As most of you know, Jennifer Lawrence is our resident badass in the celebrity world. Unfortunately, even badasses fall victim to scandal.
Several nude photographs that Lawrence sent to her then long-distance boyfriend were leaked on August 31st. First time that’s ever happened huh?! Okay, not quite. But her reaction to the leak? Definitely the first time THAT’S ever happened.
Instead of sulking in silence and humiliation or publicly apologizing for her private life (which is totally beyond me), Lawrence released a shameless, powerful and f***king furious statement that appeared digitally on the cover of Vanity Fair on October 8th. It’s like she’s actually Katniss Everdeen in a flaming red dress! The real and the imaginary just might be one and the same…
Lawrence, unlike the myriad other female actresses who’ve suffered similar privacy violations — from Blake Lively to Mary-Kate Olson to Vanessa Hudgens — neither denied the pictures were of her nor asked for public support. She came out alone, uninhibited, and self-aware. And, she’s only 24. Props Jen, props. In her statement, she called the leak a “sex offense,” which may or may not be totally accurate. However, she was 100% justified in claiming rights to her own body, her own choices, and her own life. She says, “I was in a loving, healthy, great relationship for four years. It was long-distance, and either your boyfriend is going to look at porn or he’s going to look at you.”
Jen – YOU. GO. GIRL. You’re so undoubtedly correct and well-spoken, I don’t know how anyone else could think otherwise. Also, you’re confident as f*** and I have mad respect for you. I feel sorry for that long-distance ex-boyfriend because I want to date you.
Do you know why these images are making a stink? It’s not because they were actually that scandalous or because we’ve never seen a naked celebrity before. Rather, it’s because we — the conglomerate of the media, pop culture, and its consumers — invent and uphold false and unfair constructions of how celebrities, particularly young, female ones, should appear. (Yes, I most definitely go to Brown and believe in socially constructed realities). Jennifer Lawrence should be a “perfect” role model for young girls, right? She’s only 24. She stars in a dystopian movie series beloved by young adults. (Let’s forget about American Hustle for a quick second). So, obviously, she must never be naked. Or sexual. Or have a personal life. Hmm… Let’s ponder THAT for a second.
So, what are some lessons we can learn from J.Law?
1. The internet is both ridiculously awesome and scary. Privacy is real but its walls are thin. Take care of what is yours and know that there is always a possibility that what you post, tweet, text, or email may end up in the hands of someone cruel.
2. NEVER apologize for your body. Sure, you can apologize for your choices if they hurt someone else. But don’t apologize for your actions if they were made on your own time, in a private situation, unrelated to anyone else. Stand up for yourself when you think you’ve been wronged. There may be consequences but you’ll still have your conscience and your pride.
3. Sexuality isn’t scandalous or dirty. Don’t let the media convince you otherwise.
4. We’re all naked under our clothes.
Sources:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/07/jennifer-lawrence-s-furious-perfect-response-to-nude-photo-leak-it-is-a-sex-crime.html
http://www.vogue.com/2551917/jennifer-lawrence-nude-photo-leak-statement/
http://jezebel.com/jennifer-lawrence-you-should-cower-with-shame-for-view-1643276509
Image via.