ROSEPINE, La. – A family photo, meant to be taken with humor, didn't go as the photographer and family had planned after it went viral.
Louisiana photographer Hannah Hawkes took a photo, at the family's request, of two girls and the mother tied up with Christmas lights with green neon tape over their mouths. The father is pictured holding a small chalkboard with the words, "Peace on earth," and the little boy is giving a thumbs up.
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"It was originally my idea," Lanie Johnson said in an interview with KALB. Johnson said she found a photo like it on Pinterest and asked Hawkes to set it up.
The photo quickly went viral after Hawkes shared it on her Facebook page, and a lot of the feedback has been negative. Some people say the photo depicts abuse.
"There is nothing humorous about promoting rape culture. Ever," Whitney Huffman commented.
"You can interpret anything or pick it apart to make it sound like you want it to, but in reality it never was meant for anything like that to blow up," said James Johnson, the father.
Hawkes recently responded to what she calls are "hateful and vulgar comments and messages" about the photo.
She posted the below message on her Facebook page.
"After being silent, now isn't that ironic, I would like to speak! I have been called every name in the book, and have received some very hateful and vulgar comments and messages. I would like to say that as a female I do NOT and have never promoted violence to women! I do not support abuse, or the degradation of women. My controversial photo was taken by request by the family, and was in no way meant to promote abuse. This photo was taken with humor in mind, and was meant as a comical Christmas photo. I personally know this family, and have known them for many years. They are not abusive to their children in any shape or form. Also, I would like to add that no one was harmed during the process! So everyone have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and MAY GOD BLESS you and yours!"