Mere hours after female celebrities walked down Wednesday's Brit Awards red carpet with white roses in support of Time's Up, paparazzi were ready and waiting to take upskirt photos of them.
There's nothing new about sleazy photographers lurking around celebrities to snap photos to sell to tabloids and gossip sites for megabucks, but in the aftermath of #MeToo, the pervasive sexism that makes the practice permissible was even more glaringly obvious.
ITV's This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby, who proudly held a white rose at the Brits, has shared her fury after photos emerged of her (and other women who went to the Brits) attempting to get out of cars on the night, claiming it shows that "time's up on Time's Up".
"At the beginning of the night we held white roses and walked down a red carpet full of the hope and pride that comes with the #timesup campaign," Willoughby wrote on Instagram. "At the end of the night, cameras were held low to get a photo up our skirts... time's apparently up on #timesup."
Many people are clearly in agreement, with the post having racked up more than 220k likes since it was posted 16 hours ago. "Disgusting. Treated like pieces of meat. I bet it sells though," one woman wrote.
"The gutter press will always be the gutter press," said another. "Name and shame the papers that publish these pictures. Make them see that they are part of the problem."
Another wrote: "Old habits die hard! They (the photographers) are there for one reason, to make money, the most shocking photos will reap the most rewards, until the media as a whole stop rewarding it they will continue to seek it. Such a shame. Funny how they prey on women more than men."
Absolutely disgusting of the press. What happened to equality? This is an intrusion and they should be ashamed of themselves. Well said holly x
— Style Autopsy (@StyleAutopsy) February 23, 2018
I am appalled of the behaviour of the press. Who publishes these? I hope there are some female editors (and men) who make a stand against this. #media #TIMESUP
— Heli Whitford (@MRSWHITTY78) February 23, 2018
Willoughby has brought the issue of upskirting back into the public consciousness, with many people on social media saying they now believe upskirt photos should be made illegal and that the paps in question "should be arrested".
"This makes me furious! The sooner ‘upskirting’ becomes illegal, the better. It’s an utter violation," wrote one woman on Instagram in response to Willoughby's post.
Disgusting that photographers lower their cameras to get upskirt photos, it should be illegal!! #TimesUp #Brits https://t.co/ITP0QsreI0
— suzygal (@suzykerton) February 22, 2018
As far as i'm concerned, those paparazzi should be arrested.
— Andy (@andy1973) February 22, 2018
Creation of "upskirt" photography without consent needs to be made a criminal offence. #ThisMorning #TimesUp #MeToo
— Mark Hemingway (@MarkHemi82) February 22, 2018
I’m guessing if you have to go to such lengths the photographers papers & mags aren’t doing so well which says more about the types of people engrossed in... And it was only a few days or so ago it was talked up-skirting being made a criminal offence - clearly needs to happen
— 👺Lorenzo 👺 (@Roug3_D3mon99) February 22, 2018
Campaigner Gina Martin has been lobbying to change the law on upskirt photos in the UK since a man took an upskirt photo of her at a gig in London's Hyde Park last year. She went straight to the police but was told there was nothing they could do as there is no specific law against upskirting in England, unlike Scotland where it has been an offence since 2010.
Martin is now campaigning for it to be made a sexual offence under the 2003 Sexual Offences Act. The government says culprits can be dealt with via other legal means, but a recent investigation found that only 11 people have been charged for the practice since 2015.
You can sign the Care2 petition calling for upskirt photos to be made illegal under the Sexual Offences Act of 2003 here.
If you have experienced sexual harassment or violence of any kind, please visit Rape Crisis or call 0808 802 9999.
Read These Next:
The Dangerous Double Standard Women Face For Wearing Skirts
Why I’m Changing The Law On Upskirting
#StopSkirtingTheIssue: "My Male Friends Took Upskirt Photos Of Me"
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