Illustration by Abigail Stanley

In the centerpiece story of the Feb. 2016 Sex Issue of “The Shield,” Megan Thorne wrote an article explaining the impact of “Dick Pics” on students of the campus. The issue brought much-needed awareness to the unsolicited images that were then primarily targeting women. However, two years later, these unwanted images are still on the rise and continue to become more common as society dives deeper and deeper into the world of technology.

For reasons seemingly unknown, some men feel that it is appropriate to send images of their genitalia to whoever they want whenever they see fit. Many explanations have been given as to why this is, from the male seeking validation and a boost in his confidence to the overall basic idea that he likes attention and seeks to compensate his lack of personality with what he hopes to be a penis of impressive proportion.

While some romantic couples have adopted the exchange of explicit images into their relationships, especially those stretched over long distances, individuals without a significant other often have no need or want for these grotesque graphics. The participation of boys in the one-sided delivery of images of their no-no-squares obviously reflects immaturity and lack of consideration for the other party.

Why is this? When did it become socially acceptable for members of the male species to send nude photos of themselves without consent? Never. It has never been okay.

People often blame girls for wearing revealing and clothing or for acting in a promiscuous manner, but where is the blame on the guys? The phrase “boys will be boys” should not be applicable after the age of five. However, it’s often the excuse given for any male who happens to make an undesirable mistake, therefore allowing him to not receive any type of serious repercussions. Because he is male, he is expected to behave in a manner of disrespect and destruction. Rather than defying societal norms and showing that he is an individual who deserves respect, he will often succumb to this stereotype and portray the accuracy of the statement in his actions.

Snapchat is the most common outlet for these images, but even text or social media messaging can be used to deliver nude photos. I have learned that the best way to deal with receiving an unwanted image is to just not respond. Don’t encourage his act and entertain him with conversation, instead just ignore the message and/or block him in any and all ways possible. If he doesn’t get the point, don’t hesitate to notify school officials or Public Safety and inform them of the harassment. Eventually, there will come a day when the “dick pic” will be viewed as the tasteless, ignorant act that it is, but for now, we must remain calm, clever and classy and wait for that day to arrive.