Questions you should be able to answer before commenting on ‘Terrygate’
This is a mental exercise, not a commentary on anyone’s character, claims, or legitimacy:
Can a young (adult) model realistically and fully consent when posing sexually for an older photographer? How big of an age range differential is needed before this is an ethical issue? How old must the young (adult) model be before this is not a controversial consent to make? Should we, as a society, consider raising the age of legal consent for young (adult) models to pose sexually from 18 to 21? 25? 30?
Should a model ever be allowed to have sex on camera? With the photographer, or only other models? Should the photographer have a list of all the poses and setups written down and approved beforehand, or should there be any degree of spontaneity during the shoot? How much spontaneity is acceptable? How far in advance should a model know about any possible scenarios for it to be considered informed consent? Does an artist’s existing body of work and reputation count as information that should tenor consent? If the scenarios include sexual poses, does this alter the consent framework?
Should a photographer of sex be held to the same restrictions as a college professor or corporate business manager, in regards to what is considered sexual harassment? Can those standards ever be applied realistically to a subject matter (sex and nudity) that by its nature violates them from the start? What constitutes harassing “pressure” from the photographer? Pose suggestions? Lewd language? Physical actions not including physical coercion?
If a subject consents to transgressive acts on camera, and later regrets it, does this retroactively convert the acts into non-consensual acts? Should the subject be able to “claw-back” the photographs? If so, is there a statute of limitations period on this claw-back? Should it be measured in days, months, years, decades?
Does the power balance inherently fall to the disadvantage of the model? Does being behind the camera always mean having more power? Is the reverse ever true?
Does the addition of money to the equation change it? If the model is being paid in money or prints does this make them less able to fairly consent, or more? What if the model is hoping to use the photographer’s contacts/work/fame/knowledge to build a career?
Does the gender of the photographer matter? Is the answer to these questions altered if the photographer is a female and the subject is male? What if both photographer and subject are male? What if they are both female?
How much input should a subject have over the editing of a photographer’s work? Should the subject be able to dictate or object to their inclusion in a body of work which contains images they didn’t pose for, but disagree with being “next to?”