Photo Credit: Hagop Photo (just this one though, not the one in the link, because that would be weird)

Hello All!

It’s Friday, and we’ve just come off of an amazing week, I produced, alongside my team, seven runway shows, four presentations and one showroom. I managed digital publicity for one of the biggest retail openings this year (hello UNIQLO), I ate half a sandwich and a plate of pasta in a 60 hour period and drank quite a lot a vodka. I also did a little dance for Kazumi Yanai in my new UNIQLO pants.

I also had my phone stolen and received emails threatening to post nude pictures online from an email address entitled nicetittskelsi@gmail.com (they either spelled tits wrong or nicetitskelsi was taken and they were a gmail purist – and lets face it, yahoo would have been really offensive)

Yep that took a dark turn.

Someone, an attendee at my event, between the minutes of 5.55pm and 6.10pm stole my phone. Someone who knows me, or at the very least, who I am. Someone who feels vindictive enough to hurt me or wishes to damage my reputation.

The fact is, the picture they mention is a picture I’m rather proud of. I’ve considered posting it a number of times. It was taken back in early August (maybe late July) when I was feeling low about my body – and I had just purchased new and expensive underwear from Agent Provocateur. I set up a tripod, and took some self portraits. I was ecstatic about the results and loved the pictures. Looking at them awakened a new sense of confidence in my own body image and I wanted to show them off. I promptly sent them to my husband, which is how they landed on my phone in the first place.

I’ve shown them to many of my friends since “hey, wanna see my boobs?” I’d squeal. I’ve never been particularly ashamed of my naked body. I’ve been topless on the beach many times (I’m European, it’s legal there, we sent all our puritans to you guys), I grew up in a “naked” house (which sounds awful – but really it was just normal to be occasionally spotted naked in our house – it’s not like we all sat around watching TV unclothed) and I’ve always been good for boob flashing dares. Not to mention. I do really have nice tits. The thief is evidently observant.

After I gained weight I have definitely been a lot more sensitive about who sees what naked, plus I’m an adult, and a married one at that. So my naked boobs generally stay inside the house (except that one time I went outside for fresh air and so did my left boob) but these pictures made me feel good about myself, which, any woman will tell you, is priceless.

Anyhow, needless to say the images going online doesn’t really bother me in the slightest. In fact, if you want to see it – just click here (NSFW obvi).

There you go thief and violator, your power is completely gone.

What actually bothers me is that someone is threatening me with something that 100% violates me as a woman. As Jennifer Lawrence put it. It’s a sex crime. And guys (and girls) I’m NOT down with that.

So after doing my due diligence with Apple, I went to the police station to report it. This was an interesting experience into my own psyche in and of itself. I chose to wear a shift dress cut to the knee. I considered covering up my tattoos and I didn’t wear bright lipstick. I wanted my complaint to be taken seriously.

I walked in to make the complaint and it occurred to me that even as a strong independent woman – I was nervous. I cannot even begin to fathom what a rape victim must go through when (and if) they report. It’s a public room – akin to the post office or the bank. I stated I wanted to make a report, the woman asked about what. I said “It’s rather sensitive” – her expression remained unchanged so I continued, realizing I was not about to be granted any kind of privacy, “My phone was stolen and since I have received an email threatening to release private information”. She pointed out an officer and a line I had to stand in to make such a complaint.

The officer was very nice. We laughed at how stupid the person was to misspell tits, unless as he also pointed out “nicetitskelsi” was already taken. He took my report and at the end he asked me what I’d like to do if the person was caught. “I’d like for them to be arrested” I stated. “This is a violation of my privacy, and my body, which I should have absolute control over”.

Ok he agreed, and filed my report. I don’t know how much the Glendale PD will do to track down the criminal misspell-er and boob reveal-er, but I did feel better knowing that at the very least I’d filed – and made it clear to myself and an official, that jokes aside. This is an actual crime.

Stories like this have been in the news a lot lately with the Celeb Phone Hack scandal, and judgement is always passed. “Stupid girl shouldn’t have those pictures on her phone”, “Who takes naked pictures with their face in them?!” etc etc. But what’s been wonderful in light of recent events, is that there has been a loud and consistent counter message – for the first time that I can recall, and that is that a woman has the right to do what she pleases with her body (within the limitations of the law obviously – and a whole other debate can be had there) but that right is her’s and her’s alone – and anyone who takes away the element of choice is violating that woman.

And that’s the point I came here to make and conversation I want to keep having (whilst giving the proverbial finger to my thief/violator as I go)

Thanks, and enjoy the “titts”

Kelsi x