Everything That Upset the Internet This Week

What’s outraging the Internet this week? A baby girl’s piercing, an able bodied A-List actor and a new Netflix series about a character named “Fatty Patty.” Here’s everything you need to know:

Kylie Jenner showcases Stormi’s pierced ears

THE STORY: Earlier this month, Kylie Jenner posted a video of herself cuddling her and Travis Scott’s daughter, Stormi Webster. In the clip, fans noticed that the five-month-old had her ears pierced.

THE REACTION:

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: Voices of opposition were quick to hop in and share their own experiences, pointing out that  piercing children’s ears is common practice in some Spanish-speaking, African and Indian communities. “Hispanics pierce their babies ears way before that sometimes,” one Twitter user pointed out, “Stop calling her a bad mom and move on with your lives !!!”

That said, there are some good points made here. Sure, it’s not uncommon for parents to pierce their baby’s ears—but that doesn’t mean people can’t challenge the norm. Maybe we should reconsider holding off on body modification until a child is old enough to understand and give consent. (Though, I low-key wish my mother pierced my ears when I was a baby. It would have saved me a lot of pain and irritation later in life.)

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson plays a disabled character in Skyscraper

THE STORY: The former WWE icon’s latest blockbuster hit has him playing an amputee with a prosthetic leg.

THE REACTION:

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: This is tricky, especially when people start drawing comparisons to the backlash Scarlett Johansson faced for being cast as a transgender man. I think that Dwayne Johnson—who’s among the most bankable stars in Hollywood right now—has done his best with navigating this complex casting decision. Before the film’s premier, Johnson joined the Ruderman Family Foundation, a leading voice in the call for inclusion and opportunity for persons with disabilities in the entertainment industry. In a video posted to his social channels, Johnson said Hollywood has excluded characters and actors with disabilities for too long.

“Our industry has a responsibility to tell inclusive stories, and I hope my character in ‘Skyscraper’ is an example of that commitment,” Johnson said. “I certainly encourage the entire (entertainment) industry to take steps forward to audition and cast actors with disabilities to play characters with and without disabilities. Disability is an essential piece of diversity, and our characters and actors should definitely 100 percent reflect this.”

On the flip side, I recommend reading this open letter that Paralympian actress Katy Sullivan wrote to Dwayne Johnson for Deadline.

Netflix announces new TV show Insatiable 

THE STORY: Netflix dropped the trailer and announced the release date (August 10) for a new high school dark comedy. The series stars Debby Ryan as “Fatty Patty,” a teenager who loses weight and seeks revenge on those who bullied her.

THE REACTION:

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: Alyssa Milano, who stars in the show alongside Debby Ryan, tweeted in response to one of the show’s trolls: “We are not shaming Patty. We are addressing (through comedy) the damage that occurs from fat shaming. I hope that clears it up. Also, this article does a good job of explaining it more.” Ryan didn’t address the online criticism head-on, but highlighted a section of the Teen Vogue article Milano referenced and tweeted it to her followers.

Yeah…I’m not sure how much I’m buying into Teen Vogue‘s take. While it’s exciting to see a female protagonist revel in revenge, I’m on the team that this whole “fat girl gets hot” trope is pretty tired. And, you know, problematic. (Hi Monica Geller! ? ). Twitter user Alexandra Green, however, found a way for the show to fix itself: “I think if 1) she suffers consequences for her violence 2) she regains the weight and is fine with it (cause she only lost it as the result of assault) then the film will actually say something interesting.” I totally agree.

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