The author and podcaster Sophie Passmann acknowledges regret over a recent piece she wrote about cosmetic procedures. In an interview with the weekly newspaper Die Zeit, she said, “I shouldn’t have written that Botox essay. It wasn’t wrong factually, but it likely prompted more people to try Botox, and that wasn’t my intention”. Back in 2023, Passmann had published an article in Die Zeit detailing her own experience with lip fillers.
She says she feels misunderstood. ”The essay’s conclusion was that this kind of procedure is neither feminist nor anti‑feminist. The public, however, interpreted that as me claiming lip fillers are ultra‑feminist. Now I’m labeled the Botox feminist” she explained. She adds, in hindsight, that lip fillers are “absolutely overrated”. They hurt, she didn’t enjoy them, and they made eating uncomfortable.
Passmann also voices opposition to a proposed social‑media ban for children, a stance demanded by the SPD, of which she is a member. “I reject bans, but the debate matters” she observed. “Consuming fake news, violence, and content that harms even adults can’t be healthy for developing brains”.