Who Is Marlene Schiappa? French Minister Criticised For Appearing On Playboy Magazine

French minister Marlene Schiappa has been receiving flak from her own party members for appearing on the cover page of Playboy magazine. Schiappa, who has been the Secretary of State for Gender Equality since 2017, recently appeared on the front cover of Playboy magazine along with a 12-page interview about women’s and LGBTQIA rights. She was photographed wearing a white dress.

40-year-old Schiappa, who is currently the Minister of the Social Economy, has been an advocate of women’s rights for a very long time. She was also appointed as the country’s first-ever Gender Equality Minister in 2017.

As the Gender Equality Minister, Schiappa initiated a new sexual harassment law that allowed spot fines for offenders who indulged in catcalling, harassing, or stalking women on the street.

Who is Marlene Schiappa

Her appearance in Playboy magazine has been criticised by many political colleagues, including French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. Reportedly, Borne told Schiappa that it "was not at all appropriate, especially in the current scenario."

France is currently undergoing a political and social crisis triggered by French President Emmanuel Macron’s move to push ahead with controversial pension reforms despite receiving widespread opposition from the public.

French politician Jean Luc Melenchon condemned both Schiappa’s appearance in Playboy magazine and French President Macron's decision.

Schiappa, in response to the criticism she has been receiving, tweeted on Saturday, "Defending the right of women to have control of their bodies is everywhere and all the time. In France, women are free. With all due respect to the detractors and hypocrites."

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin defended Schiappa in an interview with CNews, a French news channel, on Sunday. He called Schiappa a "woman of character." "Marlene Schiappa is a courageous politician who has her character and her style, which do not match mine, but I respect them," he said.

Schiappa is a mother of two and an esteemed author and blogger who has written widely about pregnancy, motherhood, and women’s health. She also worked at an advertising company before finding an online magazine. Her political career began in 2014 when she was elected deputy mayor of Le Mans.

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