Florence Pugh has just shut down body shamers who came after her for wearing a see-through dress

Florence Pugh has just shut down body shamers who came after her for wearing a see-through dress

Florence Pugh isn't here for sexist comments from social media body shamers. After recently showing off a sheer pink Valentino dress on Instagram, Pugh reminded her followers in a second post why it's not cool to comment on people's bodies — and why she doesn't let other people's opinions of her body get to her. (ICYMI, Selena Gomez also recently shut down body shamers on TikTok.)

After walking the red carpet at Valentino's Haute Couture show on Friday, July 8, the actress shared photos of her gorgeous hot pink dress paired with a tongue-in-cheek caption about the dress's sheer bodice. “Technically they’re covered?” She joked in the caption of her post, referring to her visible nipples. She also thanked the designers and glamorous team behind the look, writing: "Thank you again my beautiful team for making my pink princess dreams come true."

Although many of the more than 10,000 comments on Pugh's post came from people impressed by the ultra-glam look, plenty of body-shamers also came out of the woodwork. Unsurprisingly, many of the nastiest comments came from men. Some criticized the 26-year-old for showing too much, others made fun of her breast size.

On Sunday, Pugh shared more photos in her pink dress and directly addressed the negative comment. "Listen, I knew when I wore this incredible Valentino dress that there was no way it was going to be commented on," she wrote. “Whether negative or positive, we all knew what we were doing.”

The Oscar nominee was excited to wear the dress, she explained, adding, "Not a wink of mine was nervous. I wasn't nervous before, during, or now after." Since then, it has been interesting to observe the seeming ease with which commenters can "completely destroy a woman's body publicly, proudly and for all to see," Pugh wrote, pointing out that some people did so even despite listing their job titles and work emails in their Instagram bios.

"It's not the first time and certainly not the last time that a woman hears from a bunch of strangers what's wrong with her body," she continued. “What is concerning is how vulgar some of you men can be,” she added. “Luckily, I’ve come to terms with the intricacies of my body that make me me.”

Pugh has apparently come a long way in accepting her body as it is. "I'm happy with all the 'mistakes' I couldn't bear at 14," she wrote. "I've lived in my body for a long time. I'm fully aware of my breast size and not afraid of it," she added, questioning why others are "so afraid of breasts," no matter what they look like. (Related: Melanie Lynskey got honest about her "long journey" to body acceptance)

Pugh is grateful to have grown up “in a household with very strong, powerful, curvy women,” she said. “We were raised to find strength in the folds of our bodies,” Pugh added. "It's always been my mission in this industry to say 'Fuck it and fuck that' whenever anyone expects my body to turn into an opinion about what's hot or sexually attractive," she wrote, ending her message with advice for her haters.

"Grow up. Respect people. Respect bodies. Respect all women. Respect people. Life will get a lot easier, I promise," she wrote. Finally, she pointed out that the final photo in her carousel post, in which she covers her nipples with her fingers, is "intended for those who feel more comfortable with that inch of dark skin covered."

Pugh's fans and famous friends flooded the comments section with praise for her powerful message. “Adore you,” wrote Nicola Coughlan. "RESPECT. Period," Ariana DeBose added, while Joey King summed it up, writing, "You put into words what so many feel but cannot articulate."

Jessica Chastain also spoke out in support of Pugh in an Instagram Story posted to her account on Monday, People reported. "Why is it so threatening for some men to realize that women can love our bodies without your permission? We don't belong to you," she wrote in a text on Pugh's post. (Next: Here's how to stop body shaming in its tracks.)