Emily Atack Backs Teen Campaign to Ban School Uniforms in Pornography

Actress Emily Atack has publicly supported a campaign initiated by teenage girls aiming to prohibit the use of school uniforms in pornography. The movement, spearheaded by four students from The Cooper School in Bicester, seeks to compel the UK government to ban such content.

While new legislation in November will outlaw pornographic material depicting adults posing as children under 16, the students have identified a significant oversight. Because secondary school and sixth-form students, who are typically up to 18 years old, wear uniforms, actors over 16 can legally appear in adult media while wearing them.

Atack, 36, shared a news report about the campaign on Instagram with the caption, "With you all." The actress, known for her role as Charlotte Hinchcliffe in "The Inbetweeners," has spoken previously about her own experiences with sexualization. Her character was notably sexualized, referred to as 'Charlotte Big Jugs' by the show's male protagonists. Atack has suggested that such roles contributed to her typecasting and led to risqué photoshoots early in her career.

In 2023, Atack presented a documentary titled "Asking For It," where she detailed the pervasive sexual harassment she faced online. She reflected on her past television roles, indicating that portrayals like Charlotte Hinchcliffe may have played a part in her public sexualization, stating, "It's horrible because it's out of control now, I feel so embarrassed and angry because I feel like I've allowed it."

The teenagers' campaign has garnered national attention, surpassing 40,000 signatures on Change.org. The initiative is endorsed by Clare McGlynn, a law professor at Durham University, and has reached parliamentary attention. Professor McGlynn highlighted the problematic nature of school uniforms in mainstream pornography, noting that the "teen pornography" genre is substantial within the industry and often associated with violent content.

"Where someone says they're pretending to be 17 and in school uniform, that's not covered by the law," McGlynn explained to the BBC. "Let's face it, the reality is that school uniforms are trying to portray a young girl."

UK Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones has commended the students for their efforts in speaking out against the sexualization of young girls.