Jennifer Lawrence has hit out at feminist campaigners who criticised her for wearing a revealing dress in the cold London air, calling them "ridiculous".
The actress defended her right to wear a skimpy Versace dress during a promotional event for the film Red Sparrow earlier this week.
While Lawrence wore the strappy gown, which featured a thigh-high split, male co-stars Joel Edgerton, Jeremy Irons, Matthias Schoenaerts and director Francis Lawrence were all in multiple layers of clothing, and many pointed out the contrast.
Writer Helen Lewis attracted thousands of retweets when she wrote: "This is such a quietly depressing (and revealing) image. Not least because I've been outside today and it's b----- FREEZING."
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Advertise with NZME.Peep Show's Robert Webb tweeted: "To all those saying JL 'chose' to wear that dress: fine but that choice has a context. She could have made a different decision but we can agree on one thing: it's not a decision to which the blokes had to give the slightest thought."
He added: "When Ryan Gosling gets paid to model Versace's latest mankini we'll have a conversation about equality & human bodies as decoration."
Lawrence responded to critics in an impassioned Facebook post, writing: "This is not only utterly ridiculous, I am extremely offended. That Versace dress was fabulous, you think I'm going to cover that gorgeous dress up with a coat and a scarf? I was outside for 5 minutes. I would have stood in the snow for that dress because I love fashion and that was my choice.
"This is sexist, this is ridiculous, this is not feminism. Over- reacting about everything someone says or does, creating controversy over silly innocuous things such as what I choose to wear or not wear, is not moving us forward. It's creating silly distractions from real issues. Get a grip people. Everything you see me wear is my choice. And if I want to be cold THATS MY CHOICE TOO!"
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Prior to her statement, hundreds of social media users expressed pity for the actress, and labelled the men as "ungallant."
One angered Twitter user wrote: "It must be about 3 degrees in London ATM, cold enough that the bloke actors have to wear coats and scarves to their press call and yet poor Jennifer Lawrence is wearing a small amount of fabric some might call a dress."
Broadcaster Shelagh Fogarty tweeted: "Oh ridiculous. And ungallant as well."
Many others praised the Versace gown, saying it is reminiscent of Liz Hurley's famous 'safety-pin' dress.
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Advertise with NZME.Leading women's rights charity, The Fawcett Society, said the image showed that gender equality in the entertainment industry was "a long way off".
Chief Executive of The Fawcett Society, Sam Smethers, told MailOnline: "This image sums up what is wrong with the film industry and with wider society.
"It objectifies rather than respects her for the outstanding actor she is. We truly have a long way to go."
The actress has been a vocal supporter of the #TimesUp campaign, recently wearing a black dress to the Baftas in support of the campaign against sexual harassment.
