Another day, another scandal. That’s what the saying is in Hollywood, right? In the past month, more and more celebrity nude photos have been leaked online. Even to this day, more images of different celebrities appear. Celebrities such as Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Gabrielle Union and many other women have had their privacy invaded during this incident.
It is an act of sexualized violence that these photos were nonconsensually released in attempt to degrade and humilate these women. Clearly, these photos were not meant to be see by anyone other than the intended receiver. In response, many celebrities (both directly involved or not at all) have voiced their disdain for the breach in their private photo collection on iCloud.
It’s easy to criticize celebrities and heckle them for taking nude photos in the first place. However, we often forget that they too are people that are just taking each day one step at a time, just like you and me. Their lives, on the other hand, are constantly broadcast under the public eye thus making any type of privacy difficult.
Telling these celebrities not to take nude photos so they are not leaked online is the equivalent of advising women not to go out wearing a crop top or skirt so they don’t get raped. There’s also a very strong double standard in this situation. If a man sends a woman a picture of himself nude, he’s a stud. But if a woman sends an explicit photo of herself, she’s branded a slut.
Hopefully, this can be a wake up call to all collegiates to double check their privacy online. Update your passwords. If you have an iPhone, turn off your photostream. Most importantly, if you do choose to send nude photos, be extremely selective and considerate about who you are sharing them with. Ladies, it’s your body. Don’t allow yourself to objectified or exploited.