Thoughtcrime

Borrowed the title of this entry from Lin's very scary blog post this week on Fluffytek, concerning pending legislation in the UK that would criminalize possession of so-called "extreme pornography" and allow confiscation of computers, files or other materials for indefinite periods while determinations are made. Not that I support extreme pornography, but as with any definition of "obscenity," the boundaries are blurry and open to interpretation and expansion. For instance, is this rather innocuous shot actually depicting a situation that is "potentially life threatening" because Rose is tied to the bed? Or because Charity is brandishing a whip? Under the proposed law in the UK, it would be almost impossible to know until the case went to trial.

It's a pretty complex issue, but it would definitely put a chill on a lot of UK fetish and bondage photographers, as well as further limiting personal liberty in general. (Someone visits a website that has a banner ad for the wrong site, or potentially even receives the wrong spam, and when they find that ad in your cache...guilty!) Lin does a great job of spelling it out and the potential risks to their business and indeed anyone doing work that's even a little bit "edgy." And per usual, it's probably OK to depict someone brutalizing someone else, as long as there's no nudity or sexual aspect involved. I know this is a cliché, but between this and the omnipresent video surveillance in the UK, the situation is straight out of Orwell's 1984. I guess all of England's puritans didn't leave on the Mayflower.

Just saw a bulletin from Ivy, a model I've not yet worked with, regarding the pending "six foot law" meant to end physical contact between nude "entertainers" and patrons (or even two entertainers). As she says in her bulletin, "We're not even being considered 'adult entertainment' anymore, we are (in this bill) being called 'sexually oriented business'. How degrading is THAT?!" I wonder how broadly could this law be interpreted... If I'm shooting a nude model as part of "my business," do I have to remain six feet away at all times? Can I not show two models together if one of them is nude? Who will break the news to Elizabeth and Melissa? I know the law, if passed, probably wouldn't apply directly to me as a photographer, but it could be the first step on the slippery slope. On edit: a reader commented that the petition previously linked here was incorrect. The bill seems to be real, but I'm having a hard time finding a specific citation for it.

But perhaps the most disturbing part of today's entry comes from one of our own. Our friend Candy has put her excellent blog "Feminism without Clothes" on hiatus for what could only be called "freedom of expression" reasons. She writes:

Recently I’ve gotten a good deal of positive feedback regarding this blog, some of which has come from photographers. However, I can’t help but feel that for every positive remark, a negative one from someone else has remained unsaid. Modeling is how I make my living, and I’m very concerned that this blog may be making me a less-than-desirable model in the eyes of some people. I will also be removing from public viewing some of my more opinionated entries for the time being.

I think it's a pretty sad day when a photographer doing nude work would rule out working with a model as excellent as Candy because of opinions expressed on her blog. Shouldn't artists (especially nude and fetish photographers) be among the most open-minded and supportive of free expression? And she's now living in what would be considered one of the most politically liberal areas of the country, and she's feeling this pressure? When Candy has voiced opinions, the ones I've seen have been well-reasoned and clearly explained and not intended as "trash talk" or gossip. (I can see avoiding working with someone who does that.) An extremely smart woman, Candy manages to operate on a more elevated level, even when she's talking about bondage shoots or pubic hair or crotchless panties or the roles of women in society. Maybe her fears are unfounded, but that it's even a concern is what I find most distressing.

If you haven't read Orwell's 1984 in a while, I urge you to give it a close reading... War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength.