BOSTON — U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., was quick to get behind actor Will Smith after he slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars Sunday night.
Then the social media post was quickly deleted.
Pressley, who suffers from alopecia, on Twitter thanked Smith after he took a swing at Rock for a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, not having hair. Jada also suffers from alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss.
“#Alopecia nation stand up!” Pressley tweeted moments following the assault on stage in front of millions of people around the world. “Thank you #WillSmith Shout out to all the husbands who defend their wives living with alopecia in the face of daily ignorance & insults.
Pressley on Monday tweeted that she doesn’t support violence.
“My life’s work has always been about trauma & healing,” she wrote. “I’m a survivor — I don’t endorse violence in any form.
“Let’s talk about what it’s like to live with #alopecia,” Pressley added. “The deeply vulnerable & difficult moments that our families see. Appreciation post for those who hold us down & support us when we’re at our lowest points. They see us, fully.
“Our bodies are not public domain,” the congresswoman wrote. “They are not a line in a joke — especially when the transformation is not of our choosing. I’m a survivor of violence. I’m a proud Alopecian. The psychological toll we carry daily is real. Team Jada always. That’s that on that.”
Pressley’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
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