When the whole kerfuffle in Los Angeles occurred with a voyeur filming a woman changing her clothes and posting the photo online , I was outraged on the photographed woman’s behalf. To be completely honest, I consider it a form of sexual assault or at the least harassment, and if I were on the jury, that woman would serve jail time. The woman shamed can’t ‘undo’ those nude pictures–once on the net, forever on the net.
Fast forward a few months. I’ve been working out at the local gym. Last night I walked into a locker room with signs posted on every wall regarding cell phone use, and there is a woman on her cell phone.
People, let me tell you something about your phone. Maybe YOU know that you are searching the web…but none of the rest of us do. It’s unconscionable for you to bring your video equipment and set up in the corner while the rest of us are changing. If you saw one of those giant film cameras on someone’s shoulder, would you politely change while they stood there? I didn’t think so.
Phones can and are hacked. The video camera can be running without your knowledge, which means your innocent Candy Crush game in the locker room suddenly isn’t so innocent anymore.
You can’t spend ten minutes without your phone? Really??? Fine. At least where I workout, there is a bench ten feet from the locker room. Go sit down on THAT bench and play your video game or scroll your internet while you wait. Go somewhere else where people aren’t changing. There are plenty of places that are NOT the locker room. Go there if you must check your email.
Not everyone has enough courage to point out to you that your phone has a camera and they’re not comfortable in its presence. For those of you in the locker room in that situation, it’s okay to give the offender a polite, “Excuse me? Cell phones aren’t allowed in here because they can take photos.”
If you’re not comfortable with that, talk to the people who work for the gym. I bet that woman in L.A. never expected another woman to film and post the picture online. Protect yourself. Once on the internet, forever on the internet.
Do everyone a favor and put it away. Cell phones have no place in a locker room.
jeanetteraleigh 