Anna Richardson and Revenge Porn

Tonight I watched Channel 4’s documentary, Revenge Porn in which Anna Richardson speaks to the victims and the perpetrators of revenge porn, and investigates the platforms that allows for people to upload explicit photos of others. Such websites are for the purpose of “seeking revenge”, being abusive and humiliating those who are depicted in the photos.

Revenge Porn in the context of this documentary was the act of someone using photos that they had been sent, in one case filmed without consent, and posting them online, on websites without the persons consent that are involved. An example used in the programme was Ex’s using old nudes that their previous partner had sent them giving it the term “revenge porn”.

Anna Richardson, who is well-known for her “entertaining” programme on the taboo subject of sex on Channel 4, like her previous series The Sex Education Show, where she offers candid information and advice on the subject. I thought it was somehow ironic that she has been the center of a subject that she has little experience of the topic, until she proceeds to in the documentary , take nude photos of herself enhance them so that her face is not recognisable, creating a fake profile with a different name and story to her own uploads them to a revenge porn website to ” understand what she is investigate”. I fully appreciate that it took, to a degree, guts, courage, bravery (and so on) to upload your naked body for a community of online people who you do not know, and comment on these picture in order to humiliate and abuse you, I acknowledge that. I would have found more condescending if she hadn’t of carried this out then I already found her, I still do not think this was necessary to create a succesful documentary about the experiences of Revenge Porn.

Firstly, she did not have to post those pictures so that she could experience what the people she interviewed was feeling to create a succesful documentary on the subject. Secondly she can not have experience the same emotions that those people were feeling in the same way, Anna Richardson had the power of choice and authority over the images that she chose to put up, she could not experience the loss of that authority or choice.

Authority is such a big theme in this programme, for me it has so many issues – authority in this programme to tell and document this topic has been given to a privileged white woman (although I would have been more angered if this documentary was voiced by a man) who can have no full understanding of what it is like to be in that position. Instead of having an in-depth documentation and researched programme about individuals sharing their own experience and investigation the industry that is created, we receive experiences that are mediated through the authoritative voice of a privileged woman who has no full understanding of what she is mediating, instead we have this mediation and her own manipulated story of what she is “investigating” and the focus is shifted from experiences of others and centered around Anna Richardson. I feel that in a way her creating the profile with the pictures manipulates the audience to empathise with her which I find sick (which is a production issue not necessarily down to Anna Richardson) when the audience should be empathizing with those who have not been paid to create the documentary and post picture of their own free will on a revenge porn website. I suppose it derives from part of this celebrity culture where the authority voice of the white privileged women means that it is acceptable to talk about and gives the topic authority where is the documentary had been produced with a faceless narrator or a faceless journalist it may not have had the same authority or publication.

For me, I feel I would have gained a lot more from having experiences told to me from people who had experienced the loss of their choice in comparison to a privileged woman who has been given a platform, been paid and chosen to take pictures and put them online, plus towards the end of the programme we understand that the pictures were then taken down mysteriously by the website for reasons unknown.

Again, I am not fully bashing Anna Richardson, as I do think that to some degree she has risen awareness of what can happen to people and some people may benefit from information from the programme.

As i was watching the programme, I was on social media looking at the hashtag RevengePorn and some of the reactions were absolutely disgusting and vile they do not even worth mentioning. I found others quite infuriating, a lot of the tweets I saw involved things like “It’s a female problem” or “educate the younger female generation”. This frankly, pissed me off. It is not or ever will be a female problem. END OF. I have tried to be gender neutral throughout this post because it involves everyone on every side. Females and Males can be the victim just as much as the perpetrator, in the case that they showed where a girl posted a video of her best friend who also was a girl, there a lots of different situations that means you can not make a generalised statement as a fact, according to the programme it did seem however, that a large majority of the shaming was carried out by men on images of women, doesn’t mean to say it doesn’t happen the other way round. Also, age, when did this become a factor in deciding an issue that is rooted in society carried down through generations? You could argue that an older generation may know less about technology, so are less likely to know where pictures may end up? It is not a younger generations problem – yes by all means educate them – but educate everyone so everyone is aware male and female, young and old.

Another reaction went along the lines of “if someone sends nudes to someone else, you should expect them to end up on the internet, therefore its their own fault” HELL NO! If you DID NOT get permission or consent to do anything other than look at them on your phone or app or whatever you are receiving them on, then you are a criminal and can be persecuted by law. Just because someone sends a nude does not mean it is acceptable for it to be posted for an entire community online to see. In my eyes it’s like saying that if a woman is wearing a revealing top or skirt or looks at you, she wanted it. NO its called RAPE. Same thing, it is ABUSE to use someone else image especially for the sole person of humiliations.

What frustrates me more is the fact that the platforms that the images are being posted on and allows for people to make comments that are sexual, threatening and violent are not illegal and therefore are allowed to exist. it is not “just how things are” or “how the internet works” it is wrong plain and simple and if you feel like you would like to learn more about how to stop revenge porn then there is a campaign and a website that you can find out more from. >>> End Revenge Porn

B x

The one and only Katie Hopkins

This woman angers me so much, talk about ridiculous. I found an article that listed some of her stupid, mindless comments over the years.

She did an interview on This Morning, where she said that you can tell so much from a child’s name. “it’s a short cut, its an efficient way of working out what class that child comes from, and if i want my children to play with them”, Firstly, oh dear, you small minded, pathetic, woman! It’s a child! children are given names, they don’t choose them. She basically doesn’t want her children mixing with working class children! I just hope your children grow up to be better people then you! So she doesnt like footballers names, geographical names, seasonal names or celebirty names – may i point out that her 2 daughters are called India and Poppy. OFCOURSE INDIA ISN’T A GEOGRAPHICAL NAME – OR IS IT DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOUR A MIDDLE CLASS SNOB! She says “Hi, this is my daughter Charmaine’. I hear: ‘Hi, I am thick and ignorant’.” It is just a name, get to know them? Just because you have preconceived idea about the mother or father by the choice of name for their child does not mean that child is bad, pr is just because you allergic to the working class! How can you judge a child in anyway? They are children? especially something that isn’t even in their control like their name????? Surely children should be allowed to play together whatever their differences are, that’s how we learn that everyone is different, it doesn’t matter that we look different or sound different or whatever the difference is, but that we can all get along. Isn’t that part of childhood, making friends with other children does it matter what their name is? She also then proceeds to talk about names that may mean beautiful and says “well you end up with an ugly kid called Bella” how can a baby be ugly? its ridiculous? She makes me speechless (which is a rarity).

Another thing on the list was that she said that “Ginger babies. Like a baby. Just so much harder to love” – As a “ginger” SCREW YOU! How ridiculous! So shes saying that if her child was ginger that she would love her child less because of the color of its hair! stupid woman!

Another ridiculous statement was on Justin Bieber’s fanbase: “I think Beliebers are sad lonely girls called Rebecca, that haven’t got many friends, that probably have issues with their weight, height and skin.” – THEY ARE CHILDREN! Yes their choice in music is disgusting –  BUT THEY ARE CHILDREN! And i might add what the hell is wrong with the name Rebecca!

She also said she doesn’t like fat people and wouldn’t like to meet a ginger in the dark. Well as a working class, ginger called Rebecca who detests your very exsistence – NO YOU WOULD NOT LIKE TO MEET THIS GINGER IN THE DARK!

Lastly lets not forget how you became to be in the public eye shall we, The Apprentice and Oh that small video of you shagging a married man in a field? Keeping it ever so middle class, suppose in an alley way or behind some bins would have been disgusting and very working class, but seeing as it’s in a field its oh, so much more acceptable! Before you judge people take a look at your past behavior and stop being such a massive bitch!

 

Old people!

I have nothing against old people let me just state this! They’re old and cute and mostly harmless!
On my train an old couple got on and sat at the table in front of me talking about the weather, smelling like mothballs and dog. The ticket attendant is doing his round and the old man gets the tickets out and explains that they’re tickets are for the wrong day, because the weather on Tuesday was bad they didn’t go and they’re going today instead. ( I’m a good listener) The ticket attendant looks at the tickets and is deciding what to do.
So the ticket attendant decides to let them off an replace the tickets. Which is my first problem! And then as they are being given their new tickets they decide to change their destination and they want to go to another station after they’ve been to the one they’re going to already! So the ticket attendant gives them brand new tickets at the price of 20p. He explains that he would have to charge them full price but that he can over ride it assuming because he feels sorry for them – being old and all – he then says that if he could charge them nothing he would but it would mean a ton of paper work! Yes because all old people are senile and should be given special treatment! He’s just admitted that that chose not to travel on the day of their tickets – but we will give them as good as free tickets shall we!
Because I’m a bit slow sometimes I have also tried to get on the train with a ticket for the wrong day – not on purpose – I had to buy new tickets and I was completely unaware of the out-dates ticket! This couple knew that they’re tickets were out of date – if I had tried to do what they have succeeded in doing, I would of had to pay for new tickets but because they’re old they’re giving lenience!
20p! I paid 33 pounds for my journey! And they’re going a lot further along then I am!
As I am writing this I’m thinking that this is a bit similar to me getting a free coffee? But I didn’t not ask for a free coffee! And it was the shops fault for not having a working machine card reader thingy bob! (Am I being a bit hypocritical?) 30 pounds is bit different in comparison to 2.10! Maybe I’m just holding a grudge because I had to buy new tickets that time and it cost me nearly 100 more pounds on top of the originally priced tickets that were 60 pounds! However I’m sure that this wasn’t a pure act of kindness by the ticket attendant and it was a judgement based on stereotypes, would the ticket attendant giving the same treatment to the boy sitting in the next row in his tracksuit and baseball cap? I think not! It’s not like this old couple were particular friendly to the ticket attendant if anything they were a tad defensive!
They’re now talking about they can afford to have fish and chips do supper now that they didn’t have to pay for new tickets! *round of applause for the old couple con artists!* it’s all an act! Don’t be fooled people! They all know what they’re doing!
Reminds me a bit of the ITV Show “Off Their Rockers”. Check it out. It’s a laugh!

All it takes is a smile :)

I’m visiting family in kent today and had to travel into London bridge to catch my train, I had 20 minutes to spare so thought I would grab a coffee from the cafe on the platform. I didn’t notice the massive sign right in front of me that said that they’re card machine was working and I only had pennies in my purse so when they said that you had to pay with cash I couldn’t. The very nice lady that was serving me said seeing as I was so friendly and bubbly when I came in and ordered she would give me my coffee for free.
It’s not often that total strangers show kindness and it’s even rarer in London. Made me think that a smile can change someone’s day, and a hello can cheer somebody up. So thought for the day guys try and be a bit more friendly to the people you meet because you don’t know if you may need them to she a kindness to you!

This is not news……

So scrolling through some News and I see that one of the news articles is about One Direction. For those of you who may be lucky enough to know who they are, they are a young boy band who were finalists in the X-factor. The media have come across some footage of the a couple of its members speaking about how they are smoking a joint , they are in the back seat of a car smoking a roll up cigarette, whether this contains weed or not has not been confirmed. Firstly I don’t think that this is worthy of my main stream news feed and secondly is the media going to be making a massive issue and drama over every celebrity or person of interest that is caught using drugs? Or has allegedly used or using drugs? Would it then be more acceptable and less shocking if it was a member of a rock band?  I understand that they are role models for a younger age group and it is should be reported on but i do feel that it isn’t really something that I need to be told about in 4 or 5 different articles in the same news source.

Not really News Worthy is it? Compared to other more pressing issues I really don’t need to be told what a group of over paid boys who can’t really sing are doing in their spare time! Something that I think should be found in a gossip magazine or in the Daily Mail – this way I wouldn’t have to hear about it!

Maya Angelou

Originally I was going to just quote this amazing woman and her powerful poems, apart from the fact that “And Still I Rise” was the only poem that ever really stuck with me during the painful English analysis lessons during my last years at secondary school, the way that she recites her poem is effortless. Such an amazing woman, I’m sure she will be remembered for a very long time.