However Exeter University says that Elina's win has "brought reputational damage to the university" and risks being removed from her studies or fined £500. Elina says she entered the competition as a joke and while no doubt she and the site holding the competition knew it would garner reaction - why do it otherwise? It's worth wondering if the reaction would be the same if a man had won the competition.
Recently The Suite Life actor Dylan Sprouse became the latest of a long line of celebrities and people who have had an intimate photo revealed. No I do not know who that is. Therefore it is hard for me to bother to raise an eyebrow at such behaviour. However I am not so desirous of celebrity facial recognition before I can react that I can't say: 'mad props kid' (is that how the kids still talk? Mad props means well done yeah?) on how Sprouse handled it.
Writing in his blog about the incident Sprouse said: "...the reason I'm making light of the situation is because I don't think what I did was wrong. To be blunt, I was proud of my progress in the gym, thought I looked hot, and wanted to share it...There is an odd taboo with the human form...and I don't particularly think it's a good thing to teach people that you should 'hide yourself' as something incredibly sacred...Secondly, the real problem here was not me sending my pictures to someone, but rather, sending them to the WRONG someone. The real travesty is a misplaced trust, and while I am certainly to blame for it, it is a shame that my private life was somehow forcibly dragged into the public's perception of me...Finally though, and I think that this is the most important part, because of this, I gained 200,000 followers on twitter, 40,000 followers on tumblr, and 20,000 followers on instagram...It seems to me that the majority of people are actually praising this act."
While this is a great way to handle the situation, in fact I'd suggest PSHE teachers take note - they have a sexting module now don't they? It is arguable that it's not just due to Sprouse's great handling of the situation that the media is generally simply posting the photo (oh yes) while quoting the blog. | Why can't you just show us your tits like a nice girl and quit this desire phase? |
Another celebrity to have their trust betrayed not so long ago was Tulisa in March 2012, when her ex-boyfriend released a tape of her performing a sex act. The singer recorded a YouTube video to explain the situation, having been accused of releasing the x-rated footage herself: "...as you can imagine it's a pretty tough time for me, but I don't feel that I should be the one to take the heat for it or the stick."
So there Tulisa was, under fire not just for participating in a sex act with someone she had been in a long term relationship since her teens, but suspected of using the tape to increase her fame. Her response was just as measured and reasonable as Sprouse's, yet she did not receive the same unquestioning support. It could be a class issue, perhaps it is.
But we also still cannot quite handle young women discussing, or having, sex. Particularly not wanton, sex tape sex! Gah! Ladies, what is this?! Why can't you just show us your tits like a nice girl and quit this desire phase?
Squeamish Kate