On Thursday, October 5, or as someone would refer to as ‘yesterday,’ millions of people woke up to a sex tape leak of rapper Sexyy Red on her Instagram stories. In the video, Sexyy Red appears to be still somewhat asleep as her male companion, who is holding a cell phone, begins to have sex with her.
There are a few details that are in question, some of them logistical and others more personal.
The logistical questions are: how long did the video remain up? While it was up for at least a few hours — how many is not clear — it is difficult to imagine that with someone who is as famous as she is, no one in her camp would be immediately alerted. How someone got into her phone or at least her Instagram account is also unknown, and while people get hacked every day, that was not the explanation that given concerning the incident. What she did state was that she was “heartbroken” and denied being complicit in the leak, and if that is true, her hurt is absolutely understandable.
I’m so heartbroken anybody that kno me knows I wouldn’t do no goofy sht like that 💔😢
— Sexyy Red (@SexyyRed314_) October 5, 2023
Some also question the timing of the leak because a few days prior, Sexyy Red received an immense amount of backlash due to her recent appearance on a podcast where she voiced her love for Donald Trump. Just days later, the sex tape was released, bringing up critiques of the timing and whether this was done as a publicity stunt. This is not the first time a pornographic video featuring Sexyy Red has been published. In fact, she was the victim of revenge porn at the impetus of her fame, which may or may not have given her publicity.
Public opinion is split about the current ordeal. With famed radio host Ebro tweeting while it “is terrible tho,” the video is still “on brand,” for her.
Ebro is facing backlash for his opinion on Sexyy Red sextape leak pic.twitter.com/pM6rfzPeg4
— The Culture Vault (@DaCultureVault) October 5, 2023
The tweet was deleted after significant backlash, with one commenter adding that was the equivalent of stating someone deserved rape due to their short skirt. To take it a step further, sex workers should be given the same respect as victims when they are sexually assaulted. Someone who gets paid to have sex does not become less of a victim than someone who does it for free.
Sex is very much a huge part of Sexyy Red’s brand. I mean, it is literally in the name, but where does the line stop, and who ultimately gets to decide what that line is?
The easier answer to the latter part of that question would be Sexyy Red, but as any regular Twitter user would know, you are not always in control of what you see, and that includes pornographic images, whether you like it or not, and some have expressed that the images she puts out make them wince. Sexyy Red should and should be allowed to explore her sexuality without other people pushing her narrative for her, but at what point does the accidental viewer get a say-so, and does that, unfortunately, factor into their empathy for her?
Ebro's comments about Sexyy Red are disgusting, but not surprising. If a woman makes sexually suggestive music, men think she is inviting unwelcome comments, advances, or shouldn’t be surprised (or may even be in on) her privacy being violated.
— 👩🏾💻✍🏾 (@itslexdawriter) October 5, 2023
We all have sex. We all talk about sex. I surely have talked about sex online. Sexyy Red should have the right to explore her sexuality in a way that is comfortable to her and ultimately, she gets to decide what that comfort looks like. She gets to decide what her limitations are, even if she wants to push past them.
