French minister under fire for Playboy magazine cover | CNN

French Minister Faces Backlash Over Playboy Magazine Cover Appearance

Marlene Schiappa, the French government minister responsible for women's rights, has become embroiled in a controversy after appearing on the front cover of Playboy magazine. The appearance, which accompanied a 12-page interview with the publication, has drawn criticism from members of her own party and other politicians.

Schiappa, who has been a key figure in France's efforts to address issues related to women's rights and LGBTQ+ equality, was photographed wearing a white dress on the cover of the magazine. Her appearance has sparked debate about the role of politics in public life and the boundaries between personal and professional image.

Critics have accused Schiappa of using her platform to promote herself rather than focusing on the issues that she is supposed to be championing. Some have also suggested that her appearance is out of touch with the values of many French citizens, who are currently facing a period of social and economic upheaval.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has been particularly vocal in her criticism of Schiappa's appearance, stating that it was "not appropriate" during a time when France is struggling with significant social and economic challenges. Other politicians, including Green Party leader Sandrine Rousseau and far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon, have also weighed in on the controversy.

Despite the backlash, Schiappa has remained defiant, tweeting that she will continue to defend women's rights and control over their bodies. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has come to her defense, describing her as a "woman of character" with a unique style.

OMG, I'm shocked , I mean who would've thought that a politician would be on the cover of Playboy? It's like she's trying to be all sexy and powerful at the same time . But seriously, isn't this just a bit tone-deaf given everything that's going on in France right now? Like, can't they see that there are real issues to tackle instead of worrying about who's looking good on the cover of a mag? It's not like she's promoting anything that's gonna help women or equality... just her own image . And honestly, I feel bad for her party members who have to deal with this backlash . Maybe they should've thought twice before letting her get all up close and personal with the Playboy babes .

omg can't believe schiappa is gettin roasted for wearin that dress on playboy lol she's like the ultimate contrarian now. if anyone can turn controversy into an opportunity, it's her. i mean who else can make a fashion choice like that and still be taken seriously about women's rights? btw, if schiappa's all about empowerin' women, why not show some skin on playboy too? just sayin'.

This is getting pretty weird . I mean, I get it, everyone's got an opinion, but Marlene Schiappa just seems like she's trying too hard to be relatable, you know? Like, if she really cared about women's rights, wouldn't she be focusing on the actual issues instead of posing for a magazine cover? And I don't get why people are so upset about it either... isn't a girl supposed to have some freedom to express herself? But at the same time, I can see where the politicians are coming from - it's just not the right time for something like this. France needs better things than a politician posing for a magazine cover right now .

I gotta say, I'm kinda surprised by this whole thing . Schiappa is all about empowering women and promoting equality, but now she's on the cover of Playboy? It's like, doesn't she think that's gonna confuse people or give the wrong message? I get it, everyone wants to be comfortable in their own skin, but when you're a public figure, you gotta consider how your actions will be perceived by others .

And honestly, I don't see what's so bad about wearing a sexy dress on the cover of Playboy. It's just a magazine, right? But at the same time, Schiappa is all about being strong and in control - it doesn't quite add up when she's posing topless .

I do think the whole thing highlights how tricky it can be to balance your personal life with your public image. Schiappa should probably just own it and say something like, "Hey, I'm a strong woman who knows what she wants!" But until then, I guess we'll just have to keep an eye on her and see how this all plays out .

I mean, what's the big deal? She's an adult, she can wear whatever she wants on the cover of a magazine. It's not like she's using it to sell herself or anything . And honestly, it does seem kinda out of touch with the current state of France, but who doesn't love a good nude shot every now and then? But seriously, I think people need to chill out – she's still working hard on those women's rights issues and getting things done for France, so let her enjoy a little magazine spread .

this is getting messy... i mean, marlene schiappa is all about women's rights and now she's on the cover of playboy? it feels like she's trying too hard to be relatable and humanize herself, but honestly it just comes off as weird. i get that politicians need to be seen in public, but this feels like a stretch.

i think elisabeth borne is totally justified in calling her out for this - france needs leaders who can focus on the issues, not their personal style . schiappa's tweet about defending women's rights is cute and all, but it feels like she's trying to deflect the attention from her own appearance .

anyway, let's just say i'm curious to see how this whole thing plays out

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one . I mean, back in my day... we didn't think twice about politicians having personal lives outside of politics. But now, it's like they're under a microscope 24/7. I get that Schiappa is passionate about women's rights and all that, but can't she just have a moment to herself? I feel like she's being crucified for wearing a dress on the cover of Playboy . And what's with the criticism from her own party members? It's like they're more concerned with her image than doing some real good work. And what's next, are they gonna tell her what to wear every day? Come on, people! Can't we just focus on the issues at hand instead of tearing each other down?

I'm shocked by the backlash against Marlene Schiappa . I think she was just trying to be herself and not take it so seriously. I mean, who hasn't been on a magazine cover before? It's not like she was doing some kind of politician's photo shoot .

But at the same time, I get why people are upset. As a women's rights minister, she should be setting an example for what feminism looks like in practice. And wearing a provocative outfit on the cover of Playboy might not be the best way to do that .

It's interesting to me how some politicians are jumping all over this story and using it to criticize Schiappa . I think they're missing the point, which is that women have the right to express themselves however they want. As long as she's still advocating for women's rights, who cares what she wears on the cover of a magazine?

I'm shocked, I mean who isn't right now lol. Back in my day we didn't see politicians on the cover of Playboy magazine, that's just not something you'd ever do. It's like she's trying to sell herself instead of selling out for what's good for France . And don't even get me started on the timing, when the country is struggling with so many issues... it just seems so tone deaf. I mean, I'm all for a woman being confident and owning her style, but this feels like she's trying to distract from the real issues at hand . And what's with all these other politicians jumping on the bandwagon? It's just embarrassing for them too . I guess you could say she's given herself a bit of a headache .

I feel like this is all kinda crazy ... I mean, you'd think that after all the feminism and equality talk, someone would be a bit more mindful of their image ... Schiappa's just trying to promote women's rights, but her team's getting roasted for this Playboy thingy . It's like, yeah, she's got a right to express herself, but in the middle of all these important issues? Not the best timing, you know? And what's with the criticism from other politicians? Can't they just keep it real and focus on supporting her cause instead of tearing her down?

I'm so done with politicians using their personal brand to get attention . Marlene Schiappa thought she could just slide onto the cover of Playboy and expect everyone to forget about all the good work she's been doing for women's rights . Newsflash, girl: it doesn't work that way .

I mean, I get it, women should be able to express themselves however they want, but Schiappa is a public figure and her actions have consequences . If she wants to promote herself, maybe she could do it in a more subtle way, like through her actual work or by being a role model .

The fact that other politicians are coming for her about this shows me that they're more concerned with appearances than actual substance . Elisabeth Borne's got some nerve criticizing Schiappa over this when she's been doing basically the same thing all along .

It's like, can't we just focus on the issues here instead of getting caught up in who's wearing what on their body? I guess that's just too much to ask from politicians these days .

just saw that Marlene Schiappa is getting slammed for appearing on the cover of Playboy magazine idk if she's trying to be some kinda sex symbol or what... meanwhile france is dealing with real issues like unemployment and poverty and schiappa is over here promoting her own image at least someone got Gérald Darmanin's back tho

I'm not sure if Schiappa's appearance on the Playboy cover is such a big deal, tbh. Like, who doesn't get criticized for their personal life? But at the same time, you could argue that she's using it as an opportunity to talk about women's rights and body autonomy... which actually isn't a bad thing! Maybe we're just too quick to judge when politicians use their platforms like this? And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that some people are more concerned with Schiappa's appearance than actual policy issues?

omg i think this is kinda funny lol marlene schiappa is def a rebel but also a total boss for owning the cover and showing that women can be sexy and smart at the same time i mean, sure some people might think it's weird or out of touch with current times, but who cares? she's still advocating for important causes and that's what matters most schiappa is also showing us that you don't have to be perfect or conform to societal norms to be a strong leader

omg, can't believe what's goin on in france rn ... marlene schiappa's playboy mag cover is like, totally outta touch, fam ... i get it, she's tryna promote herself and all, but come on, not during this time when france needs her to be talkin' about real issues like economic growth and social justice ... and yeah, the fashion choice was a bit much, tbh ... but at least she stuck to her guns and said she'll keep fightin' for women's rights ... maybe next time she can just stick to the Vogue cover, lol

I'm all for a strong, outspoken woman like Marlene Schiappa taking risks and being unapologetically herself, especially when it comes to women's rights and body autonomy. But at the same time, can't we just appreciate her for who she is as a person without scrutinizing every single move she makes? It feels like the criticism is almost personal, which is not very constructive or respectful. What happened to having an open dialogue about issues rather than tearing someone down over their appearance? And honestly, I think it's kinda rich for politicians to talk about the importance of women's rights and then turn around and judge someone else for being confident in her own skin...

what's the big deal? politicians using their own platforms to promote themselves is nothing new... schiappa should've just said no to playboy if she was worried about being judged, but she went ahead and took the spotlight anyway meanwhile, people are still struggling with rent prices and lack of jobs in france... priorities, anyone?

The politician thingy is so complicated! I get why some people are upset, but others think she's just being herself . It's like, can't we all just chill and support women's rights without judging their style? I'm not sure what's more awkward, the magazine cover or the criticism . Schiappa seems like a strong woman who knows her own stuff , so let's focus on that rather than her fashion choices . Politics and personal life are already hard to separate, but can't we all just try to get along?

so marlene schiappa is a "woman of character"... lol sounds like someone trying too hard to be edgy . honestly though, who gets on the cover of playboy and thinks it's not gonna stir up drama? it's like she wants to be the bad girl of politics . and btw, a 12-page interview is just an excuse for her to promote herself instead of doing actual work . i'm not saying she shouldn't be able to express herself, but come on, marlene, can't you just keep it classy?