“I refuse to apologize for growing up. I refuse to make myself smaller to fit the unrealistic expectations of people who can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman,” read her Monday, Mar. 3 Instagram post
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Millie Bobby Brown is taking a stand against those who criticize her appearance.
On Monday, March 3, the Stranger Things star, 21, shared a make-up free video on Instagram, discussing the recent rise in articles about her appearance. She said it was important to address “bullying” in the media industry as growing up under public scrutiny impacts “every young woman.”
“I started in this industry when I was 10 years old,” Brown said. “I grew up in front of the world, and for some reason, people can’t seem to grow up with me.”
“Instead, they act like I’m supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on Stranger Things season 1, and because I don’t, I’m now a target,” she continued.
Brown said since her press tour began, she’s noticed several articles with headlines that seem “desperate to tear young women down.”
“This isn’t journalism. This is bullying,” Brown said.
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“I refuse to apologize for growing up. I refuse to make myself smaller to fit the unrealistic expectations of people who can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman.”
“I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself,” she added.
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Brown said society has become a place where it’s easier to criticize than to share a compliment and questioned why people feel “so uncomfortable” with saying something nice.
“Let’s do better. Not just for me, but for every young girl who deserves to grow up without fear of being torn apart for simply existing,” she concluded.
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The post came less than a week after she shared a British Vogue article with the headline, “No One Cares How Old You Think Millie Bobby Brown Looks,” on her Instagram Stories.
At the time, she thanked the publication for calling out nasty chatter from critics about her new blonde hairstyle.
Brown styled her golden locks in a bun with bangs for the Los Angeles premiere of her new Netflix film The Electric State on Feb. 24 alongside her husband Jake Bongiovi.
