Women are people, too. So stop treating them like objects.

First, a quick update on my situation. I'm at university, in a foreign country, but I've done orientation and I think I'm okay. So it goes.

Now, as for actual real-life topics: please read these two articles: this one by Roxane Gay and this other one by Van Badham.

Done?

To be honest, this whole situation sort of sickens me. And embarrassingly, I fell into the trap at first. I heard about the leaks and actually said out loud, "Sweeeeet". And isn't that terrible? Thankfully, I took a step back and realized what I was doing, and that was this.

I was objectifying a human being. And god dammit, I - we - can't do that.

So first, let me re: Roxane Gay, because she mostly talked about the sex and gender side of things. First off, she is completely right - if you're a woman, you're targeted. If you're gay, you're targeted. If you're colored, you're targeted. If you're outwardly religious and not a religion of "the norm" depending where you are, you're targeted. It gets worse the more hits you've got, and me? Well, I've got three, although atheism is a lesser offense these days. The point of it, though, is how privacy is seen as a "gift" rather than a right as a result of being a woman, or being colored. It's worse if you're famous. I try very hard to remember that celebrities are people, so that I don't misjudge them (which is also why I'm pissed about Robin Williams, but more on that later, maybe).

As for the Van Badham article: she, again, is right. It's sexual harassment and abuse at its finest. It's a violation of somebody's privacy, security, and even sexuality. I mean, how safe would YOU feel about sending your lover nude pics as part of your typical sexy times if you'd been attacked in this way? All of those pictures are private, and they're for private consumption, not ours. And celebrities deserve their privacy as much as anybody else; a violation of that is just rude at best and harassing at worst (again, Robin Williams).

But the most frustrating thing about this to me is that this was a blatant showing of how people view women as objects. I mean, excuse me?! It's both frustrating and frightening to know that there are people out there that only view me as a walking, talking pair of boobs and butt! That's not what I am, dammit, and you want to know why? Because I am a cognitive and feeling human being, and I deserve to be treated in that manner. It's 2014, why is this so hard to grasp?

So: the 4chan user that decided to violate the privacy of dozens of celebrities because he thought it would be a good time? He's an asshole. I won't even censor that, because there is no good reason to expose somebody like that, even if they are famous. And the people that ooh and aah and don't think of the damage they cause? They're assholes too. And before you go thinking I've excluded myself on purpose, no, don't think that - I feel bad enough for my initial reaction.

Women are people, just like men. Women are not objects, and if you can't realize that, then you need to grab your to-do list and check yourself.