Mr. Pinup

Over coffee this morning, I saw a few Facebook posts from female friends, excited about showing off some cleavage for “Boobquake” this Monday. While I wanted to be happy about some counterculture movement, this one just made me sigh.

In case you haven’t heard, Boobquake was started by Jen McCreight, a blogger at Blag Hag, in response to an Iranian cleric who recently issued a statement that read:

Many women who do not dress modestly… lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes.

via Why I won’t be joining the “Boobquake” – Broadsheet – Salon.com.

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The headline sent my hand flying to my gaping mouth: “Her teen committed suicide over ‘sexting.’” The MSNBC article reported on a mourning mother’s appearance on Friday’s “Today” show to talk about how text messaging nude photographs killed her daughter.

“Sexting” might be a trigger, just as old-fashioned gossip campaigns or bullying can be

The story is a familiar one: Jesse Logan, 18, sent her boyfriend some naughty snapshots. After they broke up, he sent the photos to some high school girls, some of whom took to shaming Jesse by calling her a “slut” and a “whore.” This is where the story breaks from the usual: The torment continued for some time, and worsened, driving her to appear anonymously on local TV to warn of the consequences of “sexting.” A couple of months later, she killed herself; her mother, Cynthia, found Jesse hanging in her bedroom closet.

It is a truly heart-rending story. It also serves as a vital reminder to teens that “sexting” can lead to severe embarrassment, taunting and bullying. But, it is with the utmost respect and sympathy that I have to ask: Did “sexting” really cause this tragedy?

via Did “sexting” cause a teen s suicide – Broadsheet – Salon.com.

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