The reaction to Millie Bobby Brown’s engagement reveals a huge problem

Millie Bobby Brown’s just got engaged to Bon Jovi’s son at 19 and the reaction online reveals a gross truth.

The pair are engaged. Source: Instagram

OPINION

Child star Millie Bobby Brown has announced she’s engaged at 19, and everyone’s very happy about it and that is a big problem.

Can we please not celebrate a teenager getting engaged? I know people will say she’s an adult, but barely.

Think back to who you were dating when you were 19. Aren’t you glad you didn’t marry that person?

Millie, who is the star of Netflix’s big hit Stranger Things is tying the knot with Bon Jovi’s son Jake Bongiovi.

Jake, 20, popped the question and she broke the news on Instagram and via quoting Taylor Swift lyrics.

“I’ve loved you three summers now, honey, I want them all,” she wrote.

Before you judge, try and remember being 19. I doubt you would have come up with a better caption either – I would have chosen Paramore lyrics and thought that made me edgy.

The two are engaged before either is 21. Source: Instagram

They have both shared the news via social media. Source: Instagram

The reaction online is raw excitement from young women who are growing up idolising Millie. Notice, I didn’t write grown up – because her fan base mostly consists of people still in high school.

“When you know, you know and age does not matter,” a fan wrote.

“I’m so happy for you guys!” another chimed in.

There’s just something uncomfortable about Millie’s engagement causing mass celebration online. It sends the strong message that the best thing a woman can ever do is be chosen by a man, and the younger you are chosen the better.

The celebrity engagement has now sparked young women who aren’t old enough to drink in America to go on social media and complain that they are still single.

“Me and Millie Bobby brown are the same age… she’s engaged and I’m just sat with no one,” someone tweeted.

Millie bobby brown is engaged at 19??? and look at your single ass reading this

— adwait (@ad_waitt) April 11, 2023

It’s the Twilight impact. Remember when Edward Cullen used to watch Bella Swan sleep and we all thought that was romantic? And that whole romance sparked years of young women mistaking obsession for love.

Well, now young girls will think the ultimate romance is a man putting a ring on it before your 21st.

Millie is a huge star with 63 million Instagram followers. Source: Instagram

The pair have been very public about their relationship. Source: Instagram

But, it’s not even just that Millie’s engagement will now prompt young women to think the goal is getting engaged as young as possible, it’s the other stuff.

Past the initial excitement there is something much darker brewing online and it tastes like bitter misogyny.

“The fact that ‘she’s 19’ is trending because older single women are so upset that a 19 year old Millie Bobby Brown is engaged!! She won. Simple. She chose not to be a 304 for her best years to settle with a cuck in her 30s after she’s been used up,” someone tweeted.

The fact that “she’s 19” is trending because older single women are so upset that a 19 year old Millie Bobby Brown is engaged!! She won. Simple. She chose not to be a 304 for her best years to settle with a cuck in her 30s after she’s been used up ☺️ pic.twitter.com/1FFkkcBY82

— xena (@xenathewitcher) April 11, 2023

Ew.

But, also, of course, a young celebrity getting engaged has turned into a conversation about women having use-by dates.

We aren’t cartons of milk. We are fully fleshed-out human beings.

I don’t think we have to worry about Millie getting engaged at 19; she’s rich and powerful and will likely come out unscathed, no matter how it ends up.

Although, I wouldn’t recommend it for the average young woman - at least wait until you’ve been recommended to have your first pap smear and you aren’t on your parent’s Medicare card anymore.

I’d say it is best to enter into marriage when you are the established version of yourself. Someone with savings, options, power.

But we do have to worry about the online reaction to her engagement because it shows you how far we haven’t come.

I’m worried that people online are going to use Millie’s engagement to pretend that getting married young is an achievement for young women.

It isn’t.

Maybe, it is the right thing for you. That is probably a big maybe, but it definitely isn’t anything to be proud of.

It’s just something you’ve chosen to do.

You know what is worth being proud of? Pursuing your dreams at 19.

So, sure lets celebrate Millie getting engaged, but let us not under any circumstances send the message to young women that this is a goal they should try and reach.

Originally published as The reaction to Millie Bobby Brown’s engagement reveals a huge problem