An Official Apology To Jennifer Lawrence

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It was some weekend morning—they all seem to become one these days— when I woke up, rolled over toward my laptop, and logged onto Facebook. The top trending topic “Jennifer Lawrence photos leaked” caught my immediate attention, and held it captive for the following hour or so.

Jennifer Lawrence has been officially named America’s sweetheart— filthy humor, ADHD personality and all. I, along with millions of other internet users and J.Law lovers, felt a dying need to check these images out for myself.

Maybe it was all a mistake, I thought to myself. I bet she was photoshopped, she would never do anything that irresponsible, I tried convincing myself.

But as I scrolled through the images, her unmistakable shape and notable pale complexion was enough. These naked pictures were none other than Katniss Everdeen. Even further, they were clearly orchestrated by Jennifer as well. How could she be so stupid? How could she object herself to this kind of exposure? Who the fuck told her that pose was cute at all?

I was shocked like most people who viewed her images. But, a few days passed by since I had pervertedly stalked her nudes, and I kept thinking more and more about what I had seen. I kept wondering when she was going to release an official statement apologizing for her lewd images and the potential damage she’s brought upon her career. It then occurred to me— just as it had occurred to Rachel Green that Barry was not the man for her— does she really owe us an apology?

Is the public, who has seen her most private images, the audience who deserves an ‘I’m sorry’? What part of this situation warranted an apology on her side of the fence? In a world of slut shaming, Jennifer Lawrence may yet to receive any comforting words since the incident. At least from those who grossly searched the images, like myself. It is because of this, I would like to offer an official apology to J.Law, and any other woman for that matter, who have been victimized by the act of unauthorized spreading of nudies.

Jennifer, I am so sorry that happened to you. I am sorry there are people out there who have the demented power to hack into your private space, and acted on it. They took things from you which you didn’t give them permission to. They took your body and sexuality, and commodified it in the name of entertainment. I’m sorry that happened to you. That wasn’t okay.

I am so deeply sorry these images were distributed to the public and you were judged on it. Something so intimate and private was immediately made into something perverted and laughed at. I’m sorry your body was subjected to that kind of criticism and cruelty. Your body is your own, and I’m sorry it was given to people this way.

I’m sorry you were made to feel ashamed for taking pictures like this. As an actress at the top of her game, I think we propped you on a ridiculously high pedestal that you may have never asked to be on in the first place. You are a beautiful, talented, hardworking woman who was in a healthy relationship.

I think everyone imagines you doing actress-y things all the time, and never succumb to simple normal people desires (like sex). What ever way you chose to communicate romantically to your boyfriend at the time, was frankly no one’s god damn business. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for how you function in your relationship. You don’t need to justify your sexuality. I’m sorry you were made to feel like you needed to be sorry.

I’m sorry we looked at the pictures. I know better than to kick down the stall door in the bathroom, and should have known better than to look at another woman’s private pictures. You had them saved to your private computer/ phone for a reason.

These images were your own. They profiled you in a vulnerable state. No one has permission to look at a woman in such a vulnerable way without her permission. Though I don’t know a lot of things, I know this with divine certainty. A woman should never be made to show herself without choosing to do so. Jennifer, and so many others, didn’t choose it.

On behalf of the public, I hope J.Law and others victimized by the spreading of their nudes accept this apology. I hope you understand this apology to mean that you should never have to apologize.