Feminists Read Mean Tweets
November 16, 2014 6:14 PM Subscribe
The lethal combination of being a woman and having an opinion is a recipe for a troll cocktail. Modeled after Jimmy Kimmel's Celebrities Read Mean Tweets, this short YouTube video shows how women who challenge the status quo are treated online on a daily basis.
From Mic.com's article:
...recent Pew Research Center data show that although men receive their share of online harassment, the harassment women experience is often more abusive, ranging from stalking to sexual harassment and even threats of physical harm. Pew notes that those "who promote themselves online for their job, and those who work in the digital technology industry" are even more likely to feel the online hate.
This finding mirrors research conducted earlier this year by the think tank Demos, which showed that female journalists are more likely to receive online threats, regardless of what they write about.
And you don't even need to have any particular level of fame to get harassed. A study from the University of Maryland found that simply having a female username makes you 25 times more likely to experience hateful messages.
But the good news is more and more women are starting to fight back. For example, the Women, Action and the Media (WAM) has teamed up with Twitter to crack down on trolling. After successfully lobbying Facebook to ban gender-based hate speech on its platform with its #FBRape campaign, the nonprofit hopes to make its competitor a safer, more empowering platform for women.
From Mic.com's article:
...recent Pew Research Center data show that although men receive their share of online harassment, the harassment women experience is often more abusive, ranging from stalking to sexual harassment and even threats of physical harm. Pew notes that those "who promote themselves online for their job, and those who work in the digital technology industry" are even more likely to feel the online hate.
This finding mirrors research conducted earlier this year by the think tank Demos, which showed that female journalists are more likely to receive online threats, regardless of what they write about.
And you don't even need to have any particular level of fame to get harassed. A study from the University of Maryland found that simply having a female username makes you 25 times more likely to experience hateful messages.
But the good news is more and more women are starting to fight back. For example, the Women, Action and the Media (WAM) has teamed up with Twitter to crack down on trolling. After successfully lobbying Facebook to ban gender-based hate speech on its platform with its #FBRape campaign, the nonprofit hopes to make its competitor a safer, more empowering platform for women.
What's the point of beeping over words in a project like this?
I can't watch it. The beeping's more irritating than any profanity.
posted by zadcat at 6:23 PM on November 16, 2014 [4 favorites]
I can't watch it. The beeping's more irritating than any profanity.
posted by zadcat at 6:23 PM on November 16, 2014 [4 favorites]
What's the point of beeping over words in a project like this?
I assume it's to make it safe for Facebook and Twitter and such. It seems like an important message to get people to share and people won't share it as much if it's NSFW.
posted by octothorpe at 6:32 PM on November 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
I assume it's to make it safe for Facebook and Twitter and such. It seems like an important message to get people to share and people won't share it as much if it's NSFW.
posted by octothorpe at 6:32 PM on November 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
MetaFilter: you have hipster glasses and an invalid opinion
posted by brundlefly at 7:25 PM on November 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by brundlefly at 7:25 PM on November 16, 2014 [5 favorites]
Oh, and Christ... Those YT comments are Lewis' Law in action.
posted by brundlefly at 7:28 PM on November 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by brundlefly at 7:28 PM on November 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
Wait... this video is published by AEI? The pro-life ultra-Christian far-right think tank? The people who want to end public education and pump enough coal in the atmosphere to kill us all? I am confused and suspicious.
posted by miyabo at 7:49 PM on November 16, 2014
posted by miyabo at 7:49 PM on November 16, 2014
"You have hipster glasses and an invalid opinion."
Are they also slamming Rick Perry?
posted by Oyéah at 7:56 PM on November 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
Are they also slamming Rick Perry?
posted by Oyéah at 7:56 PM on November 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
What in the world, miyabo? This is the Pew Center. Not AEI.
posted by boo_radley at 7:57 PM on November 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by boo_radley at 7:57 PM on November 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
Oh my phone skipped actual video and went to one of the "related videos" immediately... oops. The related video was this one which is definitely mystifying.
posted by miyabo at 8:03 PM on November 16, 2014
posted by miyabo at 8:03 PM on November 16, 2014
Oh, dear God. Christina Hoff Sommers. Yeah, I would be worried if someone posted one of her videos here.
posted by brundlefly at 8:13 PM on November 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by brundlefly at 8:13 PM on November 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
although men receive their share of online harassment, the harassment women experience is often more abusive
I really wish this kind of thing could be said without all this notallmen type buffering. The abuse even the otherwise minority men I know, and even those that are "internet famous" or whatever essentially amounts to background radiation. Its all stuff you can shrug off. And I say this as a guy who's been doxxed and had photos of the front of my house posted alongside that. and had my private photobucket hacked and leaked, and other crap.
The worst crap men I know have experienced is still way less threatening and scary than even what women I know who intentionally keep a low profile online experience working retail or service jobs from customers.
Its like comparing laser tag to the Gaza strip. Its almost offensive to see it get a shout out.
Note that I also take issue with the "women rape men too!" kind of rhetoric that comes up, so maybe I'm just a prick. But seriously, there hasnt been anything like gamergate against any group of males online for anything like the same reasons.
Basically, misandry isn't real, and I groan every time I see an intro like that which seemingly exists to preempt derailing trolls acting legit. I get it, but its still just ugh.
posted by emptythought at 9:09 PM on November 16, 2014 [8 favorites]
I really wish this kind of thing could be said without all this notallmen type buffering. The abuse even the otherwise minority men I know, and even those that are "internet famous" or whatever essentially amounts to background radiation. Its all stuff you can shrug off. And I say this as a guy who's been doxxed and had photos of the front of my house posted alongside that. and had my private photobucket hacked and leaked, and other crap.
The worst crap men I know have experienced is still way less threatening and scary than even what women I know who intentionally keep a low profile online experience working retail or service jobs from customers.
Its like comparing laser tag to the Gaza strip. Its almost offensive to see it get a shout out.
Note that I also take issue with the "women rape men too!" kind of rhetoric that comes up, so maybe I'm just a prick. But seriously, there hasnt been anything like gamergate against any group of males online for anything like the same reasons.
Basically, misandry isn't real, and I groan every time I see an intro like that which seemingly exists to preempt derailing trolls acting legit. I get it, but its still just ugh.
posted by emptythought at 9:09 PM on November 16, 2014 [8 favorites]
So why does "fuck" get bleeped and not "whore"?
posted by threecheesetrees at 10:46 PM on November 16, 2014
posted by threecheesetrees at 10:46 PM on November 16, 2014
Sounds like it's edited for (US) television. The producers had the option of either bleeping the video themselves or leaving it up to tv broadcasters to do it for them. This makes it easier for broadcasters to air (less effort for them).
Even online this helps get the message out. I don't get hung up on obscenities used conversationally, but I'm already on their side, I don't need to be converted. This video is for people of other opinions, some of whom will slowly shut down their willingness to accept opposing views when wrapped in speech they're uncomfortable with. If blipping bad words helps influence their opinions, do it.
posted by ardgedee at 4:46 AM on November 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
Even online this helps get the message out. I don't get hung up on obscenities used conversationally, but I'm already on their side, I don't need to be converted. This video is for people of other opinions, some of whom will slowly shut down their willingness to accept opposing views when wrapped in speech they're uncomfortable with. If blipping bad words helps influence their opinions, do it.
posted by ardgedee at 4:46 AM on November 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
Yeah I get the spread the message thing. I guess what I'm saying is I find it weird that those two words occupy different discomfort levels for people who're going to be freaked out by bad words. I'd call them roughly equivalent if not the other way 'round.
posted by threecheesetrees at 5:58 AM on November 17, 2014
posted by threecheesetrees at 5:58 AM on November 17, 2014
threecheesetrees: "Yeah I get the spread the message thing. I guess what I'm saying is I find it weird that those two words occupy different discomfort levels for people who're going to be freaked out by bad words. I'd call them roughly equivalent if not the other way 'round."
Broadcasters hew to a particular standard, right? If the idea that the censorship was to ease broadcaster concerns, I'd expect that to inform the decision of what to censor.
posted by boo_radley at 8:38 AM on November 17, 2014
Broadcasters hew to a particular standard, right? If the idea that the censorship was to ease broadcaster concerns, I'd expect that to inform the decision of what to censor.
posted by boo_radley at 8:38 AM on November 17, 2014
Oh my phone skipped actual video and went to one of the "related videos" immediately... oops. The related video was this one yt which is definitely mystifying.
Oh, dear God. Christina Hoff Sommers. Yeah, I would be worried if someone posted one of her videos here.
Previously.
posted by homunculus at 11:03 AM on November 17, 2014
Oh, dear God. Christina Hoff Sommers. Yeah, I would be worried if someone posted one of her videos here.
Previously.
posted by homunculus at 11:03 AM on November 17, 2014
So why does "fuck" get bleeped and not "whore"?
'Cuz "Fuck of Babylon" can't be used to shame women?
posted by tigrrrlily at 3:20 PM on November 17, 2014
'Cuz "Fuck of Babylon" can't be used to shame women?
posted by tigrrrlily at 3:20 PM on November 17, 2014
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posted by boo_radley at 6:17 PM on November 16, 2014 [18 favorites]