Hey, internet? Come on in here and sit down. We need to have a talk. Remember when you were 13? You were probably in middle school. You likely spent your free time at the mall with your friends. You may have thought people had cooties or you might have had your first “relationship.” But adolescent relationships, in whatever form they take, can be pretty innocent and sweet and good-hearted. What they aren’t is fodder for grown-ups to coo over in a very public manner, like in the media.
It would appear the world didn’t get this last message when they caught wind of the fact that Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown may or may not be in a relationship or, at the very least, have a love interest. While Brown hasn’t confirmed it, the way this news is being reported on is creeping me the eff out.
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In case you needed a reminder right off the bat, Brown is 13. The boy she is reportedly in the midst of making her first boyfriend is 15-year-old singer Jacob Sartorius. And the internet is being way too extra about all of this.
News sites are actually reporting on this relationship as if it’s real and serious. Us Weekly pointed out that Brown and Sartorius went on vacation together after exchanging “flirty comments” on social media. Elite Dailyrepeatedly refers to this as Brown’s first “serious relationship.” Guys. She’s 13 years old. What kind of dating relationship can a 13-year-old even have? The coverage of this is oversexualizing a child, and that’s super-not OK.
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According to these alleged “flirty exchanges” (sure, OK, whatever you say) on social media, Brown and Sartorius are at least friends. He apparently gave her a stuffed bear, which she shared on Instagram, and he commented with a heart, which means he let the entire world know he likely gave her the bear in question.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd3wH-mgrW3/
They also went to Disneyland together with Brown’s parents, and Brown liked one of Sartorius’ tweets that said, “just another day w you on my mind.” It’s typical, flirty kid stuff. It is not a real adult relationship.
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Guys, Brown is barely a teenager. She is way too young for a real relationship, and this isn’t one. Child stars are already under tremendous pressure to grow up way too quickly, and treating Brown like an adult when it comes to dating is only going to exacerbate that. Add adults taking this much interest in the “love life” of a literal child is downright creepy, and it’s easy to see why we all need to take a huge step back on this.
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