Australian rapper Iggy Azalea has deactivated her social media accounts after pictures of her topless were leaked online.
Having briefly reappeared on Twitter before deactivating her account again, Azalea explained that the photos were actually part of her 2016 GQ photoshoot and were never meant for publishing.
"I never consented to taking topless pictures for potential release, period", she stressed. "It was my understanding BEFORE shooting, GQ do not print topless pictures".
Iggy Azalea releases statement following the deactivation of her social media accounts after GQ photoshoot topless outtakes leaked.
— Pop Alarms 🚨 (@Pop_Alarms) 27 мая 2019 г.
She states that a lot of women have done this topless shoot but it never gets released and she will keep her accounts deactivated for now. pic.twitter.com/NfEmjw7TJ0
Azalea also explained that she feels "blindsided, embarrassed, violated, angry, sad, and a million other things" not just because the photos were released without her consent, "but also because of the vile way people have reacted".
"A lot of comments I see from men in particular taking things even further and sharing their thoughts and fantasies in regards to my body has honestly disturbed me", she complained.
Azalea also warned that she now intends to find out "where the leak originated from" and press criminal charges "in regards to this".
Many social media users seemed to sympathise with her plight.
Iggy don’t deserve this
— ariana/prettymuch 💍💍💍💍💍💍💍 (@wolfhunterrr1) 27 мая 2019 г.
Men are sick
— Jorgie 🏳️🌈🇵🇷 (@jldejesusii) 28 мая 2019 г.
yes, she looks STUNNING, but she did not consent and she feels violated- understandably.
— ruby doesnt exist… (@mhyapls) 28 мая 2019 г.
Some, however, questioned Iggy’s judgement instead.
Why would you let a photographer take a fully topless pic if you were only allowing covered pics?? 🙄 who’s private collection were they for 💁♀️
— Sophia Delane (@sophiadelane1) 28 мая 2019 г.
I feel what she saying…. but..Why would you take full frontal pics in the first place, if the only pics that was being used was the one with your hand covering..only takes pictures with your hand covering
— Why-oh (@Whyoh) 27 мая 2019 г.
Understand about the not consenting part. The part about the comments from men seems odd considering what she does in her videos and at her shows. Does she think men are admiring her fashion sense? pic.twitter.com/DVDX3qNRlb
— CrayCrayIRL (@CrayCrayIRL) 28 мая 2019 г.
The photographer who took the aforementioned photos, Nino Munoz, also wrote on Instagram that he is “outraged and saddened” by the leak, and that “posting these stolen images is illegal”.