Kate Middleton’s topless long lens photographs scandal prompted Stylist columnist Tanya Gold to call for people to “stop buying the magazines and newspapers, and stop visiting the internet sites that buy these pictures.” Her article divided opinion and compelled readers to respond.
Above: The Duchess of Cambridge during the royal couple's Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Solomon Islands
While many wholeheartedly agree with Tanya’s stance and support her proposal to blackball media outlets that run pap snaps, others believe pushy photojournalists are an unavoidable side-effect of fame. Here are some of your comments so far on the debate...
Comments in support of a boycott
"The invasion of the press on the lives of Kate and other women has become so commonplace and accepted that even other women are attempting to justify it. It has to stop. How can we unite to make it stop?" Jenny Davies
"Just because celebrities put on dresses at award shows and premieres and preen & pose for the camera, doesn't mean they deserve to get shouted at, abused, spat at, threatened, insulted or harassed any more than a woman in a revealing outfit who flirts with a guy in a bar doesn't deserve to be sexually assaulted." Kate
"Hit them where it hurts, don't buy the magazines, the advertisers won't buy space and they'll all disappear." John B''
"I cant understand how some of these paparazzi activities are legal? If a stranger camped outside your house , shouted your name, hounded you and photographed you against your will, took naked pics etc, you would call the police. Paparazzis are allowed to do it because "it's their job"." LouLou
If you see a woman as a collection of parts, it is far easier to deny her equality in pay, autonomy over her own body, seniority in the workplace, even benefits for her disabled child.
Against a boycott
"It's a small step to flicking through 'red carpet' photos of women looking gorgeous (and often scantily clad) to being nosy about any other celebrity pics." Alet
"Paparazzi, after all, is just another job. How many times have we done something we haven't been proud of at work? ... You can't expect to be famous and not be photographed." Ania
"Diana selling her story to the (young, handsome) tabloid Royal reporter Andrew Morton - more or less opened the floodgates and made it 'open season' on the Royals. Prior to that a respectful distance was kept from the Royal family, as Press was tightly controlled by their Press officers." Alet
"As unpleasant a reality as this is to face, the paps wouldn't do it - in fact, couldn't do it - if there was no market for it ... Everyone knows that the price you pay for all the perks of fame is much of your privacy." Martha
Contribute to the debate in the comments section below.
Topics
undefined
By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy
Thank you!
You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.