I have thoughts in regards to That Photo of Shani Louk receiving an award.
But first, I'd like to address something I've seen in our community about how the situation has been handled.
Many people I've seen have been sharing their anger and pain in regards to the photo and the award, rightfully so. However, many of these people have shared those thoughts alongside That Photo. While I understand the intent of this, I'd like to just ask for people to not do that.
Do not distribute That Photo in any way, please.
Shani Louk's family has asked for that photo not to be shared. Her family has asked for her to be remembered for her life, not her death.
Instead, I encourage you to share your views alongside a photo of Shani from her life. Share her as she lived, not as she died.
Let Shani's memory be who she was, not what was done to her.
Now, I know there's little I can say about the photo and award that hadn't already been said. I'd like to talk about it anyway.
First and foremost, receiving an award for photographing a woman being subjected to the worst a person can endure is disgusting. That award was given for taking a picture of a woman who has been raped and killed, and of her body continuing to be violated and paraded around. Not for protecting her, not for intervening, not for doing anything to help anyone.
Additionally, as I mentioned before, Shani's family has asked for that photo not to be spread around, and the resurgence in publicity that this photo is getting as a result is a direct blow to the family's wishes.
In that photo, for the purpose of that photo, Shani is used as little more than a prop. It is dehumanizing and violating. It is beyond that, but I cannot even come up with words to articulate how horrible it is.
I'm sure we've all heard the phrase, "people love dead Jews" at this point. This photo receiving a major award is simply confirmation of this. This photo, a photo of a dead Jewish woman, receiving such a highly esteemed award, proves this. I am sick to my stomach just writing about it.
There is nothing about that photo that would merit an award and it tramples upon Shani's memory and dehumanizes her even further than she already has been.
In protest of that award, I encourage you to share photos of her that aren't of her lowest moment.
Share photos of her life, share photos of her art. Do not share photos of her death.
Here are some photos I am choosing to share:
You can find these photos online, there's a whole Instagram account dedicated to sharing photos of her life. The first and last photos are from an article about her art being put up in an exhibition. These photos are out there, just find and share them please.
May her memory be a blessing and may it be protected from further desecration.