The Chappell Roan Hate Train is Not Worth Your Energy
Pop singer Chappell Roan is under fire yet again after Jorginho, a Premier League midfielder, accused her of leaving his 11-year-old daughter in tears. The singer, known for her somewhat aggressive take against paparazzi and fan harassment, was said to have ordered her security guard to berate the child and her mother after the child smiled at her in a restaurant. While Roan has claimed that she did not know the security guard, fans are not sure what to believe.
One thing is certain— a security guard should not aggressively address a child for only smiling at their favorite singer. However, the frequent hate trains surrounding Roan for her clear boundaries in an industry that treats humans as machines need to be discussed.
Roan has previously faced widespread backlash for snapping at paparazzi on the VMAs red carpet in 2024. Users of the social media platform X were quick to shade Roan, saying, “Can she be grateful or happy once,” (@faabi4n_) and “this ‘i hate being famous’ bit is getting old” (@opie52).
Are female celebrities not allowed boundaries? Roan’s rise to fame happened seemingly overnight after more than six years of trying to be recognized for her art. Despite her long-lasting attempts to make it in the industry, Roan is not any less entitled to space and respect than the average person. Yes, being famous comes with constant attention, but young women like Roan should not be expected to exist without boundaries or make peace with the at times horrific ways they are treated.
Especially as a queer woman, Roan’s persistent push against her treatment from both paparazzi and the general public is revolutionary. The change in paparazzi behavior on red carpets since her 2024 outburst is palpable, with her peer Sabrina Carpenter saying, “She whipped them into shape.”
If the child truly did just wave, and Roan requested such a harsh response from her security guard, that is certainly a bit of a heavy reaction. However, the general idea that she is not allowed privacy while eating breakfast is ridiculous. The public reaction to the situation has gone overboard and made it out to be something more extreme. As X user @MIN0RLYSTUCK writes, “you would think chappell roan fucking killed a child based on how twitter users are reacting oh my god.”
The hate trains against young women always seem much more extreme and hard-hitting than those towards their male peers. It is as if hunters are waiting around every corner just waiting for them to mess up. When they do, it’s nearly impossible to come back without a constant reminder of their wrongdoings. As a collective, we must afford female celebrities the ability to set boundaries between their careers and personal lives, and the speed at which we jump on hate trains towards women must slow down.