Henry Cavill shuts down rude behavior on social media

Social media is a blessing and a curse. We love it because it brings us closer to the people we love, and that includes celebrities who offer fans an inside look at their lives in ways that were never possible before. But there’s a darker side of social media where trolls (and bots) come out to tear people down. Henry Cavill wants his fans to know he’s “happy in love, and in life,” and he wants the rude behavior to stop. Please and thank you.

Cavill has always kept his personal relationships private. He famously came under fire for his comments about being afraid to flirt in the Me Too era, pushing him to be even more calculated about how much he shares about himself on social media.

After keeping his social media devoid of relationships for several years, he became “Instagram official” with girlfriend Natalie Viscuso on April 10. It wasn’t long before Viscuso, a television executive, found herself under attack from fans who questioned Cavill’s intentions.

Henry Cavill shuts down trolls who come for his girlfriend

Cavill posted a lengthy message to fans on his social media to let people know that he does not appreciate the attacks against the woman he loves.

He wants people to know he’s “happy in love” and it’s nobody’s business what happens in his relationship.

"Dear fans and followers, I wanted to make a wee community announcement. I couldn’t help but notice that there has been some social animosity of late. It’s becoming increasingly prevalent on my feed. There has been lots of, let’s call it speculation for now, about my private life and professional partnerships. Now, while I do appreciate the passion and support by those very people who are “speculating”, It has come to such a point that I needed to say something, which in itself, is a bad thing. We are living in an age of social enlightenment. More and more, people are realising that their views may have been blinkered and that they need to expand them to encompass others. So, to you out there who are expressing your disdain and showing your displeasure through a surprising variety of ways, it’s time to stop. I know it can be fun to speculate, to gossip, and to dive into our own personal echo chambers on the internet, but your “passion” is misplaced, and it causes harm to the people I care about most. Even your most conservative of negative assumptions about both my personal and professional life just aren’t true. Let’s embrace this age of social enlightenment together, and move forward with positivity. I am very happy in love, and in life. I’d be enormously grateful if you were happy with me. If you can’t bring yourself to be happy with me, then at the very least try to do yourself proud and be the best version of yourself."

Cavill doesn’t pull any punches in his statement, pointing out that the negativity is hurting “the people [he cares] about most.” If fans can’t be happy for him, he’s hoping they can find a way to rise above and be better for their own sake.

As social media has grown in popularity over the past decade, particularly among celebrities, it’s hard to tell how much weight should be given to negative comments. Some people ignore the negativity entirely while others try to engage in meaningful debate. The bottom line, though, is that the negativity – particularly when so much is going on in the world – has no place in our lives.

Sadly, hate gets clicks and it gets attention, so unless something changes with the way social media works there really isn’t a way to stop the trolls from doing what they do. Cavill is doing his best to protect his girlfriend and it’s admirable because she doesn’t deserve the ire, and they both deserve to be happy.