The New York Times has published an article detailing numerous stories of sexual misconduct carried out by a pair of high-profile photographers. One is Mario Testino, while the other is Bruce Weber. Both men have been accused of sexual misconduct not on one occasion but rather on a regular basis over the course of decades and decades, having relied on their power to escape the consequences for what had become well-known in much the same manner as their counterparts in other industries.
What Are the Claims Against Mario Testino and Bruce Weber?
In both cases, the two men are accused of having predated upon male models. This is perhaps unsurprising because modeling is notorious for this sort of behavior, as shown by one of the victims claiming that other models had made jokes about “tightening his belt” when he revealed that he was going to meet one of the two men.
Regardless, one model stated that it was a well-known fact that if someone wanted to work with Testino, they would need to do a nude photo-shoot with him, which would come with sexual come-ons. In one case, Testino ordered the other people to leave the room so that he could be alone with one of the models who spoke out. After which, he climbed on top of the model in a bed, which spooked the model enough for him to put on his clothes and leave the photo-shoot. In another case, one of Testino’s former photo assistants claimed that Testino attempted to kiss him on the streets on one occasion, which was followed by a later incident during which Testino climbed on top of him while pinning his arms. Something that was prevented from going further by Testino’s brother, who pulled the photographer off of the photo assistant. Other stories from other people range from Testino fondling them and Testino rubbing against them with an erection to Testino putting his hands down people’s pants.
As for Weber, he was similar in that he requested nude photo-shoots as well, which were in addition to supposed exercises that would see Weber fondling the models. Perhaps unsurprisingly, those who gave in to Weber were the ones who would be retained for additional work, whereas those who refused him would be cut from his projects. All the while, Weber would be dangling the prospect of further work as a carrot of sorts, which is a pattern that is often seen in other stories of sexual misconduct from other industries.
Further Considerations
So far, The New York Times article has had swift consequences, as shown by Conde Nast’s decision to drop both of the photographers who have been accused of sexual misconduct. For those who are unfamiliar with that name, Conde Nast is the publisher for not just Vogue and Vanity Fair but also numerous other publications, meaning that this is a significant step indeed. Both Testino and Weber have denied the stories of sexual misconduct while stating that their accusers cannot be trusted, but it remains to be seen what other organizations will follow in the footsteps of Conde Nast for the purpose of showing that they treat such allegations with the seriousness that they deserve.
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