Irish pop star CMAT and American singer Olivia Rodrigo have both faced online abuse over their outfits, highlighting the impossible standards imposed on women in the public eye. CMAT performed at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Sunderland, where comments about her body were so vile that the broadcaster disabled them. She expressed 'deep sadness' over the backlash, noting it was the same treatment she received at the same festival two years ago.
Rodrigo, meanwhile, faced criticism for wearing a babydoll dress inspired by the 'kinderwhore' aesthetic of 1990s female punks. Commenters labelled her 'pedo bait' and 'Lolita', despite her having previously performed in a bra and shorts without outcry. Rodrigo told the New York Times that the comments show how society normalises paedophilia and blames women for men's actions.
CMAT's earlier song 'Take a Sexy Picture of Me' satirises impossible beauty standards, yet some misinterpreted it as advocating for the sexualisation of young girls. She also rejected being co-opted as a body positivity figurehead, stating she does not choose her body as an act of rebellion but simply exists in it.
The parallel backlash suggests that no matter how a woman dresses—whether subverting or conforming to the male gaze—she faces condemnation. As CMAT noted, women are left with no acceptable options, forced to endure abuse without a say in how they are perceived.
