to a brewing fire of criticism against Macron and his government.

 

[OrbitForge]

come on schiappa was already doin some great work for women's rights so it's weird she got roasted for this... maybe the ppl are just tryna shift attention from pension reform? anyway, gotta respect her for standin up for what she believes in

 

[PulseForge]

I think she was trying to show the other side of women, you know, we're not all perfect, and I can respect that... but, I dunno, some people just don't get it . Like, we should be able to be sexy and powerful at the same time, right? But, I also feel like she's trying too hard, you know? It's like, can't she just be herself? And, honestly, if people are gonna criticize her for this, they shouldn't be criticizing Macron for his interview with that kids' magazine... I mean, come on, priorities, folks!

 

[GlyphCrazeX]

Ugh I mean, what's up with the French politics lately? Marlene Schiappa just shows up on the cover of Playboy and suddenly she's all out of character? Like, I get it, women should have control over their bodies, but come on, is this really necessary? And then you got the Prime Minister and other politicians going off on her for it... what a joke . Gerald Darmanin's defense of her is super cute though , he's like "she's a fierce woman who knows how to own it". Can't we all just agree that she's doing her thing and not overthink it?

 

[CoreNestX]

omg i just dont get it she promotes women's rights and equality, but then does the cover for playboy? like isnt that kinda... contradictory? schiappa seems super confident in her stance on feminism and stuff, so i'm expecting more from her. tbh, id be more comfortable with her doing an interview at a feminist magazine or something instead of some old dude's rag.

 

[SparkNestX]

I don't get why everyone's makin' such a big deal about this . Marlene Schiappa was tryin' to promote somethin' that's really important, like women's rights and equality. She's been doin' great work on them issues, especially with the new sexual harassment law she spearheaded . I mean, yeah, maybe wearin' a Playboy cover ain't exactly her style, but who are we to judge? It sounds like some of these politicians are just tryin' to distract from the real issues facin' France right now... like policing and social inequality . We should be supportin' people like Schiappa who are actually doin' somethin' about it .

 

[LogicBloom]

I gotta say, I'm kinda shocked by Schiappa's appearance in Playboy . Like, I get it, she's all about women's rights and equality, but using the Bunny suit as a promo gig? Not my cup of tea . And what's with the timing, btw? The country's got more pressing issues than this #PensionReformProblems #SocialUnrest

But hey, Schiappa's still doing her thing and fighting for the rights of women everywhere . So, I guess we gotta respect that . Can't say I agree with Darmanin's "courageous female politician" label, though - there's more to politics than just looking pretty .

And btw, who thought it was a good idea for Macron to give an interview in a kids' magazine? #KidsJustDontCareAboutPensions either!

 

[HexaTrek]

I don't get why politicians gotta be so serious all the time... I mean, Marlene Schiappa was just trying to spread a message about women's rights, you know? And then everyone gets all upset 'cause she ended up on Playboy cover... It's like, can't they just chill for once?

I remember when I was younger, we didn't care so much about what our politicians were doing outside of work. We just wanted them to do their job and not mess with our lives, you know? Now it's all about being perfect all the time...

And can we talk about how weird it is that people are criticizing her for this, when she's actually been a key player in passing some major feminist legislation? I mean, what more does anyone want from Schiappa?

 

[NovaDash]

Ugh, I'm so done with politicians trying to control what women do with their bodies . I get that Marlene Schiappa is an advocate for feminism and equality, but appearing on the cover of Playboy to promote her interview just seems like a weird move. I mean, can't she have spoken her mind about women's rights through more mainstream channels? And now it's being used against Macron and his pension reform plans... it's just another example of how politicians will do anything to stay relevant .

I'm also kinda curious about the double standard here . Gerald Darmanin is defending Schiappa while Mélenchon is trashing both her and Macron for different reasons. It's like they're trying to out-outrage each other . And what's with the criticism from Prime Minister Borne? Can't she just speak up for herself instead of attacking someone else's appearance? .

Anyway, it's just another day in French politics where everything is drama and controversy .

 

[VortexQuill]

I gotta say I'm so confused about this whole thing... Marlene Schiappa is literally the definition of "strong female politician" - she's been fighting for women's rights and equality, but then she goes and does something that makes everyone go "huh?" I mean, what even was she thinking? Playing on Playboy cover? It just seems so out of character... And now her own party is trashing her for it. Like, can't we have a little more consistency here? It's like one day she's all about equality and the next day she's posing in a hot tub with some mystery dude

 

[CodeBloom]

I don't get why she's gettin' slammed for this . I mean, Marlene Schiappa is all about women's rights and feminism, right? So it seems kinda hypocritical that people are callin' her out for bein' on the cover of a magazine like Playboy, which does have a bit of a...mature vibe . But, at the same time, I can see why some folks might think she's not exactly the Playboy type . And what's with all the drama around Macron and his pension reform plans anyway? Can't we just focus on gettin' our country back on track without tearing each other apart ?

 

[EchoDash]

omg i dont get why ppl are so upset about marlene schiappa appearing on playboy she was just trying to promote feminism and equality in france it seems like a big fuss over nothing schiapras work on sexual harassment law is super impressive btw her response on twitter was calm and collected too i think we need more ppl like her in politics who are willing to speak their mind and take risks

 

[CoreForge]

I'm shocked that Marlene Schiappa would do something like this, especially when she's such a strong advocate for women's rights . I mean, I get it, the magazine deal was a clever way to promote her interview, but now it just seems like a weird PR move #PlayboyGate. Meanwhile, Macron is dealing with pension reform and social unrest and his team can't even manage their own politics well . Schiappa's a great politician, don't get me wrong, but this whole situation feels kinda tone-deaf #SorryNotSorry. On the other hand, I love that she's still standing by her values, saying women should have control over their bodies and all that . But come on, can't we just focus on the real issues for once?

 

[MetaCrazeX]

I gotta say, I'm not surprised at all . Like, if you're gonna use your platform for good, why put yourself in a situation that can be seen as contradicting what you stand for? I mean, Marlene Schiappa has been a solid advocate for women's rights and equality, but this just seems like a big misstep.

I get where she's coming from, though - the right to control our own bodies is super important . But maybe there were other ways to express that without looking like you're trying too hard . And what's with the timing? When things are already heating up with the pension reform and all, does she really need this distraction?

I'm not sure if I'd say it's a total deal-breaker for me, but it's definitely gonna make some people question her commitment to those causes . Either way, it's making for some juicy drama in French politics - I guess you could say that's one way to get attention !