Saturday was International Women's Day, and the recent Edison Chen Koon-hei sex-photos scandal has highlighted the importance of privacy rights for women.
Women are frequently perceived as sex objects. However, they are also generally allowed less sexual freedom and judged by higher moral standards. When women's privacy rights are violated, they suffer more adverse consequences and face more severe public condemnation.
Some columnists (mostly male) suggested that now the public had seen nude pictures of Gillian Chung Yan-tung having sex, she had no right to be outraged about people secretly filming her changing clothes backstage a year ago.
Later, when Chen apologised and said that the photos were private and not intended to be shown to anyone, many realised that both his and the women's privacy rights had been grossly infringed.
In a liberal society, how two adults seek sexual pleasure in private should stay private.
In Hong Kong, women continue to be the 'weaker' sex in terms of self determination, social status, economic independence and decision-making power at work and in politics. Men dominate the public discourse and spaces, and many of them lack an understanding of women's situations.
Women form the majority of some of society's most marginalised sectors. Many are still not assured of basic human rights.