Sunday, August 4, 2013

To Be Silent Or To Shout?


This seems to have gone largely unnoticed in the United States, but there's been an uproar over sexually-charged abuse leveled at feminists in England on Twitter for the past week or so.  The New Yorker, one of the only mainstream American publications I've seen mention it, folded the story into a broader article about free speech online.  Here's their background on the situation with links I've included to lead you to more information should you want it:
Caroline Criado-Perez, a feminist activist and blogger, had played a significant role in the Bank of England’s decision to put a non-royal woman on a British banknote. As soon as the Bank decreed that Jane Austen’s likeness would be featured on the ten-pound note, Criado-Perez was subject to an online onslaught [of rape threats]...
A petition began circulating to make it easier to report abuse on Twitter, demanding a “zero tolerance policy on abuse”; by now, over a hundred thousand people have signed it. A Labour MP named Stella Creasy published an op-ed defending Criado-Perez in the Guardian this weekend, headlined, “Twitter’s inadequate action over rape threats is itself an abuse.” Shortly after it went live, she began to receive rape threats herself. One warned, “YOU BETTER WATCH YOUR BACK….IM GONNA RAPE YOUR ASS AT 8PM AND PUT THE VIDEO ALL OVER THE INTERNET.” The attacks led to a proposal, from the popular feminist and columnist Caitlin Moran, for a Twitter “Trolliday,” a day when Internet trolling is especially discouraged.

The "Trolliday" turned into #twittersilence, a hashtag that is trending in the UK right now, but it seems that most Brits aren't staying off the social media site.  While I understand that boycotting Twitter for a day sends a message to the company that abuse will not be tolerated, it tells trolls even more emphatically that they've won; our silence in the face of their abuse is exactly what they want.

As many have pointed out, silence isn't an option for millions of women around the world and, for those of us who can speak out, it's counterproductive to take away our strongest weapon against hate and violence.  So I encourage you to add your voice to the conversation by sending strength, love, and support to all those who have been bullied, harassed, or abused - online or off.

And if you want to see an incredible movement that's taken off in response to the #twittersilence, check out #inspirationalwomen, which is also trending on Twitter today.  A quick scan of my feed brings up shout-outs to Harriet Tubman, Malala Yousafzai, Wendy Davis, Rosalind Franklin - and 70 more tweets have come in just as I've written this.  So shout, dear readers, please, and let those who would silence us know that we will be heard.

14 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing this story, I'm not sure I would have encountered it otherwise. I always think "we must speak up, so that there are people around to speak up for us when we need the help."

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  2. I tend to agree with you Betsy and the idea of sending strength and support to women around the world seems like a better option than silence.

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  3. Wow, I had no idea that this was even occurring. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I can't believe the awful people that there are out there. When you have the opportunity to share your voice and opinions, being silent isn't the answer. I've always believed that.

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  4. Thanks for writing about this, Betsy. I actually didn't realize that it was mainly UK-based, as I learned about it from an American YA author who wrote about #twittersilence (http://maureenjohnsonbooks.tumblr.com/post/57279395719/why-i-wont-be-on-twitter-tomorrow) and about her fellow writer friend's ongoing terrible experience with a stalker (http://maureenjohnsonbooks.tumblr.com/post/56711054325/an-update-on-my-friend-melissa-anellis-stalking-case). I still have mixed feelings about #twittersilence. If it can be used to attract attention to the issue of online abuse, rape threats in particular, then I think it can be a powerful stance, especially if it makes people realize how unnerving it would be to have countless voices silenced that once were so loud. However, there is something deeply unsettling to me about using silence to make a stand about this issue in particular when so many individuals have been shamed into silence as a result of the abuse and harassment they have suffered. As you mentioned, I think that those who have the power to use their voices should use it when possible. I would rather that we use our voices to discuss, debate, and empower regarding this issue.

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  5. I totally agree... I think that showing off strengths is way better than being silent. Silence also can often be misconstrued for unresponsiveness or unwillingness to respond which can be misleading. I say shout it from the rooftops!

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  6. I agree. Silence solves nothing. I've seen some information about what's been going on (mainly because I get most of my news from non-mainstream sources) and I find it absolutely horrifying.

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  7. I don't know why it didn't really make the news here in the States! the NYTimes did write about it yesterday, though I missed it... http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/05/world/europe/bid-to-honor-austen-is-not-universally-acknowledged.html?_r=0

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  8. I love how much positivity there was on Twitter yesterday! we should try to make that happen every day :)

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  9. I get being silent over tragedies (in retrospect, I should have been more understanding of those who couldn't find the words after Sandy Hook). but this isn't a tragedy - it's a travesty! YARGH.

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  10. I saw a series of tweets during all of this brouhaha where a man/boy tweeted horrible threats to a woman and then an acquaintance of the man/boy tweeted back at both the man/boy and the woman and said something like, "hey, I have this man/boy's mother's address - would you like to contact her about her son's threats?" and the man/boy fell over himself apologizing.


    THE INTERNET ISN'T PRIVATE, PEOPLE.

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  11. I'm a big fan of Caitlin Moran and think what she wanted to do with #twittersilence was great - showing solidarity for all of the women who may not be able to speak out against rape threats and internet trolls. That said, I also completely support your point that women have been silenced for too long and there does need to be some louder shouting from us. Basically, I'm happy that there are so many people who want to show solidarity, no matter which way they choose to do it. This conversation is long overdue and I hope Twitter takes it seriously and begins to rethink their abuse reporting policy.

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  12. This is why it's good to have expat friends...you can alert us to the weird gaps in US media coverage. Thanks, dude.

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  13. I would agree that in this case, shouting is definitely necessary. x.

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