After Her Nude Snapchat Was Leaked Online, This DJ Is Donating $5,000 To Charity
Australian DJ Tigerlily is planning to donate $5,000 to a mental health charity in a stand against online bullying after she had a nude Snapchat edited and leaked online.
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In a powerful Facebook post, Tigerlily spoke out against the invasion of privacy.
"When I share content I make a conscious decision to do so. The content that has been ripped from Snapchat, edited and distributed is being done so against my will," she wrote.
"Although the crime that has been committed is not OK, being proud of your body and who you are is OK."
Three weeks ago, Tigerlily "flashed" the camera in the background of a SnapChat video being filmed by her photographer, Alex, as a joke.
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"Alex did a couple of things to the SnapChat – she put it in black and white, she set it up the highest fast-forward speed possible and covered my private parts with squiggles and emojis," Tigerlily told BuzzFeed News.
"Before she posted it, she asked if I was fine with it, and I was completely OK – you could see nothing. I didn’t think twice about it."
But yesterday, Tigerlily found out that someone had saved the video using an app, stripped off the edits, and was distributing it online.
"The video is – impressively – intact, and you can see everything," she said. "I was shocked. I didn’t know that was possible."
Tigerlily told BuzzFeed News she felt lucky to have a strong support network – but spoke out publicly because many women don't.
"I’ve read these horror stories of young women having their privacy violated online and it destroying their lives for months, years," she said.
"It’s not necessarily something I want to draw attention to, but now that it’s out in the public, I felt compelled to speak out."
Tigerlily said she is not apologetic or embarrassed about the video – but it did make her worry about her career.
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"I work so hard, I put so much of my heart and soul into what I do, and I see this happen so often," she said.
"I like to try and think of myself as an advocate for women being themselves, embracing their bodies, their passions, speaking out. I didn’t want it to affect that."
Tigerlily added that it made her worry about the shows she plays for fans under the age of 18.
"These kids are really important to me, and I didn’t want it to affect my relationship with them or what they thought of me."
In response, she will donate $5,000 to mental health charity Headspace, and has opened a donations page.
"I'm trying to turn a shitty situation into something positive and educational," she said.
"I felt that was the best thing I could do."