Kenneth Glad
A private social-media exchange put unwanted scrutiny of a politician’s looks back in view. The episode followed a demanding foreign trip and prompted a public rebuttal.
Mette Frederiksen, Denmark’s prime minister since 2019, says years in public office have brought a steady stream of unsolicited messages and comments about her physical appearance.
According to The Guardian, Frederiksen wrote on Instagram that people have criticized her teeth, thin hair and a mark on her nose, while others have gone further by recommending cosmetic treatments, including Botox.
The latest message arrived after she returned from a visit to Ukraine, where she had encountered air-raid sirens. She shared a screenshot of the private exchange, showing an unidentified cosmetic surgeon offering to “fix that little spot on your nose”.
The answer was immediate
In the Instagram exchange shared by Frederiksen, she replied: “Oh no. I’m happy with my body – I really don’t need a male plastic surgeon to have an opinion about it!”
Frederiksen also said in the same post that she does not offer opinions about other people’s looks and is comfortable with her own body as she approaches 50.
Beyond domestic politics, Frederiksen has been a prominent supporter of Ukraine during Russia’s invasion. She has also opposed President Donald Trump’s ambitions regarding Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Danish kingdom.
Similar messages came before
Heartbeats reports that Frederiksen has previously used Instagram to show the hostile communications she receives. In 2024, she published material drawing attention to threatening and abusive messages sent to her.
The outlet also cited former Danish lawmaker Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen, who has spoken about women in politics receiving remarks about their clothing, appearance and behaviour that male politicians generally do not face.
Heartbeats noted that Schmidt-Nielsen once found herself named the winner of a magazine contest judging female politicians on their looks, an episode she later described as an example of the sexism women can encounter even while being evaluated as elected representatives.
Frederiksen said members of the public were welcome to contact her, but urged them to focus on more substantial matters:
“If you’re going to write to me (and you’re more than welcome to), I hope you’ll use your time to talk about something more meaningful. Not my nose.”
Sources: The Guardian, Heartbeats
