Reactions to photos of Katy Perry in a dress at a recent event and John Cena naked onstage at Sunday’s 96th Academy Awards have been compared in a bid to highlight the double standards women face.
On March 6, singer Perry, 39, stepped out in head-turning style at the 2024 Billboard Women In Music event, wearing a red two-piece ensemble that consisted of a corseted top and matching skirt. The strapless corset top featured a crossed lace-up detail that continued to the back of her skirt, from which a peek of her black thong and bare posterior were visible as she posed at the Los Angeles event.
Days later, actor Cena, 46, played for laughs when he appeared naked onstage at the Oscars while presenting the prize for Best Costume Design. The bit was a nod to the infamous Oscar streaker Robert Opel, who crashed the stage in 1974.
At the time, the stunt confused presenter David Niven and shocked viewers watching at home, with the actor quipping to the crowd: “Probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings.”
John Cena is pictured left on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Katy Perry is pictured right on March 6, 2024 in Inglewood, California. Reactions to the stars’ recent appearances at different events have been… John Cena is pictured left on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Katy Perry is pictured right on March 6, 2024 in Inglewood, California. Reactions to the stars’ recent appearances at different events have been debated on social media. More Al Seib/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images;/Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
On Sunday, Cena feigned trepidation about participating in the joke, telling host Jimmy Kimmel: “This is an elegant event, you know. Honestly you should feel shame right now for suggesting such a tasteless idea.”
Cena eventually made his way from the wing stage and over to the microphone to present the award, shuffling sideways with only an envelope shielding his manhood. “Costumes are…so important,” Cena told the laughing audience.
Sharing photos from Perry and Cena’s headline-making moments on X, fan account @kursatperry posted screenshots of differing reactions to the stars.
On Perry’s side, social media users were shown telling the musician that her look was “disgusting” and that she should have “some self respect.” In Cena’s section, comments included a statement that his bit was “too funny” and that the WWE star’s body “is the best part about him.”
“Katy Perry was criticized for her outfit at the Billboard Event, while John Cena, almost naked at the Oscars, received a lot of cheers?” the uploader captioned the image. “It shows the difference between how men and women are treated.”
Newsweek has contacted representatives of Perry and Cena via email for comment.
Katy Perry was criticized for her outfit at the Billboard Event, while John Cena, almost naked at the Oscars, received a lot of cheers?
It shows the difference between how men and women are treated. pic.twitter.com/ScB2wZDl08 — kursat (@kursatperry) March 12, 2024
The post sparked a debate among X users, a number of whom agreed with the original poster’s point of view on the matter.
“Misogyny is still thriving and it’s pathetic [because] we are not in the 1800s,” said one X user.
“It’s the way Katy isn’t even naked while he’s literally fully naked,” noted another. “It just shows how women are treated nowadays it’s disgusting. Katy deserves an apology.”
“Oh the hypocrisy,” wrote one X user, while another stated: “Yep. It’s sad that traditionally society has rewarded men just for being white males and apparently a lot of people still have those biases.”
Highlighting who the negative comments in the screenshots had come from, another weighed in: “It is almost always women who bring other women down. Being a confident and strong woman is what triggers them the most. Why is it so hard to stick together and support each other?!”
“What’s worse is that some women are also the first ones to drag their fellow women down like wtf?!” an X user echoed.
However, some X users disagreed with the narrative, with one writing that there were “thousands of people hating on Cena, let’s be real.”
Flipping another part of the argument around, another said: “If a woman came out naked and men said ‘her body is the best part about her’ that would be men sexualizing and objectifying women. But when women do it to men, it’s simply a compliment. Make it make sense.”
“Comments giving love to John Cena are from women & comments hating on Katy are from women, so guess who’s the problem,” read another post.