Actress Sydney Sweeney is best known for her role as Cassie Howard in the smash hit show Euphoria but has been popping up as one to watch in other works like The White Lotus and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.
Sydney recently opened up about how she was "ostracised" at a young age for her body developing faster than her peers and was trolled for her nude scenes in Euphoria.
This has sparked a viral outpouring on Twitter of women sharing similar stories in solidarity with the 25-year-old actress, with many saying they were "bullied" or "sexualised" as young as 11, simply for developing breasts before others in their year groups.
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In a profile with The Sun, Sydney said: "I had boobs before other girls and I felt ostracised for it." This was then picked up by The New York Post in a viral tweet with over 10,000 quotes responses full of people with a shared experience defending Sydney's comments.
Initial commenters criticised the actress, saying that girls with breasts were "the most popular" or "got attention from everyone" which sparked outrage.
"The replies show how a lot of people think that being sexualized and objectified even as a young girl, is the biggest reward for a woman," tweeted one person.
The quote tweets are filled with women sharing their experiences, with one saying those who mocked Sydney "have no idea what it's like to have classmates grope you and grown men hit on you in the street at 11 years old".
"One of the main reasons i got a breast reduction is because I felt overly sexualized constantly, starting at a very young age," shared another woman. "That feeling festered in my brain into adulthood."
Chartered psychologist, Catherine Hallissey, explained that early development of adult bodies can lead to children being objectified, particularly young girls. This leads to "an increased risk of sexual harassment", which many of Sydney's supporters experienced as bullying.
She told The Mirror: "When children develop breasts at a young age, it can lead to issues with self image. On top of that, it can lead to sexual attention that is unwanted and inappropriate.
"This can significantly increase feelings of body consciousness, body shame and dissatisfaction with appearance."
Catherine added: "Going from being viewed as a child to an object for the pleasure of others can be quite shocking, particularly to a child and research shows there is an increased risk of depression and anxiety."
This can be compounded by the "teasing and bullying" Catherine says can come from peers, which has "a negative impact on a child’s mental health and wellbeing".
There were commenters saying Sydney shouldn't be "complaining" about having large breasts as a child, which the psychologist believes is part of the problem. She said: "It's incredibly important to challenge harmful stereotypes that sexualise young girls.
"As a society, we need to advocate for a zero tolerance approach to sexualisation of children."
She recommends giving children a safe space to talk about their experiences "without fear of judgement", urging parents to empower their children to seek support if they are being objectified or bullied.
Catherine added: "Encourage a positive self-image by focusing on healthy behaviours that take care of your body such as eating well and moving your body, rather than what it looks like. Consider seeking professional help if it is having a significantly negative impact on mental health or wellbeing."
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