Former Playmate Charged For Snapping Body-Shaming Pics

Today, the Los Angeles city attorney’s office filed criminal charges against former Playboy playmate Dani Mathers for allegedly secretly photographing a 70-year-old woman in the nude while she was in the locker room of a Los Angeles fitness center. Prosecutors charged Mathers with one misdemeanor count of invasion of privacy, as Mathers is accused of posting an image of the woman on her Snapchat account in early July with a mocking caption about the woman's appearance. While Snapchat photos delete after a hour, the news of Mathers' post went beyond her followers and made its way around social media and news outlets. "Body-shaming is humiliating, with often painful, long-term consequences," says Mike Feuer, Los Angeles city attorney. “It mocks and stigmatizes its victims, tearing down self-respect and perpetuating the harmful idea that our unique physical appearances should be compared to air-brushed notions of 'perfect.' What really matters is our character and humanity. While body-shaming, in itself, is not a crime, there are circumstances in which invading one's privacy to accomplish it can be. And we shouldn’t tolerate that." “I am disappointed that Dani Mathers was charged with any violation,” says her attorney Thomas Mesereau. “She never tried to invade anyone’s privacy and never tried to violate any laws.”