Kristen Bell is under fire for her “incredibly tone-deaf” anniversary post to husband Dax Shepard.
The actress took to Instagram over the weekend to commemorate the couple’s 12th wedding anniversary, sharing a sweet photo of her giving the actor a big bear hug while the two of them are sitting in bed.
Bell, 45, captioned the photo: “Happy 12th wedding anniversary to the man who once said to me, ‘I’m not going to kill you. Many men have killed their wives at some point. I have a strong motive to kill you, but I will never kill you.'” ❤️. ”
This sentiment angered many commenters, with some pointing out that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“FYI, posting this caption during Domestic Violence Awareness Month is incredibly tone-deaf:/Think again,” one critic urged.
“This is a very sad and insensitive statement considering today is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and thousands of women have lost their lives at the hands of men they trusted…” another pointed out.
“Kristen, there’s no way you’re posting this during Domestic Violence Awareness Month 😭,” a third wrote incredulously.
Others reminded Bell that spousal abuse is “not a joke” or something to be taken lightly, with one person saying: “It’s rude of me to post this and say it’s naive or a joke.”
Another person wrote: “Please keep in mind that this is a real thing that many people suffer from on a daily basis and this article may be an inspiration to victims.”
Many called the message “bizarre” and “disturbing,” with one fan even saying it “questioned[Bell]as a person.”
Some people have wondered, “How can a self-respecting woman stay with a man who makes such ‘jokes’? I’m not even that serious of a person, and if I did that, I’d break up with him dizzyingly quickly.”
However, a few supporters defended the star, calling her opponents “too sensitive.”
Representatives for Mr. Bell did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
She and Shepard, 50, married in October 2013 and have daughters Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 10.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-7997233 or text “BEGIN” to 88788.
