Students taking part in the University of St Andrews’ annual May Dip have described feeling violated and distressed after photographers captured and published images of them in swimwear without their consent, raising fresh concerns about the exploitation of young women at public events.
Hundreds of undergraduates gather at dawn on East Sands beach each year to run into the North Sea in a tradition said to bring good luck in exams. But in recent years agency and freelance photographers have increasingly staked out the event, some camping overnight in the dunes near the Fife coastal path to secure pictures of students – overwhelmingly female – in bikinis.
“It ruined my night,” said Anna, a student whose photograph appeared in a spread published by the Scotsman. “Now when I think about that May Dip, I think about that image, and that’s it.” She had not thought twice about taking part until she discovered a photo of herself online hours later. “I clicked on it and my heart sank. I’m quite insecure about my appearance. I was thinking: how do I get rid of this? How do I make sure no one else sees this?”
She contacted the newspaper immediately to ask for the image to be taken down, but it had already gone to print for the following day’s edition. Her photograph appeared alongside dozens of others, mostly of young women, published across national newspapers including the Daily Mail, the Scotsman and the Sun.
Anna said the images were clearly targeted. “It felt like it was just girls in bikinis getting pictures taken. It wasn’t a picture of the whole beach – I was in focus, and everyone else wasn’t.” Another student, Olivia, whose image was also published, said she spotted a man with a camera camping out on the beach from 9pm the night before. “He was putting out a one-man tent, hiding in the dunes and camping there from 9pm. It just seems really wrong. They know what they’re doing, they know exactly who they’re picking out.”
Objectification and harm
The distress caused by the unsolicited publication of these images is compounded by the reader comments that often accompany them online. Olivia said she was disgusted by what she saw beneath the post she appeared in. One comment on the Daily Mail’s post read: “The 4 in the first picture are fire. Most blokes would pile in.” Another user wrote: “No hippos or tattoos, what a nice change that makes.”
Anna described the impact: “To have comments on your body just feels really repulsive. We’re just girls on the beach in our swimsuits.”
More than 60% of adults in the UK report negative feelings about their body image, and for students as young as 18, having photographs published online without consent can be deeply upsetting and harmful to mental health. Alex Chun, president of wellbeing and community at the St Andrews students’ association, said: “I understand the fear of not being able to take something off the internet. You might not even notice that your photo is being taken. To see that later and have that immortalised by the press is anxiety-inducing.”
Anna added: “It’s quite a vulnerable position to be in. It made me feel uncomfortable. I didn’t even look at it much because I don’t want to zoom in and pick it apart.”
Media practices and university response
While photographers claim they are documenting the university’s tradition, the overwhelming focus on female students points to a commercial motivation. The university warns students in advance that they may be photographed, but it has no power to prevent the press from attending because the dip takes place on a public beach where photography is unrestricted.
A spokesperson for the University of St Andrews said: “There are, and always have been, sections of the media that seek to sexualise and objectify for commercial gain the young women who attend this event. Every year ahead of May Dip, the proctor emails students with guidance to keep them safe, including a reminder that press photographers often attend the event and any images taken can go round the world.
“We abhor this practice, and it is why we have included a specific caution in communications to our students prior to the Dip. It is, however, a symptom of a much wider societal malaise which continues to enable the objectification of women, despite the clear evidence of the harm this causes.”
The Scotsman, the Sun and the Daily Mail were contacted for comment. The names of Anna and Olivia have been changed to protect their identities.
