Millie Bobby Brown is a 14-year-old actor best known for her role as Eleven in Stranger Things.
Brown is active on social media, regularly posting on her Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat accounts.
Recently, people have noticed a meme in which fake anti-gay statements and quotes are photoshopped over images of the actor.
millie bobby brown is a fashion icon
And others just imply she holds anti-gay views. All the quotes and stories that appear to have been said by her or relate to her are fake.
today, i went to target. i am blind and gay. i was walking around with my pride shirt when millie bobby brown came up to me. she said “kill all fags and spit in my mouth” and broke both of my legs. i am now unable to walk ever again. #TakeDownMillieBobbyBrown
This isn't the first time a young entertainer has found themselves featured in a negative meme — many felt the Poot meme was derogatory to Demi Lovato, while last year, fans of the cast of It became worried the young actors were being sexualized online.
The meme seems to have two origins: first, a now-infamous series of tweets by @kelsfiona from November 2017.
And then as part of the hashtag #TakeDownMillieBobbieBrown.
it's time to share my story. one day i saw millie bobby brown in the mall and i asked for a selfie and she said "i don't take selfies with fags, homo sex is sin" and broke my iphone X. i couldn't stop crying i'm so ashamed. #TakeDownMillieBobbyBrown
The hashtag appears to have been started as a joke by fans, but elements of it grew outside the hashtag and became memes in their own right.
Absolutely in love with this culture of calling Millie Bobby Brown a homophobe/Islamophobe right now.
While the meme quietly continued for the past several months, it gained popularity again in June.
the fact that gay twitter has collectively agreed to portray millie bobby brown as a raging homophobe is one of the funniest things on earth
comedian: thought out intelligent joke with a setup and a punchline me: twitter user: violently homophobic millie bobby brown meme: me: https://t.co/s5eNWEBW9E
Hannah, a 17-year-old from England, told BuzzFeed News that she had contributed to the meme because she thought it was funny and part of a greater running joke of making it look like celebrities have said controversial things.
"It would be so unlikely for Millie to ever actually say anything that homophobic that it’s hilarious," she said.
Hannah said that she is gay, and if she were straight she wouldn't be using anti-gay language or finding it funny.
The meme has been taken by some on Twitter to be "gays-only" and not for use by straight people.
The Millie Bobby Brown memes are to be enjoyed by the gays only hets don’t interact
why are the straights joining in on the homophobic millie bobby brown meme this is a gays only event go home
However, the meme has provoked a backlash from people who see it as bullying.
the homophobic millie bobby brown meme is so stupid can't y'all leave her alone??
Many have condemned its use and said they don't find it funny.
pretending millie bobby brown, a literal child, is a violent homophobe for memes is fucking disgusting and not funny at all. You are grown adults, editing photos of her with captions that include the f slur, violence against lgbt community for comedy and it’s fucking gross.
unpopular opinion here but uhhhhh the homophobic millie bobby brown meme is fucking disgusting
joking about millie bobby brown being extremely homophobic isn’t funny at all ???? what is wrong with people ??
And some have become worried people will take the meme seriously.
Is Millie Bobby Brown really home of phobic???!!!??? Someone pls enlighten me
Caa, 21, told BuzzFeed she condemned the meme due to Brown's age and its theme.
"People are willingly using the face and name of an innocent 14-year-old girl pretending she is homophobic and racist and editing photos of her (which will undoubtedly be believed by some)," she said. "It’s so ignorant and horrible."
She also said that being part of the LGBT community is not an excuse for sharing the memes: "I am LGBT and I don’t agree with the meme as not only LGBT people will view the content and will give them a belief to retweet and use these memes that include slurs."
However, tweets expressing disapproval of the meme usually prompt responses from more people using the meme.
@digirap Example this?
On Tuesday, it appeared Brown had deleted one of her Twitter accounts. Some people blamed the meme for this.
Y’all aware that your “joke” about Millie bobby brown can be taken in many ways and it’s gotten to the point where she’s deleted her Twitter. I understand that it’s “just a joke,” but y’all need to learn when to stop because jokes can be so harmful sometimes
Why are people laughing over the fact that Millie Bobby Brown deactivated!?!? You literally created a meme in which you classed her as homophobic...do you know how fucked up that is!?! She's fucking 14! 14!! Twitter is real disgusting sometimes.
damn millie bobby brown deactivated cuz yall wanted to make jokes abt her being homophobic for 40 rts i truly cannot stand u losers
Multiple users who shared anti-gay Brown memes spoke anonymously to BuzzFeed News. They said that while they enjoyed the memes, they would stop if the actor asked.