Jada Pinkett Smith Calls On Media to Stop Bullying Young Stars

Jada Pinkett Smith isn’t pleased with the way the media scrutinizes America’s young stars.

In a lengthy post on her Facebook page, Pinkett Smith writes that many of today’s biggest stars—mainly Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Quvenzhané Wallis—aren’t given a fair opportunity to be themselves in the spotlight, even if that comes with making mistakes. “Are these young people not allowed to be young, make mistakes, grow, and eventually transform a million times before our eyes,” writes Pinkett Smith. “Are we asking them to defy the laws of nature because of who they are? Why can’t we congratulate them for the capacity to work through their challenges on a world stage and still deliver products that keep them on top.”

The mother of two takes up for Bieber, saying, “Is it okay to continually attack and criticize a famous 19-year-old who is simply trying to build a life, exercise his talents while figuring out what manhood and fame is all about…” She continues by acknowledging that Wallis was called a c*nt and that Rihanna constantly receives flack for her trials and tribulations in the public eye. “Or what about being a young woman in her early twenties, exploring the intricacies of love and power on the world stage?” she continues.

At the closing of Pinkett Smith’s sympathetic post, she points out that despite all the criticism and hatred these young stars receive, people wish they could accomplish what they’ve been able to do in their lives. “We all know how hard it is to keep our head above water, even in the privacy of our own homes let alone on the world stage,” writes Pinkett Smith. “Imagine yourself, at their age, with the spotlights, challenges and responsibilities. Most of us would have fallen to the waste side before we could even get to crash a Ferrari, a controversial romance, several heart breaks or an Oscar nomination at nine.”

Do you agree with her point of view? Are the media and fans too critical of today’s young celebrities?