It's been nearly two months since nude photos of Gabrielle Union leaked on the Internet. Now the actress is speaking out about how the invasion of privacy affected her and calling out those who've remained silent about the crime.
In an essay for Cosmopolitan, Union described learning about the possible nude photo leak while on her honeymoon with husband Dwyane Wade, whom she married in August. The photos had been deleted years ago, she said, but someone still managed to find them via Apple's iCloud.
"Some people say the publicity surrounding the photos helps our careers. We don't need this kind of press," said Union, one of multiple celebrities -- including Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, Kim Kardashian and Victoria Justice -- who were targeted in the hacking. She went on:
Jennifer Lawrence is the face of two billion-dollar franchises. It's not a career boost — it's a new form of sexual abuse. Other people think that they are entitled to know everything about us because we are celebrities, in the public eye. No. If I show my husband my naked body, it doesn't mean everyone gets to see it. And people sometimes argue: But you wear skimpy bikinis — what's the difference? The difference is that you are the one who chooses whether to show your body. When billions of people on the Internet can see you naked without your consent, it's a crime.
Union also noted a lack of support from certain groups:
"Where are all the women's groups, the feminists, demanding justice in this case?" she asked. "The silence is deafening. Any time you lose control over your body, it's a violation and a crime. In addition, some of the stolen photos reportedly depict women when they were underage — that's child pornography. I hope people think about all these things when they consider clicking on these private images."
In September, Union and Wade released a statement to TMZ, saying they planned on contacting the FBI and offering their support to other women who have been victimized.
Last month, Lawrence broke her silence on the nude photo hack during an interview with Vanity Fair. She had a similar stance as Union, saying that just because she is a public figure does not mean her body and personal property is available for public consumption.
It is not a scandal. It is a sex crime. It is a sexual violation. It’s disgusting. The law needs to be changed, and we need to change. That’s why these Web sites are responsible. Just the fact that somebody can be sexually exploited and violated, and the first thought that crosses somebody’s mind is to make a profit from it. It’s so beyond me. I just can’t imagine being that detached from humanity. I can’t imagine being that thoughtless and careless and so empty inside.
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