Millie Bobby Brown, the 14-year-old star of Stranger Things, deleted her Twitter account yesterday night after getting harassed online over a homophobic meme.
A small group of Twitter users started using Brown’s image to create memes that attributed homophobic comments (and actions) to her, frequently paired with the hashtag #TakeDownMillieBobbyBrown. Some users claimed the meme was meant to be satirical by attributing stereotypically homophobic actions to someone who was clearly an LGBTQ+ ally.
The meme first appeared in November, but has made a resurgence in June, probably due to Pride Month.
It’s not surprising that Brown found the meme upsetting. She’s made it clear that one of her biggest goals as a young person in the limelight is to spread positivity and stop cyberbullying via her alternative Twitter account @Milliestopshate. And even besides being an activist and ally, she’s also a 14-year-old girl. Seriously, she’s just a kid. What would you do as a teen if a bunch of strangers were making false accusations against you online and, as a byproduct, spreading hate about you?
Hopefully people will take this as a sign that they’ve officially gone too far. Millie Bobby Brown deserves better. 
