Chappell Roan is being flamed…again, and people are acting like she beat up a child! If you’ve seen the recent outrage on social media, then you know what I’m talking about. Everyone has a different take, but honestly, some people are being way too dramatic, and I think the reason behind it is simple.
It’s misogyny.
The Story
Ok, so what happened? On March 21st, Jude Law’s 11-year-old daughter was in São Paulo for the Lollapalooza festival, where Chappell Roan was performing with her mother, Catherine Harding, and stepfather, professional footballer Jorginho Frello. Coincidentally, Chappell was staying at the same hotel, and during breakfast, Catherine and her daughter noticed someone passing by who looked like Chappell Roan. Chappell was sitting in an outdoor garden area, so the daughter, a fan of her music, walked by her table to take a peek, but didn’t speak to her or even try to take a picture. She returned to the table, and shortly after, a security guard approached them, shamed Catherine for her daughter’s actions, and said her daughter was poorly educated and disrespectful, leaving the daughter in tears.
After this incident, Frello posted on Instagram about the situation, claiming that Chappell had sent this security guard after his daughter and shamed Chappell for her treatment of a fan. This immediately sparked outrage, as many stood by his side, shaming Chappell as well.
Facts vs. Speculation
After the news of this incident was shared, people began losing their minds on social media, and hatred towards Chappell grew stronger. Chappell was banned from the festival by the mayor after the incident. Shortly after Frello took to Instagram, Chappell followed suit, sharing her side of the story. She stated that the security guard was not her personal security and that she hadn’t even seen a woman and her child, and apologized to the family, stating that they did not deserve what had happened. After this, Harding shared a 6-minute video further explaining the situation and expressing her disappointment that her daughter did not get to see Chappell’s performance. In this video, she states that she herself was unsure if the security was actually Chappell’s, but that she was sure he was not hotel security. Recently, it was revealed, by the security guard himself, that he, in fact, was not part of Chappell’s security team but rather there for another individual, and he had made a judgment call based on information obtained from the hotel and previous events. Additionally, he states that his interaction with Harding was calm and with good intentions.
Outrage
Throughout the entire timeline, even after the security guard spoke out, the hate towards Chappell has persisted. The internet has repeatedly expressed its dislike of her and has called her “entitled” and “insufferable,” as well as shaming her for being cruel to her fans, especially children. Chappell has faced outrage and hate in the past for her “cruel” demeanor and for expressing boundaries with fans and paparazzi.
While this situation was not her fault, her “apology” did come across as insecure and mocking. In her video, she is lying in bed and rarely makes eye contact with the camera. Her attitude comes off as very nonchalant and unapologetic. Personally, I think it seems more like she’s frustrated or maybe just “in shock” that these allegations were made against her, as she was entirely unaware of the situation before it was shared on social media.
Why do we hate women?
My biggest issue with this whole situation, actually, is the hate she’s received. I’ll admit, even before the security guard released his statement, I felt obliged to believe Chappell and stand on her side because I knew a lot of this hate didn’t come from a true concern for the daughter, but rather from hatred that was already brewing against Chappell simply because of who she is and what she stands for.
Others who stand on “her side” have taken to social media to argue that the reaction from people would not have been the same if Chappell were a man or straight. So many famous men have gotten away and have been heavily defended when they commit actions arguably far worse than Chappell’s alleged actions, and yet the ALLEGED statement against her had her banned from performing and publicly shamed on social media. One TikTok video that stuck with me compares a common comment about Chappell to other comments used to shame women rather than admit they are the victims. The creator states, “Why would she seek fame if she couldn’t deal with fans? And yeah, why did she wear a mini skirt? And why was she out late, and why was she walking down that street? And she didn’t say she was that young.”
She’s Right
I don’t care that Chappell is a bitch. In fact, I applaud her for it.
The biggest argument made against Chappell is that she didn’t have to become famous. She didn’t have to make music, go on tours, or do any of this. But, because she chose to, she needs to learn to deal with the paparazzi and crazed fans, because that’s what’s expected.
But why is it expected? Why do we normalize the invasion of privacy just because someone is famous? Why does fame suddenly make it ok to know everything about a person’s life, follow them down the street, and harass them for photos?
I admire Chappell for how she’s spoken out and set boundaries, because we should be changing the way we view and interact with celebrities. Chappell doesn’t hate her fans. Before this situation, I had never seen or heard of a negative experience between Chappell and her fans. I’ve only seen, and have continued to see, positive and kind experiences between Chappell and her fans when they’re respectful towards her. Celebrities have been harassed for years, so much so that many are physically harmed or even killed. Chappell has every right to set boundaries and ask for respect and some privacy at times. I think it’s the bare minimum.
So I’m going to keep listening to her music and loving her outfits and makeup. And while everyone is allowed their own opinion, I think it’s important we take a step back and consider where these feelings stem from and how much societal norms shape them.