Cecily Strong appears to have taken a swipe at Shane Gillis after the comedian faced backlash for a joke about women's gym outfits during his Saturday Night Live hosting appearance. The SNL alum also referenced a sexual assault case involving Cornell University, shifting attention from a controversial punchline to the serious issue of consent.
Her Instagram Story paired a cheeky caption about her outfit with a serious message about sexual violence. 'Do I need a grape emoji to post about this real thing that happened?' Strong asked, questioning why people feel the need to use coded language when discussing rape online.
Challenging Attitudes Towards Women
The photo showed Strong wearing black leggings, rainbow-striped socks and running trainers with orange accents. She jokingly described her outfit as 'slutty' and added that she might 'sell sex on the way', using deliberately provocative language to challenge assumptions about women's clothing.
The tone changed when Strong referenced a reported gang rape case involving Cornell University. 'There was gang rape at Cornell that maybe won't count because the NY law says if you consent to drinking you consent to all that happens to you,' she wrote.
The case involves a former student who alleged she was drugged and sexually assaulted by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024. It prompted debate over how the law handles consent when someone is heavily intoxicated.
Strong also asked in her Story whether she needed to use a grape emoji to discuss the incident, referring to the online trend of using 'grape' as a substitute for 'rape' to avoid content moderation. Her comment pushed back against the pressure to use coded language when discussing sexual violence online.
Who Is Cecily Strong?
Strong is an American comedian and actress who became one of SNL's most recognisable performers during her 11-season run. She joined the NBC sketch comedy show in 2012 and left in December 2022, becoming its longest-tenured female cast member at the time of her departure.
She was known for her celebrity impressions, original characters and work on Weekend Update, where she initially co-anchored with Seth Meyers before appearing alongside Colin Jost. Outside SNL, Strong starred in the musical comedy series Schmigadoon! and published her memoir, This Will All Be Over Soon, in 2021.
Strong's recent Instagram Story brings together two subjects that have fuelled backlash: the judgement of women based on their clothing and the seriousness of sexual violence. By pairing a sarcastic caption with a question about discussing rape online, she drew attention to a conversation that extends well beyond what people wear to the gym.
Backlash Over Shane Gillis's Women Joke
The backlash began after Gillis described women at the gym as dressing like 'whores' during his 10 October hosting appearance on SNL. He went on to mock the bright, form-fitting shorts worn by some women. The supposedly joke drew criticism online and from public figures over its misogynistic tone.
Actor Dan Levy was among those who responded, arguing that women wearing short gym shorts does not make them whores and calling on more men to challenge misogyny. Former SNL cast member Ego Nwodim also appeared to mock Gillis by sharing a gym selfie captioned: 'Whore reporting for duty'.
Country singer Maren Morris also criticised Gillis, while actress Martha Plimpton questioned the lack of women and people of colour in senior decision-making roles at SNL.
As reactions from celebrities and former cast members continue, the debate highlights the tension between comedy that pushes boundaries and jokes that audiences view as demeaning towards women.
