Why the Playboy cover by a French minister annoys me

Making other women seem joyless and reactionary for objecting to what she did cheapens the very idea of feminism, writes Marie Le Conte

It isn’t the first time Marlene Schiappa has divided opinion (AFP/Getty)

What does it mean to be a feminist? It feels like a straightforward question, but somehow it pops back up every few months; each time for a different reason, each time with many possible different answers.

This time, it has cropped up in France. According to social economy minister Marlene Schiappa, “defending women’s right to do what they want with their bodies [should happen] everywhere and all the time. In France, women are free, whether it annoys the reactionaries and hypocrites or not”. So far, so good.

The reason this came up in the first place, however, is a bit more controversial. Last week, Schiappa was unveiled as Playboy France’s latest – fully clothed – cover girl. The move has, perhaps predictably, received mixed reactions among media and political circles.