Marlène Schiappa, the French Minister Delegate in charge of Citizenship, is facing backlash for her recent appearance on the cover of Playboy. The cover, accompanied by a 12-page interview, features Schiappa discussing women’s and LGBT rights, which she has been an advocate for during her time in politics. However, the timing of the cover shoot has been criticized, with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne reportedly telling Schiappa that it is “not at all appropriate” during a time of social unrest in the country as the government is facing a big backlash over pension reforms.
Schiappa defended herself on Twitter over the weekend, stating, “Defending the right of women to have control of their bodies, that’s everywhere and all the time. In France, women are free. With all due respect to the detractors and hypocrites.” Despite her defense, the controversy surrounding the cover has continued, with Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-left opposition party La France Insoumise, tweeting “France is going off the rails” in reaction to the cover.
Playboy editor Jean-Christophe Florentin has defended Schiappa’s inclusion in the magazine, stating that “she is attached to the rights of women and she has understood that it’s not a magazine for old machos but could be an instrument for the feminist cause.” Florentin also emphasized that Playboy is not a soft porn magazine, but a 300-page quarterly “mook” that is intellectual and on trend.
Schiappa has been a feminist and LGBT rights activist since her teenage years, which she attributes to growing up in a multiracial council estate on the outskirts of Paris and experiencing harassment on the streets. She has authored 25 feminist and erotic-themed books to date, including “Letter to my Uterus,” “Who Are The Rapists,” and “Good Girls Don’t Swallow.” She entered politics in 2014 when she became deputy mayor of Le Mans, and has since served as Secretary of State for Gender Equality and, currently, as Minister Delegate in charge of Citizenship.
Despite the controversy, the Playboy issue featuring Schiappa reportedly sold almost 100,000 copies in the first three hours after its release on April 6. While some may see Schiappa’s appearance in Playboy as a progressive move, others criticize the timing and context of the cover shoot, particularly in the midst of ongoing social unrest in France. The debate over the appropriateness of the cover highlights the ongoing struggle for gender and LGBT equality in France and beyond.