The good kind of troll
There’s been a plethora of blogs and newspaper articles by women about online abuse they receive. This led to the Tiger Beatdown Twitter hashtag, #mencallmethings which women used to post abuse they had received online. Some had found these comments hilarious and recommended replying in similarly vitriolic terms. Apparently this approach usually shuts up the ‘man in his mother’s basement/flat above parent’s garage, bathed in the glow of his laptop’. Some had been so frightened by the threats they contacted the police.
There’s been praise for the bloggers; to refuse to remain silent is always the first step in overcoming abuse. However, scroll down to the comments section on any of the online posts about this subject and you will find men claiming it is online misandry that needs to be confronted.
There’s been praise for the bloggers; to refuse to remain silent is always the first step in overcoming abuse. However, scroll down to the comments section on any of the online posts about this subject and you will find men claiming it is online misandry that needs to be confronted.
Below these articles detailing horrific threats of rape, dismemberment and murder, was a recurring comment. To paraphrase; ‘I’d write something about the misandry men suffer as bloggers, but I know it will only be met with abusive comments about how my dick must be small’.
Which brings us to the Margaret Atwood quote; “Men are afraid women will laugh at them. Women are afraid men will kill them.”
Before you despair I want to draw you attention to this. In The New Statesman, writer Helen Lewis-Hasteley has followed up her posts about the abuse she’s received online with a round-up of male bloggers and the contents of their comment feed. The men featured here discuss how, whilst they do receive unsavoury comments, it is apparent to them the anonymity of the internet seems to be perpetuating a misogynist commenting trend.
These #mencallmethings tweets and articles about online misogynist comments aren’t some kind of competition. It isn’t a dismissal of other forms of abuse both sexes, or various minorities receive. It’s just discussing what these bloggers know.
It’s interesting that in the same week women came out about the threatening comments their blogs get, Facebook finally withdrew the rape ‘joke’ pages they had been hosting. People in the comment section even in this New Statesmen article demand to know what the point of this is, that the trolls et al won’t read it and if they do it will be lost on them. We all have to start somewhere.
So let’s not end on that note, may Squeamish Bikini guide you to this hilarious Dear Feminist tumblr. Read it and join us in the moral dilemma…is it wrong to hope there are more posts to go up on this?
Squeamish Kate
Which brings us to the Margaret Atwood quote; “Men are afraid women will laugh at them. Women are afraid men will kill them.”
Before you despair I want to draw you attention to this. In The New Statesman, writer Helen Lewis-Hasteley has followed up her posts about the abuse she’s received online with a round-up of male bloggers and the contents of their comment feed. The men featured here discuss how, whilst they do receive unsavoury comments, it is apparent to them the anonymity of the internet seems to be perpetuating a misogynist commenting trend.
These #mencallmethings tweets and articles about online misogynist comments aren’t some kind of competition. It isn’t a dismissal of other forms of abuse both sexes, or various minorities receive. It’s just discussing what these bloggers know.
It’s interesting that in the same week women came out about the threatening comments their blogs get, Facebook finally withdrew the rape ‘joke’ pages they had been hosting. People in the comment section even in this New Statesmen article demand to know what the point of this is, that the trolls et al won’t read it and if they do it will be lost on them. We all have to start somewhere.
So let’s not end on that note, may Squeamish Bikini guide you to this hilarious Dear Feminist tumblr. Read it and join us in the moral dilemma…is it wrong to hope there are more posts to go up on this?
Squeamish Kate
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