Florence Pugh is doubling down in accusing Instagram of censoring her message about Cornell University’s alleged gang rape scandal.
Appearing Wednesday on The View to promote her new Netflix show East of Eden, the 30-year-old actor called out Instagram for covering her posts with a “content warning” after she shared a statement about the former Cornell student who filed a civil lawsuit accusing seven Chi Phi fraternity members of sexually assaulting her in October 2024.
The View co-host Sara Haines asked Pugh at the Hot Topics table: “Even in modern times, women have to bear the consequences of sexual violence, like the allegations currently playing out with the so-called Cornell 7. The case is still pending, and some of the accused have denied any wrongdoing, but I saw what you wrote about this. This was really important for you. Can you explain why you felt the need to speak up?”
The Oscar-nominated actor responded that she had felt the need to speak out about the case on behalf of “all women,” adding that the fear of rape “lives in our bodies.”
“When stories like this come out and it’s really not picked up in the way that you hope it’s picked up, it makes me feel scared, it makes me feel anxious, it made me feel so much rage,” the Little Women star said. “I’m lucky enough to do what I do and I have a platform and I wanted to talk about it.”
Pugh has joined people all over in the world who have shared outrage after a woman identified only as “Jane Doe” alleged in a civil lawsuit that her alleged perpetrators were allowed to remain enrolled at Cornell University after she accused them of sexually assaulting her — and that they only needed to write essays as their punishments.
“I’m able to come here and talk about it in real life, even though, sadly, Instagram censored me when I said it, which is also just another shock that women are censored, even when they go through these things, they can’t talk about it,” Pugh said on the talk show.
The Marvel actor initially posted that she felt “enraged” about the situation, and called on men “to be as horrified and as sickened as us” at the allegations.
She then shared another post that appeared to show a screenshot of her Instagram Grid, which still has an advisory from the platform on it, reading: “This post contains content that some people may find upsetting.”
“Instagram decided to block my post from getting in front of the right people. Tut tut tut. Oh dear,” Pugh wrote in her follow-up response. “That doesn’t look great does it? Here’s another go at it in case you were one of those people that can no longer see my post.”
The actor said on The View: “I feel very lucky and honored that we get to talk about this today. Thank you for bringing it up. It’s an ongoing conversation and it will always be an ongoing conversation until we’re harder on those that do that to women.”
Her comments came a day after co-host Sunny Hostin ignited debate on the show by siding with the New York prosecutors who previously chose not to bring charges in Jane Doe’s case.
Hostin, who said she was “dealing with the facts” as she sympathized with the seven men accused in the lawsuit, was not at the table when Pugh appeared as a guest on the show.
Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)
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