Lawrence gives her critics a dressing down
Jennifer Lawrence has hit back at feminist campaigners who suggested her wearing of a Versace gown slashed to the thigh for an outdoor photoshoot, while the men around her were bundled up in coats, was an illustration of Hollywood sexism. The actress said it had been her choice to wear the “fabulous” dress at the promotion event on a London rooftop for her film Red Sparrow. The Fawcett Society, the women’s rights charity, had said it “objectified” her.
IT WAS perhaps not the most appropriate attire for a chilly February day.
However, Jennifer Lawrence, who was photographed on the terrace of a London hotel to promote Red Sparrow, her latest film, has hit back at feminist campaigners who suggested her wearing of a Versace gown slashed to the thigh, while the men around her were bundled up in coats, was an illustration of Hollywood sexism.
Lawrence, 27, said it had been her choice to wear the “fabulous” dress and told people to “get a grip”.
The photograph prompted The Fawcett Society, the women’s rights charity, to say it “sums up what is wrong with the film industry and with wider society. It objectifies rather than respects her for the outstanding actor she is. We truly have a long way to go.” Helen Lewis, the deputy editor of New Statesman, tweeted: “This is such a quietly depressing (and revealing) image. Not least because I’ve been outside today and it’s bloody freezing.”
The tweet went viral and was echoed by many others.
But in a statement on Facebook, Lawrence countered: “This is not only utterly ridiculous, I am extremely offended. That Versace dress was fabulous, you think I’m going to cover that gorgeous dress up with a coat and a scarf? I was outside for five minutes. I would have stood in the snow for that dress because I love fashion and that was my choice.
“This is sexist, this is ridiculous, this is not feminism. Over-reacting about everything someone says or does, creating controversy over silly innocuous things such as what I choose to wear or not wear, is not moving us forward. It’s creating silly distractions from real issues. Get a grip people. Everything you see me wear is my choice. And if I want to be cold, that’s my choice too!”
Those who spoke out before Lawrence’s statement included Robert Webb, the author and comic actor, who had said: “To all those saying JL ‘chose’ to wear that dress: fine but that choice has a context.
“She could have made a different decision but we can agree on one thing: it’s not a decision to which the blokes had to give the slightest thought.”
He added: “When Ryan Gosling gets paid to model Versace’s latest mankini we’ll have a conversation about equality and human bodies as decoration.”
Others had criticised the men who posed alongside Lawrence – co-stars
‘Everything you see me wear is my choice. And if I want to be cold, that’s my choice too!’
Joel Edgerton, Jeremy Irons and Matthias Schoenaerts, and director Francis Lawrence – as “ungallant” for not offering to lend her a coat or scarf.
However, others praised the Versace gown, saying it was reminiscent of Liz Hurley’s famous “safety-pin” dress. Lawrence has been a vocal supporter of the #Timesup campaign, wearing a black dress to the Baftas to support the campaign against sexual harassment.
She was also one of the first actresses to publicly criticise the gender pay gap in Hollywood, after an email, leaked in the 2015 Sony hacking incident, revealed that she was paid significantly less than Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale and Jeremy Renner to appear in their film, American Hustle. In an essay, she said that she had not fought for more money because she “didn’t want to seem ‘difficult’ or ‘spoiled’.”