Former Playboy model Danielle Mathers has been sentenced to 30 days of community service and three years of probation after posting a picture of an unaware 70-year-old woman showering to her Snapchat account, The New York Times reports.
Mathers used the image taken at the gym to mock the woman, captioning it “If I can’t unsee this, then you can’t either.” Shortly thereafter, she posted a selfie with her hand over her mouth.
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Mathers, who was Playmate of the Year in 2015, was met with a wave of criticism online, and many deemed her post as body shaming.
Still wondering if @DaniMathers thinks she’s empowering women. What about demeaning others makes you a person who confers power? #GrowUp
— Sherry Studley (@SherryStudley) December 22, 2016
Girls like @DaniMathers are the reason why so many girls are so insecure about the way they look. #stopspreadinghate
— NC Darlin’
(@YourNCdarlinn) December 22, 2016
She subsequently deleted the images from her story and apologised on both Snapchat and Twitter.
“I understand fully the magnitude of this post that I have hurt a lot of people, women. Body shaming is not okay…and not something to joke about,” she said.
Police opened an investigation after the gym, LA Fitness, tipped them off. The model pleaded no contest to a charge of invasion of privacy, submitting to community service that entails removing graffiti.
The case has led to a Californian bill which condemns the distribution of images taken illegally.
After news of her sentence, Mathers took to Twitter to retweet those defending her.
@DStugotz @gadabbit @alimarie1313 @DaniMathers So you admit to making fun of people, but she’s evil because her actions got more public attention. But you’re a good guy cuz urs didnt?
— Unknown (@snakeplissken76) May 26, 2017
@DaniMathers I’ll never understand internet mob mentality…do they not see that they’ve become the bullies?
— Megan Ryals (@Meryals) May 22, 2017
Featured image: Justin Higuchi via Flickr (CC 2.0, resized)
