Dear Editor,
I am sure everyone is already aware of this issue, but I have found the subject of Jennifer Lawrence’s leaked nude photos to be extremely disturbing. There are two main issues I’d like to address. First of all, the hackers who exploited her pictures from her cellphone have indeed committed a crime, and choose not to view it as such just because she is a celebrity. They have profited from her pictures by carrying out their actions, thinking that they are clear of consequences, when in reality she is a human being and has a right to protect her privacy just as any “normal” person does.
The second issue that I find even more repulsive is the public’s response to these leaked pictures. As I was surfing Facebook and came across an article titled “Jennifer Lawrence Calls Photo Hacking a Sex Crime”, I was very touched by her willingness to stand up for herself, identify the offence, and explain how this warped world needs to change: “Just because I’m a public figure, just because I’m an actress, does not mean that I asked for this. It does not mean that it comes with the territory. It’s my body, and it should be my choice, and the fact that it is not my choice is absolutely disgusting. I can’t believe that we even live in that kind of world.”
I was so moved by her speech that I decided to look at the comments to see if this resonated with other “Facebookers” as well. What I read was the utmost cruelty and shamelessness. People blamed her, called her a slut, and some even said that if she’s naked on screen, then there is no difference from these images.
I think these people have been so enraptured with the fact that celebrities are merely there for our entertainment, they have belittled them to mere products for consumers. Maybe she is also ridiculed because she is a woman. Think about it. Women’s bodies have always been targeted and made a bigger deal of compared to any scrutiny directed towards men. These commenters have basically excused this injustice and taken her right to ownership of her body away from her. Imagine the frustrations celebrities must go through and when you add sexism to the mix, they face humiliation, invasion of privacy, and objectification.
I personally haven’t gone on the website that displays Lawrence’s leaked photos and don’t plan to do so; otherwise, I am participating in the demoralization of society.
Hadil Amin
