I didn't Google Jennifer Lawrence's tits today. A small piece of me wanted to; because I like to see nice tits. But I also really, really don't like looking at tits that people don't want me to see.
When an Irish and a French magazine posted topless photos of Kate Middleton on holiday awhile back I was disgusted. Those photos should not have been taken and certainly shouldn't have been published. The fact that those photos, taken under such voyeuristic circumstances actually sold magazines is so, so disappointing. If that was your girlfriend or wife that some stranger was photographing and then profiting from you'd be livid, but the desire to see the food source of young Prince George outweighed greater conscience. The response to these two publications which were most regurgitated was that 'she shouldn't have been topless then.' She was a girl on holiday. We're all topless at some stage. It's not about those tits belonging to a princess, it's about them belonging to a person and our obsession with celebrity often forgets this crucial detail.
Celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Rhianna were today exposed by technology. Nude photos that they'd taken for personal use have been posted all over the internet. Photos that they may have thought were deleted, photos they took for themselves or for someone else, but most certainly not for me and you. Some may argue that stars like Rhianna, with her sexy videos and twerking leave little to the imagination anyway, but that's not really the point is it? Marketing your body and your persona is a choice. Having your body exposed to the world by creepy hackers is totally different. She wasn't asking for it.
The most upsetting thing for me is to read the commentary that 'if they took the photos, then they deserve this.' No they don't. These photos were stolen. These women are victims. This rape-culture bullshit is such a fucking cliche and I thought we were getting better, but it appears that victim-blame is alive and well. The fucker. 'If she was wearing that she deserved for it', right? No. Just because someone took some naked photos does not mean that you get to see them and comment on them and judge them and perv on them. If you have downloaded those photos today then shame on you.
I was listening to BBC Radio 2 today (try not to judge me) and there was a whole call-in segment where people could comment on this fiasco. What the great people of Britain were saying was pathetic. 'She looks great, so what's the problem?' This whole idea that a violation becomes less of a violation if it's in some backwards way complimentary is infuriating. Well yes, I'll tolerate you wanking over my image because at least it's enough to turn you on? No. The reality is that none of us should be discussing these photos because none of us should have seen them.
When we download and share these images we are committing a crime against these women. We are looking at bodies we should not be looking at. Like a peeping tom, downloading those images and looking at them is wrong. These women have reported this violation as a crime. If you are looking at these images you are a criminal and what you are saying is that your hard-on is more important than the person. You are disregarding the wishes of an actual person with feelings. These women are saying 'no'. They have said 'no' and there are still people downloading these images, that give no fucks and this is scary.
In this age where nothing is sacred and every thought is shared with everyone else it may be hard to believe that we do not deserve to see these photos. After all, we are people and we deserve all the stuff. But these photos were never intended to be seen by us. I implore you to please not click on the links, don't perpetuate this culture that 'because internet'. These women can't help the fact that they were hacked and violated, but we can help to not violate them further.
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