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A Woman Is Calling Out The Men Who Shame Women For Sharing Nude Photos

The woman behind the #ShirtlessShamers2016 hashtag told BuzzFeed News she's "frustrated" with people shaming women's bodies online.

A woman is calling out men who shame women for sharing "half naked" photos online – by tweeting their remarks alongside topless pictures they've shared of themselves online.

Using the hashtag #ShirtlessShamers2016, Lindsey, a 29-year-old from Minneapolis, decided to shed light on the hypocrisy expected of women compared to men when it came to sharing photos of themselves online.

She told BuzzFeed News it began after she stumbled on a Twitter user bemoaning how he "loses respect" for girls who post "half-naked" selfies. His Twitter photo was a photo of himself topless.

Lindsey told BuzzFeed News: "A few searches later, and I'd come across lots of other dudes gleefully condemning women as 'sluts' in one tweet and flexing their naked chests in another."

Lindsey said the men she stumbled on to who were condemning women for sharing nude photos often had timelines "full of porn and pictures of naked women".

"They're torn between wanting to consume women's nudity for their enjoyment, and condemning it if it's presented as self-expression or self-celebration," she said.

Lindsey says her hashtag isn't covering any ground that hasn't been amplifed before with the #FreeTheNipple and Slutwalk movements – but it serves as a reminder that many still see female nudity as shameful.

From dress codes, to public breast feeding, to harmful myths about sexual assault, Lindsey said, women's bodies and self-expression are constantly up for debate by men.

"I'm frustrated that people insist on saying what women 'should' do and how women 'should' present themselves," she said.

Lindsey stressed that she does not want anyone to harass the individual people she features in her #ShirtlessShamers2016 hashtag, as it's not a "one-off problem that should be put on their naked shoulders alone".

"I hope the hashtag introduces conversations about why we spend so much time policing what women wear on or do with their bodies," she said.

"I also hope it gets people to question why we use 'self-respect' as a proxy phrase to project a variety of harmful, misogynist attitudes on women and girls."

As a feminist who campaigns for women's rights, Lindsey has been targeted with online harassment before. Her new hashtag has prompted a similar response from some people.

However, she says the majority of messages have been "really positive and hilarious", and she's thrilled she can connect with "funny, smart people who care about making the world happier and more fair".