Florence Pugh has addressed the backlash and body shaming comments she received after she wore a sheer Valentino gown that exposed her nipples.
The 26-year-old Midsommar star wore a pink tulle gown to Valentino's haute couture show in Rome, Italy on Friday, 8 July.
She posted pictures of her dress on Instagram and addressed the censoring of pictures showing uncovered nipples on the photo sharing app in the caption.
"Feeling magical," Florence wrote in the caption, along with "Technically they’re covered?"
However, Florence was forced to address the 'vulgar' backlash to her outfit in another post shared on Sunday, 10 July, which said: “So many of you wanted to aggressively let me know how disappointed you were by my ‘tiny tits’, or how I should be embarrassed by being so ‘flat chested’."
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The Oscar-nominated actor shared more pictures of her pink outfit and wrote: "Listen, I knew when I wore that incredible Valentino dress that there was no way there wouldn’t be a commentary on it. Whether it be negative or positive, we all knew what we were doing.
"I was excited to wear it, not a wink of me was nervous. I wasn’t before, during or even now after.
Florence called out the men who commented on her body after she shared the initial pictures on her Instagram feed.
"What’s been interesting to watch and witness is just how easy it is for men to totally destroy a woman’s body, publicly, proudly, for everyone to see. You even do it with your job titles and work emails in your bio..?
"It isn’t the first time and certainly won’t be the last time a woman will hear what’s wrong with her body by a crowd of strangers, what’s worrying is just how vulgar some of you men can be.
"Thankfully, I’ve come to terms with the intricacies of my body that make me, me. I’m happy with all of the ‘flaws’ that I couldn’t bear to look at when I was 14.
"So many of you wanted to aggressively let me know how disappointed you were by my ‘tiny tits’, or how I should be embarrassed by being so ‘flat chested’."
She declared she's happy with her body, adding: "I’ve lived in my body for a long time. I’m fully aware of my breast size and am not scared of it.
"What’s more concerning is…. Why are you so scared of breasts? Small? Large? Left? Right? Only one? Maybe none? What. Is. So. Terrifying.
"It makes me wonder what happened to you to be so content on being so loudly upset by the size of my boobs and body..?
Towards the end of her post, Florence wrote that she is 'grateful' she grew up alongside 'powerful' women as she urged people to 'respect' bodies.
She said: "I’m very grateful that I grew up in a household with very strong, powerful, curvy women. We were raised to find power in the creases of our body. To be loud about being comfortable. It has always been my mission in this industry to say ‘f**k it and f**k that’ whenever anyone expects my body to morph into an opinion of what’s hot or sexually attractive.
"I wore that dress because I know. If being loudly abusive towards women publicly in 2022 is so easy for you, then the answer is that it is you who doesn’t know.
"Grow up. Respect people. Respect bodies. Respect all women. Respect humans. Life will get a whole lot easier, I promise.
"And all because of two cute little nipples…. Oh! The last slide is for those who feel more comfortable with that inch of darker skin to be covered… #f**kingfreethef**kingnipple".
The Instagram post received more than 1.3 million likes since it was posted on Sunday evening, and some of Florence’s famous peers came out in support of her statement on body positivity. Bridgerton and Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan, who recently asked fans to stop commenting on her body, replied: “Adore you”.
The In Between star Joey King wrote: “You are truly so amazing, You put into words what so many feel but can’t articulate.”
She-Hulk actor Jameela Jamil commented: “You're a magical f***ing queen and we do not deserve you”.
Actor Billie Piper wrote: “Never looked better. You are simply stunning. Beautiful beautiful women.”
Thank you for speaking out, Florence!
Gregory Robinson