It’s the sort of comment that leaves the blood rushing in your ears, the same way “drama queen” and “take a joke” and “get over yourself” might.
“Diva”. It’s a word used to belittle and disregard and it hit Australian model Robyn Lawley, 28, hard in the chest after she complained on set about sexual harassment.
“You’re being a diva,” she was told, after protesting that her shirt was taken off her without warning. She told Be she was “shocked” by the comment.
“It’s those moments where you think: ‘Wow I hope this changes one day’, and I’m proud that it finally is,” the mother-of-one said, adding: “What model hasn’t felt uncomfortable on set before?”
When asked about the incident, Lawley’s agent Chelsea Bonner of Bella Management told Femail the act was an example of sexual misconduct.
“A lot of people in the industry think it’s normal practice to treat ‘up and comers’ like dirt,” she said.
LISTEN: Founder of Bella Management Chelsea Bonner speaks to Mia Freedman about the moment a beaten-down Robyn Lawley walked through her door. Post continues after audio.
Lawley’s comments come in the wake of the #MeToo movement that’s seen women speak out about sexual harassment in a range of industries – a waterfall of allegations triggered by actress Ashley Judd publicly accusing disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse.
More specifically, her insight into the mistreatment of models follow accusations of sexual misconduct levelled at world-renowned photographer Mario Testino by 13 male assistants and models last week.