What is going on in our society when we are arresting teenage girls for taking nude pictures of themselves and sending them to their teenage boyfriends?
These cases are certainly uncommon as of yet– and still, somewhat clustered, they do exist. Is this some kind of insane backlash against the greater sexual liberties young women tend to enjoy? Or is this effort to “protect the children” a misguided attempt of a radically transforming society to reassert its priorities – an effort that occurs each time a new technology increases the potential voice of those who have thus far remained relatively silent (and in this case invisible). Charging young women with felonies for exercising their right to send naked pictures of themselves to young men is beyond madness. Why would a society, or even some of its members, decide that this act is deserving of the social condemnation of a felony? What is all that important about controlling our cunts?
Young women model and compete in beauty pageants while wearing bikini’s. The adult world is making a killing by exploiting their young sexualized bodies. But – holy fuck, a young woman is trying to actually use her own body for her own pleasure, now that’s really abhorrent behavior – she ought to be locked up! One of the brilliant policemen responsible for this is quoted dispensing the following gems of wisdom, “Once it’s on a cell phone, that cell phone can be put on the Internet where everyone in the world can get access to that juvenile picture. You don’t realize what you are doing until it’s already done.” George Seranko, Captain of Police Greensburg PA
What exactly is she doing? – and so what if someone gets access to this picture? If the person receiving a private photo decides to send it to the entire grade – that’s what we have privacy torts for. Sending naked pictures that were intended for your eyes only is the textbook privacy tort. But my guess is that the policeman is not worrying about this girl’s personal embarrassment (After all what is more embarrassing than being a listed sex offender?); he is worried that a scary pedophile will get hold of the pictures. Why would that be such a terror? Much like in the case of adult actors who can pass for children or digitally produced child pornography – no children are hurt in the production. Perhaps you can argue that this girl will be hurt if her nude pictures are all over the World Wide Web (but so would an 18 year old) – let her sue the bastard who released them. That way she will actually get some compensation for the hurt she has experienced.
Also, it seems that so far only women have been charged with sending photos – while according to survey data young men and women are pretty much as likely to send nude pictures on line – clearly young men enjoying their sexuality is not as much of a problem for the prosecutors as young women doing the same.
To teenagers, next time you want to send naked pictures of yourself; be sure to promptly delete them – because apparently your sexuality is criminalized when used for your own pleasure, but not for the financial gain of adults. Scaring teenage girls (and boys) with felony charges will not place the sexuality of women (old and young) back into the control of patriarchy. Go forth! Take nude pictures of yourself (and videos!) early and often – because it’s fun, and because the only violation going on her is the egregious abuse of prosecutorial discretion
While there is absolutely nothing that one can actually do: I am still a fan of naming those adults (at least a few of them) who are behind this particular variety of exploiting the bodies of young women.
From Greensburg, PA (Where six such cases are pending)
George Seranko, Captain of Police: 724-834-3800
John Peck, District Attorney: jpeck@co.westmoreland.pa.us: 724.830.3949
