‘Game Of Thrones’ Star Maisie Williams Proves She’s Not One To Be Objectified

On Game of Thrones, Maisie Williams plays one of George R.R. Martin’s infamously victimized women of Westeros, Arya Stark. If anything, Arya proves she can take a beating week after week. While she may be assaulted regularly and beaten down to within an inch of her life, the youngest Stark proves her strength by enduring and rising up yet again. Maisie Williams gives the Game of Thrones character much of that strength, a fact Maisie reminded everyone of when she stood up against the Daily Mail for printing sexist remarks about her recent outfit.

Maisie Williams Calls Out Daily Mail For Their Sexist Headlines And Reporting

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The Game of Thrones actress was attending a charity event, the Summer Masquerade Ball for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, trying to do her part to support an important organization, but it seems the Daily Mail couldn’t see past Maisie’s outfit. More to the point, the problem was that they could see through the outfit. Daily Mail titled their article about Williams with a focus on the white dress, “Unveiled: Game of Thrones‘ Maisie Williams goes braless in sheer lace dress and quirky headpiece at charity masquerade ball.”

Williams took offense to this headline, and it’s certainly understandable, especially when one realizes the dress isn’t quite as transparent as the Daily Mail headline implies. For Maisie, she responded in kind, offering the online newspaper an alternate headline.

“Game of Thrones actor, Maisie Williams, helps raise thousands at a Summer Masquerade Ball for @NSPCC,” tweeted the Game of Thrones star in response to the offending headline.

Previously, Williams has been outspoken with her thoughts on gender equality and feminism.

“We should stop calling feminists ‘feminists’ and just start calling people who aren’t feminist ‘sexist’ – and then everyone else is just a human. You are either a normal person or a sexist,” the Game of Thrones actress said. “I sometimes really worry about speaking up about feminist subjects out of fear of being bashed by women on social media. And there’s something not right there… I believe in equality and I know I have more power than the average person to reach people.”

Daily Mail Is As Much About Fashion As It Is About News

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The Daily Mail tends to focus on fashion and regularly puts out articles based on the appearances of celebrities, as they attend charity and red carpet events, or as they are seen on vacation or on location sets of in production films, so it shouldn’t be surprising that the focus was on Maisie Williams and her outfit. While Williams was certainly righteous in her criticism of the article’s headline, there can be no denying that drawing readers to the article with such a sensationalized headline also draws attention to the NSPCC.

The article features several pictures of Maisie Williams in poses for the photographer with descriptions of Maisie’s dress in the body of the article. The description comments on the white lace gown, but it then goes on to point out that Williams’ bare legs can be seen through the lace. The article goes on to draw further attention to the color of the nail polish worn on the Game of Thrones actress’ finger and toe nails.

While this may be business as usual for Daily Mail, Maisie was understandably offended by the way in which the article’s author described her attire and drew attention to items most people might not have noticed. Whether one sides with Daily Mail or with Maisie Williams, one can’t deny the incident has raised awareness for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

[Image by Jemal Countess/Getty Images]