A French minister, Marlene Schiappa, is drawing flak from her own party members for appearing on the cover of Playboy magazine. The 40-year-old author, a self-described feminist, had appeared in the magazine as part of a 12-page interview she did on women’s and LGBT rights.
In the cover photo, Schiappa, who is the Minister for the Social Economy and French Associations, was photographed wearing a white dress. Her decision was not supported by her colleagues within the government, which has been battling violent demonstrations over President Emanuel Macron’s plans to increase the retirement age.
According to AFP, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who is only the second woman to occupy the position, called Schiappa to tell her that it “was not at all appropriate, especially in the current period”. The EELV party MP, Sandrine Rousseau, told BFM TV channel that she was not opposed to her decision, saying that she could have timed her move properly given the turmoil France is facing right now.
“Where is the respect for the French people? People who are going to have to work for two years more, who are demonstrating, who are losing days of salary, who aren’t managing to eat because of inflation.” “Women’s bodies should be able to be exposed anywhere, I don’t have a problem with that, but there’s a social context.”
However, the minister, who is the mother of two, defended her decision on Twitter on April 1. “Defending the right of women to do what they want with their bodies: everywhere and all the time.” “In France, women are free. Whether it annoys the retrogrades and hypocrites or not.”
French Playboy editor Jean-Christophe Florentin said that Schiappa was the “most Playboy compatible” of her colleagues because of her feminist views, according to Sky News. The magazine will be available to buy on April 8, according to Le Parisien newspaper. (Agencies)
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