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Urban Outfitters sued by 15-year-old model's parents over sexy pictures
By Virginia SmithAugust 19th, 2011, 6:00 pmComments (47)
The parents of a fifteen-year-old model are suing Urban Outfitters for printing sexualized images of her on t-shirts, seeking twenty-eight-million dollars in damages. According to their filing, in a 2010 shoot with Jason Lee Parry (which they seem to not have objected to at the time, oddly enough), their daughter was asked to pose "in a blatantly salacious manner with her legs spread, without a bra, revealing portions of her breasts."
From the lawsuit:
"The pictures also show her with beer, riding on a motorcycle without a helmet, and breaking other laws. Other pictures appear to show her pubic hair.
The image of Teen in a spread eagle position making her crotch area the focal point of the image may portray a child in a sexually suggestive manner and may be in violation of one or more federal and/or state laws."
Yowza. Well, there's (hopefully) no debating the photo shoot described by the lawsuit constitutes a hugely inappropriate work environment for a fifteen-year-old. But then again, wasn't it also inappropriate to let her go on the shoot in the first place, and only complain about it once Urban Outfitters started making money off of it?
Commentarium (47 Comments)
How exactly was UO supposed to know she was underage? This is completely on the photographer, art director and her parents. If they really object to the images, they needed to step in at the time. But I suspect this is just an opportunity to cash in on their daughter.
Being underage isn't an issue in that she is a model not a porn star. UO most definitely knew she was 'underage' but that doesn't really have to play into photo shoots and ad campaigns.
you will find when you fill out an employment form that there is a space to fill out your birthdate. cheers.
If you happen to be talking about the united states, there isn't.
Actually there is. Just not on the initial application. They need to know you are who you say you are... and your DOB is part of that. I believe that's what "s" is referring to.
You can only be asked for your DOB *after* you are hired, but before you do any work.
Yeah, another chance to cash in on their daughter. It's amazing that people can see their children and try to turn them into good earners.
Is it not at all possible that the parents didn't realize the nature of the photos until they saw them being used? If their daughter regularly gets work as a model, and it is usually of the benign clothes-modeling variety, it wouldn't be unreasonable for them to assume that she wouldn't be exploited. I think, were they Lohan-style parents, they'd only be encouraging this type of exposure.
This just in! A female objectified/sexualized in images!
Shock! Horror!
Slow news day?
In Muslim countries a girl that age could get married off and have a kid by 15.
So, what's the problem with a photo shot?
Her face is visible.
Wonderfully racist statements! Well done gents
LOL Islam isn't a race dumbfuck.
Hey, there are more American 15 year olds having kids than in any other Western country.
Generally not by men twice their age in arranged marriages.
Because the US is not a Muslim country, dumb fuck.
Why do idiots always like to point out different social norms?
And yours is even more stupid. How do you think a Muslim country would react to this ad campaign?
"In Muslim countries a girl that age could get married off and have a kid by 15.
So, what's the problem with a photo shot?"
As long as she doesn't expose her ankles in public.
Wait, why do we want any of the, regardless of the age of the model, on our tshirts to begin with?
to a brainwashed hipster this probably would seem like a unique way to express their individuality.
I'm 15. I have no problem with this at all.
its because you are 15
haha I agree with s
The parents are whoring out their underage daughter to make money - this is just phase II for the parents/pimps.
If they really cared about their daughter, they wouldn't have sued for such an outrageous sum. The amount that they asked for means that inevitably, the story (and the associated pictures) will be splashed all over the media, meaning that more people than ever before will see these allegedly terribly exploitative photos. For shame.
true. its an outrageous sum, they probably wont get it.
also gets more publicity for their daughter, and therefore more photo shoots
She is kinda hot. Just saying.
So neither of the parents was present when their 15 yr old daughter was on the photo shoot?
Was there a someone present with legal guardian status to oversee the photo shoot and to ensure the girls safety?
These photos are a surprise to the parents because they aren't doing their job as parents.
yes, I agree with meh...the fact that it got this far demonstrates negligence on the part of the parents...and if they were aware of the nature of the photos, then they are obviously just trying to use the opportunity for profit
practically child pornography the way it is described. ofcourse calls into question why the parents didn't supervise this photoshoot. usually uo photoshoots aren't this sexualised.
i wouldn't go as far to say they did a bad job as parents, sometimes 15 year olds just agree to do dumb crap like this.
Fifteen year olds shouldn't be making the decisions to do crap like this.
That's what parents are for. A fifteen year old shouldn't be on a photo shoot unsupervised.
Fifteen year old can't legally sign contracts, that requires parental consent, allowing a minor to work.
This is a text book example of bad parenting.
@meh, I would also add that this is a textbook example of shitty corporations exploiting children by putting them in sexually suggestive ads to lure in customers simply by presenting the taboo and thus fascinating subject of a 15 year old's crotch shot. Just because the photographer/company can get away with doing it, doesn't mean they should.
lol, funny how a truck load of cash suddenly makes it all good.
www.total-anon.at.tc
That's only part of the problem of the shoot. The real focus is that AO started selling tshirts with the photos on them... which was reportedly not agreed to at all. So, they are saying they deserve a cut of proceeds, punitive damages, etc. AO is the sleaziest.
Same girl posed for Vogue showing a lot more breast a year later at age 16. Warning: NSFW images on the same page (http://goo.gl/e7PYW). Not sure what the parents are on about here.
I think "girlj" was right, if her parents were responsible and didn't want the publicity they would have pulled their daughter from the scene and asked for all photos to be handed over, under legal jurisdiction; no suing, no big noise..! I really think, like many of you, as responsible parents shold have been in attendance of the shoot. You don't just send your 15yo daughter out to work in an industry that can flamboyantly flash pictures of your daughter around.
This is not very widely reported, but the parents apparently did intervene after the photos were taken but before they were used and the photographer reportedly assured them that the photos WILL NOT be used. The parents supposedly had to resort to a lawsuit after the photos started surfacing on the photographer's website and on clothing articles. If this version of events is true, then the parents did do what they were supposed to do, but were betrayed by the photographer and UO.
she looks like one of jerry's kids to me.
Of COURSE you object more if the photos become very public and are making lots of money.
Jesus. That makes total perfect sense.
have you seen her Ford modeling card? she is barely wearing anything in two of the 4 images. Google it, you'll see. the parents OK'd those images, setting a precident. i'm not saying that the photos are not racy or that they are appropriate for a young model. the parents have exposed her to an adult profession and allowed her to pose in nearly nothing in the past with no issues about that. further, the parents did not have anything in the contract where they would have to approve the images before they were used. this is standard practice when the parents are concerned. quite a lot of the responsibility must fall on the parents here. i'd go so far as to say there could be a criminal case against the parents.
If she's under age why aren't her parents staying with her during the photo shoot?
feel like we're seeing more female crotch shots in modeling generally. and of course you can push it even closer to the edge with waxing close to the goods. but yeah where the hell are the parents when their daughter is at these shoots? probably at home counting the dough.
I thought she was a drug addict when I saw her on t.v. She looks horrible for a 15 year old. She should be the poster of before and after drug use ads.
looks like a wet spot
Omg. Get over urselves. When they have little girls in bikinis? Come on she has legs but don't you? Grow up and get a life. She' as 15 at least she has some damn clothes on.
Get real. Parents signed an underage model release . Where were they when this was taken . It is in bad taste . I photograph underage models all the time and the parents MUST be there . I almost always the focus in on the face . These parents were clearly using their daughter . Clearly the photographer and parents were out after money . SEX SELLS . But this is over the top with this photographer and his crew .
Frnkaly I think that's absolutely good stuff.