She’s contacted the FBI about it, because obviously, this wasn’t something she wanted. But the internet is happy to make sure those pictures get sent around and multiplied enough times that she’ll never get her privacy back.
This. Is. NOT. Cool.
Seriously. It doesn’t matter if she’s a celebrity or regular person, beautiful or ugly, taking away her privacy is despicable. She gets to make the choice what parts of her body you see and when. Her choice, not yours, no matter how much you want to see her boobs, no matter how hot they are. They were taken from her, not given to you.
A few years ago, I had this happen to me. Someone stole nude photos of me and I got to go through a long investigation and court process and I have no idea how many people ended up seeing those photos but I was thankful I wasn’t a celebrity because as awful as I was feeling, it would have been a thousandfold knowing they were being circulated like that.
I’m perfectly fine with and proud of my body, but I had a piece of my autonomy taken from me. I lost my ability to control who got to see it and when and how. It took a long time for my body to feel like mine again. I had something stolen from me, so much more intimate than having my possessions stolen.
I know this isn’t at the forefront of people’s minds when they see celebrity boobs. I know no harm is intended, and I can’t be mad at ignorance. But you know now, because I told you, what happens when you do this. So from now on, don’t reblog it, don’t retweet it, don’t save it, don’t pass it on. If you feel so inclined, report it. But at the very least, stop viewing this kind of thing as a happy thing. It’s actually very upsetting for the victims.
I’ve seen the incredibly disappointing opinion from many people that if someone takes a private, intimate photo, that they should absolutely expect and deserve to have that photo posted publicly without their consent, and that, essentially, they’re ‘asking for it’ by creating that picture in the first place.
I wonder, do they feel the same way about other people’s diaries? If that same person keeps a journal and writes their private thoughts in there, do they also deserve to have it posted online without their consent, just for the crime of having created it in the first place?
I mean, I get the reality of the situation. The reality is that predatory people will always exploit others given the opportunity, and if a predatory person gets their hands on a nude photo/the journal of someone who does not want that shared, they will share it. It’s shitty, but that’s “The Way The Internet Works” (which is also frequently used as an excuse for perpetuating predatory behavior). (Sorry for using the word “predatory” three times in two sentences. But it’s the most accurate word!)
But really, the way to ward this behavior off is to just not create anything personal and private in the first place? No private self-expression? No private titillation for your partner? No private scribblings in your weak moments when you’re just trying to sort out your head? —Because somebody might use that against you someday?
Just wanted to throw it out there that people are, in fact, entitled to create private and intimate artifacts that are not ever intended for public consumption, and that should those personal pieces be taken from them and exposed against their will, they don’t actually “deserve” it and it is, in fact, a really shitty, violating action against them.
