Gina Martin

Gina Martin is a British political activist and author. She is known for her case to make upskirting illegal in England and Wales, which resulted in the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019. Martin also authored a book, Be the Change: A Toolkit for the Activist in You, and rejected a nomination for an award of an Order of the British Empire in 2020.

Gina Martin
Martin in 2019
Born
United Kingdom
Occupationactivist
Years active2017–present
MovementCriminalising of upskirting
Awards
  • BBC's 100 Women
  • Stylist Remarkable Women Awards 2019
  • Cosmopolitan Magazine Disruptor Award

Activism

In June 2017, Martin was attending the British Summer Time Festival in Hyde Park when she discovered that a man had taken a picture of her underwear from under her skirt.[1] She took his phone to the police, who told her the act wasn't illegal and therefore they couldn't take any action.[2] After posting about the incident on Facebook, her story went viral and an online petition was started to reopen her case. The petition received more than 100,000 signatures, and Martin began campaigning to change the law with pro-bono representation from associate lawyer Ryan Whelan of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP.[3][4][5][6] Martin campaigned while working a full-time job,[7] and received a large amount of online harassment, including hundreds of rape threats.[1][2]

In March 2018, along with Gina and Ryan, MP Wera Hobhouse tabled a Private Members Bill to make upskirting a criminal offence.[8] The bill was blocked on second reading by Conservative MP Christopher Chope.[9] In response, The Ministry of Justice backed the anti-upskirting campaign by tabling a Government bill that was eventually approved by the House of Lords in February 2019 and the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019 came into force in April the same year.[10][11]

Since her campaign, Martin has written for Grazia, The World Economic Forum, The Guardian, Glamour, and The Daily Telegraph,[12] and in June 2019 published a book on activism titled Be the Change: A Toolkit for the Activist in You.[12][13] Martin is also an ambassador for UN Women.[14] She hosts a radio show called Gina's Gamechangers on BBC Radio 5 Live,[14] and the podcast Might Delete Later with her sister Stevie Martin.[15]

In 2019, Martin was included in the BBC's 100 Women list, and the Time 100 Next list as well as Stylist Remarkable Women Gamechanger Award and Disruptor of the Year at the Cosmopolitan Magazine Influencer Awards.[16][17][18][19]

Martin worked pro-bono for model Nyome Nicholas-Williams to campaign against Instagram's nudity policy after the platform was accused of censorship for deleting images of Nicholas-Williams from the site while retaining similar images of white women, resulting in an official change to their nudity policy on breast squeezing.[20]

Martin rejected an offer to be nominated for an Order of the British Empire in 2020, writing on Twitter that it would be "deeply hypocritical" to accept the honour "while continuing to be vocal in my commitment to anti-racism and understanding the deep and unsettling race issues the British empire has built into the foundation of our country and many others”[21] and cited concerns about the "violence and oppression" of the British Empire.[22]

Personal life

Martin is originally from Liverpool.[2]

References
  1. Campdepadros, Mar (20 February 2020). "I'm a Londoner: How changing the law in spite of rape threats and abuse has left Gina Martin optimistic about activism". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  2. Adams, Olivia (2 April 2020). "Gina Martin: 'We shouldn't feel guilty about being unproductive during coronavirus'". Marie Claire. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  3. "Upskirting now a crime after woman's campaign". BBC News. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  4. Martin, Gina (9 August 2017). "Upskirting – how one victim is fighting back". BBC News. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  5. Jarvis, Jacob (19 January 2019). "Upskirting activist Gina Martin says vile abuse 'nearly made me quit but I didn't give up'". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  6. Thompson, Rachel (30 April 2020). "Gina Martin on the power of activism and how she made upskirting illegal". Mashable. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  7. O'Malley, Katie (12 April 2019). "Upskirting: 7 lessons activist Gina Martin learned during her campaign to make it a criminal offence". The Independent. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  8. Kentish, Benjamin (8 March 2018). "Liberal Democrat MP tables new law to make 'upskirting' a criminal offence". The Independent. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  9. Fishwick, Samuel (20 June 2018). "Upskirting activist Gina Martin celebrates female support after bill objection". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  10. "Upskirting now a crime after woman's campaign". 12 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  11. McGoogan, Cara (13 February 2019). "Gina Martin: 'How I got the law changed and made upskirting illegal'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  12. Chandler, Mark (8 February 2019). "Sphere acquires activism book by upskirting campaigner Gina Martin". The Bookseller. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  13. Britten, Fleur (2 June 2019). "Gina Martin interview: Meet the activist who fought to make upskirting a criminal offence". The Times. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  14. Scott, Ellen (14 April 2020). "Where I Work: Gina Martin, the activist working from the mini corner office in her flat". Metro. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  15. Strick, Katie (4 June 2020). "Sister act: Gina and Stevie Martin on their new riotous Might Delete Later podcast". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  16. Baxter-Wright, Dusty (31 May 2019). "The Cosmopolitan Influencer Award winners on their advice for future social media stars". Cosmopolitan.
  17. Roache, Madeline (2019). "Gina Martin". Time. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  18. Barr, Sabrina (14 November 2019). "Time 100 Next List features 'rising stars' Gina Martin, Adut Akech, and Billie Eilish". The Independent. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  19. Barr, Sabrina (16 October 2019). "BBC reveals 100 most inspiring women around the world". The Independent. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  20. Iqbal, Nosheen (25 October 2020). "Instagram row over plus-size model forces change to nudity policy". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  21. Martin, Gina (27 November 2020). "In June The Prime Minister nominated me to Her Majesty The Queen for her Birthday Honours List, and I was asked if I would accept the honour of an OBE. I was honoured to be asked and considered alongside everyone who accepted, but knew it was not for me. Please do take a read". Twitter. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  22. Busby, Mattha (1 December 2020). "Number of people rejecting Queen's honours doubles in past decade". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
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