Australian rapper, Iggy Azalea is the latest celebrity to have nude photos of herself leaked on the internet, joining the long list of famous and everyday women who have to deal with intimate images of themselves being shared against their will. The stories of how these images come to collect clicks online vary from upskirted paparazzi shots, to revenge porn and hacks, but amid the scandal Azalea puts into word exactly what is wrong with our society’s hunger for non-consensual nudes.
“I feel blindsided, embarrassed, violated, angry sad and a million other things,” the rapper said in a Twitter statement before deleting her Instagram and Twitter accounts. “Not solely because I did not consent to this – but also because of the vile way people have reacted. A lot of the comments I see from men in particular taking things even further and sharing their thoughts and fantasies in regard to my body has honestly disturbed me.”
While telling her side of the story and detailing all of the precautions she took to avoid being exposed, her response shows awareness of the societal cliché,“if you don’t take nude photos, no one can leak them” that too-often excuses the criminal behaviour of ex-lovers, hackers and even perfect strangers with telescopic lenses, who violate people by publishing intimate shots.
“A lot of high profile women have shot covers for GQ with a strategically placed hand etc covering their breasts,” Azalea says. “I hadn’t seen other women’s covers leak so I felt comfortable (on a closed set to model for such a reputable magazine knowing only the images with my hands covering would be considered for print. I never consented to taking topless pictures for potential release, period. It was my understating BEFORE shooting, GQ do not print topless pictures.”
Although the photographer in question, Nino Muñoz, issued his own statement on twitter today, saying that the photos were stolen and that he emphasises with the “discomfort that this situation has caused to anyone that is involved,” Azalea says that there was “no reason” for anyone to still have outtakes three years later. Considering the lengths people go to obtain these types of photographs, especially when it comes to women in the spotlight – she has a point.
At the end of Azalea’s statement, she asks people to “be kinder to one another,” but she also makes it clear that she will be finding out who published the photos and pressing charges.
“It’s important to me that someone actually be held accountable for their actions & the way it impacts my life,” she says.
As the “Fancy” rapper takes a break from social media while she waits for the lewd comments to die down and images of herself to stop circling, the hashtag #RespectIggy has popped up on Twitter, coming to Azalea’s defence and shutting down victim blaming.