Olivia Rodrigo defends babydoll dresses on Popcast

Pop star Olivia Rodrigo has publicly addressed a wave of online criticism directed at her recent stage outfits, arguing that women should not be held responsible for the unwanted sexualization of their clothing. The singer made her comments during an appearance on The New York Times' Popcast podcast this week.

The controversy centered on several babydoll-style dresses Rodrigo wore while promoting her upcoming third album, "you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love." She donned similar dresses for the album cover, a music video, and a live performance in Barcelona. Some online commenters accused the 23-year-old artist of sexualizing herself and promoting what they termed "pedo core."

Rodrigo described the discourse as disturbing. She noted that she has performed in revealing outfits, like a sparkly bra and shorts, which she felt was her right and was not deemed inappropriate. In contrast, she said being fully covered in a dress considered childlike was criticized. This, she argued, shows how society normalizes child abuse.

The core of her message focused on shifting responsibility away from women and girls. Rodrigo highlighted a common rhetoric taught from a young age: that women...