I’d like you to imagine that you have been invited to a party. Not just any party, – a really big deal. Definitely favourite dress, maybe even new dress territory. The evening of the party arrives, and you get ready. Dressed to the nines, feeling great.
Now, let’s push things a little further and imagine that, for whatever reason, you’ve decided not to wear underwear underneath your dress. Perhaps you’re more comfortable that way; maybe you think the dress sits a little better without the cottontails on. It might be a quiet message to a lover, or even just that your favourites are in the wash. It doesn’t really matter anyway, because the cab is here, and shortly you’re arriving at the party.
And then, as you open the door to step out of the car, there’s a moment in which your dress slips up, revealing a glimpse of your underwear-less genitals for the merest fraction of a second. But before you’ve had a chance to react, to adjust your dress and protect yourself, you see a camera flash as somebody standing outside the venue snaps a photo. You are shocked, but go in to enjoy the party, trying not to worry about it.
The next day, you discover that instead of apologising or deleting it, the photographer has sold their picture of you and your exposed vagina to a news outlet. And as your vagina goes viral, they ask: was it an attention-grabbing stunt? An attempt to distract from her ‘hideous outfit’? Or do girls just not wear undies anymore?
This, unfortunately, is where the imaginary journey ends. For the scenario above isn’t a daydream gone awry – it happened, last week, to Oscar-nominated actor Anne Hathaway as she arrived at a red-carpet premiere.
Under the circumstances, Hathaway’s response when questioned on the Today show was remarkably dignified:
“It was obviously an unfortunate incident… It kind of made me sad on two accounts. One was that I was very sad that we live in an age when someone takes a picture of another person in a vulnerable moment and rather than delete it, and do the decent thing, sells it. And I’m sorry that we live in a culture that commodifies sexuality of unwilling participants, which brings us back to Les Mis, that’s what my character is, she is someone who is forced to sell sex to benefit her child because she has nothing and there’s no social safety net.”
Her response strikes to the core of the problem. For we do indeed live in a series of cultures in which the bodies of girls and women are under constant and sustained assault, from individuals and organizations treating them as property and sexual objects. Being a celebrity, Anne Hathaway’s case made headlines worldwide, along with the inevitable lines about how celebrities put their lives in the public sphere and should expect this kind of thing. Which is the weakest of excuses, given how many girls and women suffer or even expect ‘this kind of thing’ daily, not because of their status or wealth but simply for having the impudence to live their lives in possession of female body parts.
Of course, it’s not limited to invasive photography– women report a wide variety of assaults and violations, not only without consent, but in many cases without the victim even being aware of what has taken place.
It’s also important to remember that, despicable as the actions of the photographer were, he is by no means the only predator in this situation. The violation of Anne Hathaway’s privacy was repeated by every media outlet and media consumer who circulated or viewed her picture (even pixellated), and by every writer or commenter who gave the peeping Tom cameraman a free pass by turning the focus away from his harassment into “the real question… why Hathaway opted not to wear any panties (did she not learn anything from Lindsay Lohan?)”
This is rape culture 101. First, treat a woman and her body as public property, and do to her as you enjoy or see fit. Then, blame her for not doing enough to prevent what happened. Finally, when discussing the incident, be sure to frame it in terms of how the victim was at fault and how what she did or didn’t do contributed to her assault. Never discuss the person who harassed or violated her, or those who circulated the story or image. She and everyone else must know her place, and exactly who is to blame.
And so, for next time – because there will inevitably be a next time – when a man takes a photograph of a woman’s vagina, without her consent, and then circulates that picture, without her consent, if anyone tries to tell you that the “real question” is ‘why wasn’t she wearing any underwear’, tell them to think again.
Nicole Jameson is an Adelaide-based mother of two and Collective Shout activist. She has a Master of International Public Health. Also by Nicole on the MTR blog ‘TIME mag cover does women nor motherhood no favours’
10 Responses
Well said Nicole. I have felt so uncomfortable with the victim-blaming surrounding this incident and you have summed it up perfectly.
Women are not public property, and we need a huge cultural shift.
I don’t think what Anne did was an accident.
I think she will do anything for publicity,
cf. http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/anne-hathaways-bum-note-star-flashes-her-bottom-at-les-miserable-premiere/story-e6frfmvr-1226526354481
Hi David,
your comment is a common one thrown at celebrities who object to ‘compromising’ photos of themselves. That article you shared was by no means the only similar one, actually one of the more polite ones I read in my research. But unfortunately, what essentially underpins the ‘publicity stunt’ trope is the ‘she was asking for it’ defence. We can’t know Ms Hathaway’s intent. But we can say with certainty that the photographer took full advantage of her vulnerability in that situation. Is it really ok to let him get away with that?
Because really, what can we even say of similar celebrity ‘incidents’ in the past, involving Ms Hathaway or others? Some may be intentional – although the very fact that they could be intentional reveals disturbing media habits that can be played like that – and others not, even with the same person. But none of that gives the media a right to the bodies of these celebrities in each separate instance any more than a 12 year old girl having sent a sext gives the recipient the right to circulate it, or a sexual assault victim’s sexual history or alcohol consumption gives her assailant an excuse for rape. What I would like to say is that it’s just another wrong question to be asking in cases like this, i.e. another culture-entrenching misdirect from the predatory way in which this woman’s body has been treated.
Nicole
I think it is really creepy that the paparazzi sneak around photographing people without their consent or knowledge and then publishing them (I hear Zac Efron was photographed through his hotel room window in Sydney recently). I think those who are victimised should publicly object and prosecute perpetrators for damages to make sure there is no profit in it for them.
An excellent commentary on the ever elusive world of media and journalistic ethics. That said it is merely indicative of a society where the ‘lowest common denominator’ in every group has a medium to publish and a broaf forum of like minded Internet idiots to appeal to!
I too find this culture of violation to be inherently sexist, and focussed around the simultaneous denegration of women, as in David’s post above, and the refusal to ask of men at least the decency to act humanely. It is symptomatic of the same, sickening praise of a certain footballer for, when accused of being a gang rapist, apologises for the embarrassment caused to his family, not the evil done to the victim.
It is up to us men (for I recognise it is not my place to speak for women) to act against this culture. By at least naming and shaming those who abuse women, children and others, and by making sure that there are repercussions for this inhumanity. And I should not be a lone male voice crying in the wilderness, I should, because I have a mother, sisters, aunts, because I have had female lovers, because I am human, be willing to take a stand against the sexist misogyny of my peers, and be the role model my fellow men and women need.
What does it say about our society that such behaviour is legal?
David’s a dumdum little cueball.
The cameradude who took the pic is a total loser. Naked women=sex. And that’s why women, especially, can’t walk around naked if they wish. If a woman is naked, she’d better be giving sex…or else that’s mixed message! If the woman’s not naked, someone will try to catch her while accidentaly exposed: See! She has a vagina! So… men can better imagine getting sex from her now even though no un-coerced woman would touch those creepy pervs with someone else’s ten ft pole.
Again, losers.
Thank you so much for writing this. It really made me think about how I have looked at nipple slips, etc. on news sites. I was buying into the lie that they spread about attention seeking. Man, I feel like a creep. I have been part of the problem and I didn’t even recognize it. Thank you for opening my eyes and my mind.
I do love Anne Hathaway’s response above. She is a class act.
l agree with Nicole regarding Anne Hathaway. l read Anne’s comments and too thought she was very diginified. Anne actually complained about the dress she was wearing at the time. She said it was too tight and the material didn’t allow her enough room to stretch her leg out when she alighted from the car. l saw why she complained.That dress was clearly not suitable for a woman of her build.Heck even Barbie wouldn’t fit!!! lt’s time the fashion industry worldwide stop thinking all women were stick figures!! Thankfully Australia is leading the way. Well written Nicole too!!! Dianne Coyle