James Onen alias Fatboy has questioned the public criticism of an advertisement made by French car company Citroën in Egypt, which activists claim has promoted sexual harrasment.
The advertisement featuring Egyptian Pop Star Amr Diab was called off, and shows the singer using his car mirror to secretly take a picture of a woman passing in front of his car without her consent. He then smiles at the picture as it reflects on his phone screen and he later asks her to join him, after which they go on a few dates.
According to Fatboy, activists have overreacted to the advert because a person could take a picture of anyone they saw as attractive and stylish.
“I think that of all things that one should not be offended by, it’s a person walking down the street and taking a picture of you just because they thought you were pretty. All this, without touching or assaulting you,” he said.
However, Olive Najjuma the show Co-host disagreed with Fatboy, saying that it is wrong for a person to take another person's photograph without their consent.
“It doesn't matter how I look or how I am dressed, taking pictures of me without my consent is wrong.” She added, “It's like you walking around a mall and you notice that someone is taking pictures of you. You would be offended but that doesn’t necessarily make it as sexual harrasment.”
Still in disagreement, Fatboy argued that taking pictures of a person in a public space isn't wrong. He narrated a story of when American Pop Singer Dua Lipa was sued for uploading a photo of herself at an airport that was taken by paparazzi. However, she did this without the latter’s permission.
According to Olive, the limitations to privacy between ordinary individuals and celebrities may differ and more so in the US.
However, she described that in as much as women are trying to fight ills against them in society, sometimes they overdramatize a situation to make a point.
“I think that sometimes we pick on anything to make a point and ignore things that would boost our progress as women by clinging onto every minor issue that happens,” said Olive.
The Fatboy show is hosted by James Onen aka Fatboy, Olive, Sarah and Lesham every weekday from 6am to 10am on RX Radio.