Kristen Bell is so sweet. I was so fortunate to be able to interview her before the premiere of Frozen where you probably know her as the voice of Anna, and was so impressed with her. So smart, funny, and friendly. Recently I chatted with her again over the phone and this time is was about something totally different yet something I could personally related to more: being a mom and protecting your kids. I swear one day I’m going to be that crazy mom that runs out onto the soccer field when another player gets too rough with my kid. Being a Mama Bear is no joke. It’s for real, and Kristen, sadly, has good reason to be taking a stand for her child and the children of celebrities everywhere.
What are the Pedorazzi?
This is a term coined by Kristen and her husband, Dax Shepard that is used to refer to people taking non-consensual photos of children. You can read it very well explained by Dax in this article. Sounds creepy. And we’ve all seen the results. Those pictures of a family at the park, or walking down the sidewalk, cute little kid holding mom’s hand on the cover of the magazine in the supermarket checkout line. We’ve all seen them. The scary reality of how those photos were obtained will probably freak you out. Kristen described it as an aggressive group of men following the family the entire time they’re out of the house until they get their shot. Did you realize this is where those pictures in the magazines come from? I wasn’t aware it was *that* bad, and if that were me and my children being chased I’d be freaking out and totally angry.
Children are not meant to be consumed.
Agreed. They should just be kids. If they’re on the red carpet with mom and dad, it’s expected they’re going to be photographed. But if they’re going out for lunch with mom and dad, it’s not newsworthy and they don’t need to be chased down and made to be afraid to leave the house. How far are will willing to go for our entertainment news? Do we really need to see these pictures of kids knowing how they were obtained? Is what some actor’s child wore to the park actually newsworthy?
What are other celebrities saying?
Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner worked tirelessly to pass Senate Bill 606, which is a California bill that states it’s illegal to emotionally damage a child by trying to get their picture. While that’s an awesome accomplishment, it’s going to be hard to enforce and so Kristen and Dax have taken the approach that they also need to educate consumers like us on what we’re actually buying when we pick up those gossip mags in the checkout line. And they have a long list of friends on board with them who are also saying they are no longer going to “participate with outlets that traffic in non-consensual photos of minors.”
That list includes:
- Channing Tatum
- Edward Norton
- Michelle Williams
- Katie Holmes
- Bradley Cooper
- Amy Poehler
- Many more
What can we do to support a No Kids Policy?
Pretty simple actually. When you see non-consensual pictures of kids in magazines, don’t buy it. Tweet the news outlet and tell them why you’re not buying what they’re selling. And tell your friends. Spread the word. It is working. Already Entertainment Tonight and People magazine have instituted a no-kids policy in reaction to this effort.
Parents who care about kids, all kids – those of celebrities that didn’t asked to be chased, and those whose moms are a little wacky on the sidelines of the soccer game – have a voice and a pocketbook and those things matter. We can use them to make a difference.
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