Who is Emily Atack? Why the actress is backing teen girls’ campaign to ban school uniforms in porn

British actor Emily Atack has thrown her weight behind some schoolgirls who have been advocating for a ban on the wearing of school uniforms in pornographic movies. The 36-year-old actress, who is famous for her role as Charlotte Hinchcliffe in the well-known comedy show 'The Inbetweeners', has been vocal about sexual harassment and the sexualization of women in the entertainment industry. She is now supporting school girls from Oxfordshire who think that the depiction of school uniforms in adult material is part of the sexualization of young girls. The campaign has gained national attention, raising questions about whether existing UK laws do enough to protect children from harmful sexual stereotypes.

WHY IS EMILY ATACK BACKING THE CAMPAIGN TO BAN SCHOOL UNIFORMS IN PORNOGRAPHY?

According to Daily Mail, Atack openly backed four teenaged girls from The Cooper School located in Bicester, Oxfordshire, who started a petition for the reform of pornography laws in the UK. The actress shared BBC News coverage of their campaign on Instagram, writing, "With you all the way."

The students, who are members of the school’s Little Feminist Book Club, feel that the portrayal of school uniforms in pornographic material is an indication of the sexualization of children. The campaign has reportedly garnered over 40,000 signatures on Change.org.

The teenagers believe existing legislation leaves a significant loophole. Under the UK’s Crime and Policing Act 2026, new offences covering certain pornographic images depicting adults pretending to be under 16 are due to come into force in England and Wales on November 6.

However, campaigners argue that the legislation may not cover all adult content featuring performers dressed in school uniforms, particularly when they are portrayed as older teenagers. They are calling for additional measures to address what they see as the sexualisation of school-age identities.

Durham University law professor Clare McGlynn told the BBC, as quoted by Daily Mail, "Where someone says they’re pretending to be 17 and in school uniform, that’s not covered by the law."

The campaign has also been backed by UK Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones, who has praised the bravery of the girls for taking a stand against the sexualization of young girls. For Atack, the issue is particularly personal, given her previous experiences with sexual harassment.

WHO IS EMILY ATACK? INSIDE HER ACTING CAREER AND EXPERIENCES WITH SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Emily Atack is an English actress and comedian who became well-known after gaining fame in the role of Charlotte Hinchcliffe in the popular British television show, 'The Inbetweeners'. The character played by Atack was very often sexualized, and this had contributed to perceptions of her in the industry.

According to the Daily Mail, she previously admitted that she 'naively didn’t think what narrative was being painted' during her early television career. She subsequently experienced typecasting and appeared in provocative magazine photoshoots.

In 2023, Atack opened up about her experiences of online sexual harassment in the BBC documentary Emily Atack: Asking for It? The program explored the disturbing reality of unsolicited explicit images, abusive messages and misogyny, while highlighting how women and teenage girls are frequently subjected to sexual harassment online.

The 'Inbetweeners' star said back in 2021 during an interview with Sunday Times that she receives many sexually explicit messages daily from strangers on the internet. She says that she is flooded with explicit videos, nude photos, and sexually threatening messages, including rape threats.

Atack, who was 31 years at that time, said the trolling on social media had plagued her for years but worsened after she became single.

"I am a woman on my own and I'm in my thirties, and it's a trigger point because you receive messages like that," she said.

In one scary occurrence, a man even sent a message saying that he would rape and murder her, describing the cushions of the sofa in her house.

Atack also recognizes the emotional trauma of being objectified through her entire career. The way Atack stands behind the students is part of her larger campaign against harassment and negative attitudes towards women.

For the teenage protesters, having a well-known personality from television supporting their cause gives more prominence to their demands. Their ultimate objective is still clear: to make sure that school uniforms are not sexualized in pornography and that young girls can wear them without fear of unwanted attention.