So I wasn't going to come back on site today but some things have come to my attention from various sources that I trust implicitly and I won't just sit back and not say anything about the issues I'm about to get into in this post as most of it has been going on for quite some time now. First though, a bit of background for those that don't know.
I have been a member for almost two decades (SG has been around 18 years) now with two accounts over those years. The first one, I was SilentObjector and I had that account for quite a few years. It lapsed and I didn't resubscribe. Then I joined again a year or so later and made the change to SilentObjectorX and then I let account lapse after a few years and finally, I came back about two years ago now to this account since SilentObjectorX was the one tied to my functioning email and the original account was under another email I had at the time that is no longer active. So, now for those of you that didn't know, now you do. You know exactly who I am and how long I've been a patron of this site. Having said all that, we can move on now to the issues at hand. I don't expect this blog will be met with much appreciation or ethical consideration by those who've engaged in the topics I'll be bringing up and it'll probably be met with skepticism from other members, hopefuls and SGs but honestly, it effects everyone here and if you don't think that these things could possibly happen, well I'm sorry but you'd be flat out wrong. So please, understand and act accordingly.
So, this all stems from there apparently being a "sect" of male staff photographers that have been getting away with egregious behavior towards the models of this site that bring all of us joy through their hard work and talents. I know that it isn't a new issue and that you'd have to be naive as hell to not think that even on a site as open minded and welcoming as SG there would be at least a few people involved in the process that are here and aren't working with the best of intentions for doing so. They have ulterior motives as some people always will. So this "behavior" or lack thereof includes sexual harassment, assault both sexual and just straight up physical and another disgusting "new" development (I put new in quotation marks because it was the first I had heard of it.) of these scumbags calling certain hopefuls a derogatory term that they use. That derogatory term is "hopelesses" and it's fucking infuriating and disgusting all at once. If you have the nerve to be a vile and ethically bankrupt individual and then on TOP of that, you face no actual ramifications aka consequences for these disturbingly heinous actions then what the hell are models to do when this happens to them?
Now, before anyone says anything about this being old news or "no big deal", "it isn't my problem" or any other bs answer well guess what? It's ALL our problems. If you're a member, photographer, hopeful or SG and you don't see the fact that this is happening at ALL with photographers from a site like SG is already WAY to many instances of it happening. Just the fact I have to type this blog post out PROVES that this bullshit needs to be addressed and dealt with by the "upper management" of the site and to actually enforce standards and ethical approaches to disciplining and removing these offenders from the site, permanently. Honestly, if you have nothing to say about this or you think this is overreaction on my part or the MANY models that have reported vast issues with photographers in the past, get off my page please? Because if you're not going to stand in unity with the models, photographers, hopefuls and members that DO want this disgusting garbage to stop then I have to ask, what the hell are you doing here in the first place? Yes, this is an adult oriented site but that doesn't mean that male (and apparently a few female photographers too unfortunately) should be able to just abuse their status as "staff photographer" and pressure or downright just assault models. This isn't how responsible adults act and anyone engaging in that activity is a literal piece of garbage in my book. So again, if for some reason this blog post offends you, unfollow me or be sure to let me know so I can unfollow you. Matter of fact, if I find out anyone I follow or follows me is involved in anything like what I've been talking about I'll remove myself from your page or you from mine immediately without any questions like a cancerous tumor. If you think proof needs to be a video of the actual offenses and not just if enough models speak out about certain photographers over time, somehow THAT isn't enough of a red flag for you to realize that something is up with this photographer then there is something wrong with you NOT being suspicious of why so many people would "lie" about a photographer. News flash, it's because they aren't lying about them, obviously. If that's too much to process, I'm sorry but that's what has happened for years and apparently continues to happen with the vast majority of complaints being about male staff photographers with a lesser number of things about female photographers as well as I've been told by numerous models, members and ethical photographers over time. I'm sick of not saying shit about this and if the site wants to ban hammer my ass for this blog post so be it.
All in all, this shit needs to change like, ten years ago but now would be good since nothing major has happened to a vast majority of these offenders. Yes, one or two here or there HAVE been fired in the past, but only after a literal TON of complaints and even then in one case I know of very well, they waited until they had video proof of that one guy assaulting yet another woman. What the literal hell SG?? Really? All those complaints and you needed to SEE him assault yet another woman before deciding he needed to go? Are the models and good photographers' word NOT good enough for you? I don't get how this could get so out of hand when people get reported. Yes, I am aware there is no central hub where all staff work. You're all over the world, literally. I get that, honestly I do, but you need to enforce the rules more seriously and take the accusations more seriously than you have in the past. It is just NOT good enough right now, sorry.
One last thing, if you are one of the men or women photographers using the term "hopelesses" you are actively proving to women that you could give a shit less about them and their dreams and aspirations. It's bad enough coming from some prick dude who is a chauvinist pig but from ANOTHER woman, really??! That's utterly despicable in my book. Also, there IS also a pervasive issue with photographers playing "favorites" with certain models over others and showing preferential treatment to certain models over others. ALL of the above listed shit needs to STOP. Unfortunately, I don't have much in the way of hope in this regard. I'm not sure that anything will get done about the problems at large. Yes, there will always be someone who isn't acting in good faith but this more than one or two, this is RAMPANT. So I ask all of you, from members to staff, where do you stand?? Will you let this cycle of gross behavior go unaddressed or will you actually do something effective to stop this kind of behavior from being as it is now?
I hope you'll do the right thing Suicide Girls. Otherwise, you'll lose a good portion of people who do find the above mentioned behaviors abhorrent and nauseating and will not stand for it or for silence any longer. You can ban hammer my ass as I mentioned before, but that would just prove the point now wouldn't it?? I'm not trying to be an agitator, this shit just needs to stop and I know a literal TON of models that have endured some level of atrociousness from male staff photographers and a few female ones too. So, now would be a good time to do something about it. Upvote this blog and tell others if you agree. If not, don't waste any of our time and certainly not mine. Also, you don't have to believe me, I'm sure if you ask someone you know on site they most likely have at least ONE horrible story to tell about someone doing something inappropriate as a photographer to them. Don't remain silent please? This is the one way we can hopefully get some change to happen with these reprehensible and disgusting issues. To the photographers engaging in this vile activity, we're all aware of it now and some of us have been for a good, long while and people will know and drop support of you as they should. You don't deserve any praise or respect in this community as far as I'm concerned.
@missy @rambo @eirenne @lemon @sean