Social media can be an amusing place. But on its darker side, it can also be a hub of negativity, bullying, and demeaning. Recently, Declan Rice was a target of a petty online troll. The Arsenal midfielder was in the spotlight on social media not due to his on-field performance, but rather because of his personal life.
Declan Rice and his long-term girlfriend, Lauren Fryer, came under attack online. The incident unfolded on Wednesday, 6 December, when a cruel and insensitive tweet surfaced that targeted Lauren Fryer.
The tweet displayed two photos of the happy couple enjoying a holiday together. However, it is the caption that triggered the controversy. The cute photo of the couple was accompanied by the caption: “Declan Rice is a multi-millionaire, athletic, 6’1 elite footballer and yet he settles for a fat white girl…I don’t understand this world anymore”.
In a subsequent comment below the same post, the fragile tweeter added: “She’s a good stepping stone but there are new mountains to be climbed when you become a Prem footballer, you cant be bringing a girl like that to an awards night with 10/10 Latinas”.
The now-deleted tweet was posted from a parody account that kept his identity concealed. But, his little ‘joke’ backfired massively when literally everyone stood up against the insensitivity. The tweet received a massive public backlash before finally being taken down by Twitter.
The post racked up almost 14 million views. People have taken to Twitter to defend Rice and his girlfriend. They retaliated against the misogynistic commentator by calling out his ‘small ego’ and ‘insecurity’.
The Arsenal midfielder and his girlfriend share an adorable love story. They first started dating at the age of 17 after they met at school. Rice has been relatively open about his affection for Lauren as the duo celebrates eight years of togetherness.
Lauren has also been frequently spotted supporting Declan at many of his games over the years. Recently, the couple welcomed their firstborn son, Jude, in August 2022.
Declan Rice would be glad to see how his supporters unanimously came forward to defend them. However, this incident just goes on to highlight the extent of online abuses and insensitivity that have plagued social media.
