Hungarian Newspaper Publishes Pics Of Women In Short Skirts Without Consent, Faces Backlash

A Hungarian newspaper, Metropol, has faced backlash for publishing a photo spread featuring women in short skirts without their consent. The images, taken in public spaces such as subways and streets, were part of the paper's "Take a photo and send it in!" column, which has previously been criticised for exploiting vulnerable groups, Hungarian news website Telex reported. The publication's ties to Hungary's ruling government have added to the controversy, sparking widespread protests from women's rights advocates and the Hungarian public.

The photo spread, titled "The shorter, the better," featured images of women in short skirts taken without their knowledge or consent.  The article below the headline read, "This statement is certainly true for fashion, if not for life-span. But in the case of skirts and dresses worn by girls, it is certainly true with the beginning of summer."

 The situation worsened when the feature invited readers to submit similar photos, further fueling the controversy over the newspaper's objectification of women.

Women's rights activists and social media users condemned Metropol's feature, calling it invasive and objectifying. A protest was held outside the publisher's offices, where around 50-60 demonstrators chanted slogans like "Harassment is not journalism" and "My body is not an object," demanding a public apology from the newspaper.

The PATENT Association, a civil rights organisation, strongly condemned the article, calling it "blatant objectification and vile sexism." They argued that it perpetuates a dangerous message, implying women are never safe in public, even during the day.

"Men who take photos up women's skirts don't even need to hide anymore. They can proudly send their ‘prey' to a widely distributed newspaper, which publishes the images with disgusting commentary across two pages," the group wrote.

One of the affected girls shared her distressing experience, revealing she had no idea her photo was taken or published. "It's humiliating that some people find joy in mocking young women and that a major, government-aligned newspaper not only supports but encourages this," she wrote. 

She added, "I don't think it's anyone else's business what I wear or what clothes make me feel complete and happy. I can understand if someone doesn't like my style; everyone has different tastes, but no one has the right to share their personal opinion about it on public media platforms."

Reacting to the photos, one person on Reddit wrote, "So is the purpose to titillate the paper's (presumably straight male) readers, or to shame women wearing short skirts? Both."

Another said, "I think this is the most Disgusting thing I will see today. Or this week."

In response, the PATENT Association is providing free legal support to individuals featured in the publication without their consent and is encouraging others to come forward.