WOMEN & NUDES

By Michael Ricci

Congresswoman Katie Hill has been in the news as of late but not because of her political agenda, or because of a public spat with the president, but because she is one of many women who have been sexually humiliated publicly.

For the record - Katie Hill admitted to having an affair with one of her staffers. She for that has stepped down, and faced the consequences of her actions.

She herself admits she showed poor judgment and agrees that women and men should be held to the same standard when it comes to sexual harassment, and sexual conduct in a workplace.

What she didn’t deserve is having her bitter ex husband release private intimate photos of her - igniting the fire under her resignation.

The conversation slowly but surely turned from a congresswoman who had an affair with one of her staffers, to how a woman who takes nude pictures is not suited for congress.

I wonder if it’s really the nude issue that’s the problem or a women issue?

First of all, I was amazed to discover that over 60% of people aged 18-30 have taken nude photos of themselves at some point. Personally I don’t see the appeal but I guess people enjoy it and in most cases it’s done for private use. Couples being playful sending each other nudes they believe will be kept discreet and never be show to anyone else.

However, revenge porn has become a real thing. People using their ex partner’s nudes as a weapon to blackmail, harass and bully, mainly men might I add, even in situations like custody cases when parents are fighting over their own kids.

On top, for women, mainly, having nudes leaked out has had a far more devastating impact on their careers than it has had on men. Women have been humiliated, branded ‘sluts’ and publicly shamed for taking nudes even when it was done privately for the pleasure of a connecting partner.

So why have we let revenge porn dictate someone’s career trajectory?

To echo what Hill said in her resignation speech she has been forced out of her position while “men in congress, the Supreme Court and the Oval Office have maintained their positions after having been credibly accused of acts of sexual violence”

And before anyone jumps up and says this post is political let me assure you that this is NOT a left or right issue. She has been universally thrown under the bus. Proving that hate against women, and the vitriol spread against the female sex who, god forbid, took a nude photo of herself ultimately makes her unworthy in the eyes of the public.

That a woman who dared to do something that many, and I’m stressing MANY men before her in the same positions have done, is now being terrorised.

Remember congressman Anthony Weiner? Did he face this type of vitriol when he was caught sexting behind his wife back? (with a minor I may add) he DID NOT. He became the butt of everyone’s joke about how he just couldn’t keep it in his pants, or how impressive the size of his penis was.

Ms Hill on the other hand has been publicly slut shamed, not only did she have to resign- which she admittedly maybe deserved. She as of yesterday had an envelope of anthrax sent to her office, which injured some of her staffers.

This is more than just a double standard. This is systematic hate against women. This is us as a society; democratic, republican, black, and white letting it be known that this is never acceptable for a woman. That when your a woman, there are things you are simply NOT allowed to do.

Since 2000, there have been 34 people indicted in sex scandals in congress. Not one has been subject to the harassment Katie hill has faced.

Blake Farenthold paid $84,000 of taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment complaint from a former staffer, Joe Barton took and emailed nude photos of himself in 2015 etc.

And what do all of these people, some of who just simply resigned quietly and went on about with their lives and careers, have in common? They were all men.

Katie hill was the SOLE woman in a group of 33 men. The only person on that list who didn’t have a side speaking up for them, the only person who didn’t have any true defenders. A woman left alone to be eaten alive.