Well here’s a thing that sucks: a photographer has published nude photos of Emily Ratajowski in an upcoming book even though she’s repeatedly said not to.
The book is called Leder/Ratajowski and by photographer Jonathan Leder who worked with the model/actress back in 2012. Vogue reports that the images were taken so that five would make their way into an art magazine, and now Leder has reportedly published the whole lot in their entirety, without her permission, and for his gain only.
“I’ve been resisting speaking publicly on the recently released photos by Jonathan Leder to avoid giving him publicity,” she said on Twitter. “This book and its images within them are a violation. Five out of the now hundreds of released photos were used for what they were intended: an artful magazine shoot back in 2012. These photos being used without my permission is an example of exactly the opposite of what I stand for: women choosing when and how they want to share their sexuality and bodies.”
Leder is also reportedly hosting an exhibition of the photos in February, and the book is due out later this month. Which, like, congratulations on the book deal, bud, but also: WTF?
The thing about this situation is that Ratajowski has said outright how she doesn’t want the photographs published and Leder doesn’t give a shit. And granted, I don’t know what the contract stipulated (see: that the photos are his property, or whatever the hell happens during in a fashion photo shoot), but technicalities also don’t mean anything when the person on the other end of the power spectrum has explicitly said, “Nope! Don’t!” I mean, why would you want to publish photos that a person has asked that you don’t? Why would you ignore someone saying how uncomfortable those actions make them? Why would you want control over the way a woman chooses to share her sexuality and body? Answer: because you are a total asshole.
The thing is, Emily is not consenting to the release of these photos in any way. She has actually issued the opposite of consent. And while, again, I haven’t read the release or the contract (and neither have you), there’s enough going on here that we’re obviously witnessing an abuse of power. I mean, you may send a photo to someone that is meant for them, and because they “technically” are able, they turn around and show a shit-ton of other people because they can. And just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Especially when it causes trauma to the person who’s on the shit end of the stick.
And in this case, Ratajowski is on the shit end. Like so many other women before her. Here’s hoping Leder does the right thing — which, in this case, would be honouring the wishes of his subject who has explicitly stated that his actions are making her uncomfortable.
