Emily Atack Supports Schoolgirls' Porn Campaign After Sharing Her Own Experience of Sexualisation
British actress Emily Atack has backed a group of teenage girls campaigning to stop school uniforms from being used in pornography, bringing renewed attention to concerns about the sexualisation of young people and its potential effects on wellbeing.
The 'Inbetweeners' star showed her support for pupils from The Cooper School in Bicester, Oxfordshire, after they called for changes to UK pornography laws. The girls, members of the school's Little Feminist Book Club, argue that portraying school uniforms in adult content can reinforce harmful associations between childhood and sexual activity.
Atack shared coverage of the campaign on Instagram, expressing her support for the students. Her backing follows her public discussion of online sexual harassment and unwanted explicit messages in her 2023 documentary, 'Emily Atack: Asking For It?'
The campaign has also prompted wider discussion about the psychological effects of sexual objectification, unwanted sexual attention and media portrayals that blur the distinction between adulthood and childhood.
Why Emily Atack Is Supporting the Schoolgirls' Campaign
The pupils want school uniforms to be excluded from pornography, arguing that clothing associated with childhood should not be presented as a sexual costume in adult entertainment.
The campaigners argue that a gap remains in the law because new UK legislation targeting pornographic material depicting adults pretending to be children under 16 does not cover every depiction of older teenagers. They want school uniforms to be excluded from pornography, regardless of the performer's age.
Atack's support follows her own public discussions about sexual harassment and the way women can be objectified in entertainment and online. Her documentary explored experiences of sexualised treatment and unwanted explicit messages, highlighting how such behaviour can extend beyond professional settings into everyday life.
The actress's involvement has given the students' campaign additional visibility, although the proposed legal changes remain a matter for policymakers.
How Sexualisation Can Affect Young People's Wellbeing
Sexualisation involves treating a person primarily as a sexual object or placing an emphasis on their sexual appeal at the expense of other qualities. When young people encounter sexualised portrayals of school-age identities, the concern is that these depictions may contribute to wider attitudes about how children and teenagers are perceived.
The effects of sexualisation are not identical for everyone, and exposure to particular media does not automatically cause a mental health condition. However, research on objectification and body image has raised concerns about how persistent scrutiny of appearance and sexual appeal can affect self-esteem, body satisfaction and emotional wellbeing.
For adolescents, these issues may intersect with a developmental period in which identity, social acceptance and body image are still taking shape. Unwanted sexual attention can also make young people feel scrutinised or unsafe in situations that would otherwise be ordinary, including travelling to school or wearing a uniform.
The girls behind the campaign have described feeling uncomfortable about how school clothing may be interpreted by others. Their concerns underline the distinction between a young person's clothing and another person's decision to sexualise it.
The Link Between Sexual Harassment and Emotional Distress
Sexual harassment can take different forms, including unwanted sexual comments, explicit messages, threatening behaviour and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. Such experiences can cause distress, fear, embarrassment and a loss of confidence, although individual responses vary.
For some people, repeated harassment may affect their willingness to socialise, use online platforms or participate in activities where they fear unwanted attention. Others may experience anxiety or difficulties trusting people following threatening or invasive encounters.
The impact depends on several factors, including the nature of the behaviour, how frequently it occurs, the person's previous experiences and the support available to them. It would be inaccurate to assume that every person exposed to sexualised media will experience psychological harm, or that one particular response applies to everyone who experiences harassment.
Nevertheless, concerns about sexualisation extend beyond the content itself. They also involve the social attitudes that may shape how people treat others, particularly children and teenagers who have limited power to control how they are represented.
Why Safeguarding and Support Matter
Protecting young people requires more than asking them to change their behaviour or appearance to avoid unwanted attention. Schools, families, online platforms and policymakers all have roles in creating environments where children can participate in daily life without being blamed for other people's conduct.
Parents and carers can support teenagers by listening without judgement when they describe uncomfortable experiences, taking concerns seriously and helping them access appropriate support. Schools can also provide clear reporting procedures and respond to sexual harassment in ways that prioritise students' safety and dignity.
When harassment causes persistent distress or begins to interfere with daily activities, speaking with a trusted adult, school safeguarding lead or qualified mental health professional may help. Immediate threats or suspected abuse should be reported through appropriate safeguarding channels.
The campaign also raises questions about the responsibilities of adult-content producers and online platforms. Supporters argue that stronger rules could help challenge the sexualisation of school-age identities, while any proposed legislation would need to be assessed in terms of its scope, enforcement and effectiveness.
Atack's support has brought further attention to the pupils' campaign, which challenges the sexualisation of school uniforms and calls for stronger legal protections. The debate also highlights the importance of safeguarding young people without placing responsibility for preventing harassment on those targeted by it.