Yet 'more' internet sexism - Louise Mensch sexist abuse on Twitter

[Lottapianos]

here

So sorry for Daily Fail link but I felt this story needed sharing.

Now I am no fan of Louise Mensch - I think she's a muppet for all sorts of reasons and her refusal to endorse any anti-Murdoch findings by the select committee she sat on was just about laughable.

However, this is yet another example of how commonplace it is to hurl sexist abuse at women who you don't agree with or whose views you dispute. It's nowhere near as vitriolic as the vile things that were tweeted about Ched Evans' rape victim, but to me the mindset is the same - don't like something a woman says/does, use it as an excuse to ridicule her for sharing her opinions/actions in the first place.

I'm just sick and tired of all this - some people are so hateful and it's exhausting

[WoTmania]

She was on R4 this morning talking about it if ayone would rather listen to R4 than read the DailyFail :)

[Lottapianos]

WoTmania, I would much rather listen to Radio 4 than the Daily Fail! Lucky you

[grimbletart]

Louise Mensch is my local MP. I know, I know.....

Irrespective of whether one agrees or disagrees with her she was only one of the Tories on that committee who refused to sign up to the line that Murdoch was not fit to run a global company. I believe the others were male.

Did they get abuse hurled at them on Twitter I wonder? No prizes for guessing the answer to that...

[Lottapianos]

Good point grimbletart - why all the abuse for her in particular when there were 5 or 6 others who also refused to sign up? Why can some people not just disagree with someone without being hateful in the process?

Just curious - is she any cop as a local MP?

[SardineQueen]

Just saw this on the BBC

I admire her for speaking out about this and I think it is important that women in the public eye do so.

Politically I am a leftie but I always think this politician comes across very well. I saw Newsnight last night and personally I agree with her re the murdoch comment thing but that is another thread for another topic! I haven't ever heard her say anything that made me want to throw something which is quite something for a tory MP so she is alright in my book.

Incidentally after newsnight yesterday I was talking to DH again about thread on here which had the question. If we need to have more women in power to improve things for women, should feminists always vote for a woman (if there is one available) irrespective of politics. And I still find that a very very interesting question.

[grimbletart]

lottapianos My view is that she is an OK MP and has only held the seat since the last election so a bit early to make any real conclusions. There are issues she will get her teeth into and follow up, she is outspoken and articulate (which you would expect from a best-selling author, even of chick-lit!). However, she is a bit of a diva. For example, she (rightly) complains about sexism and the unfair emphasis on appearance then poses looking glamorous for an up market women's mag. She also makes unwise comments such as she was disappointed not to get a ministerial post and doesn't know how long she will remain an MP as it's hard with three children etc. etc.

There are quite a lot of critical comments about her in the letters columns of the local paper but that could be more because she captured the constituency from Labour in the last election and the town of Corby - an ex-steel town - has traditionally always been Labour. The Tories got in partly (obviously) because of disillusion with Labour but more because the constituency also contains the large rural, traditionally Conservative area of East Northants.

So, brassed-off Labour voters in Corby itself clearly don't take kindly to her.

[MissM]

I really don't like Louise Mensch but I heard her on R4 this morning and couldn't help feeling a grudging respect for what she was saying.

[BasilEatsFoulEggs]

I think it's becoming more and more obvious that misogynists use the excuse of free speech, to silence women on the internet.

They want to make sure that women know that like every other public space, we are only there on sufference and they'll make it very uncomfortable for us to there. If we dare to step out of line, express ourselves in a way they don't like, or say things we don't, like they threaten to track us down, rape us, hit us with hammers, etc.

The violence of the language used towards women who express their opinions on the internet, is very different to the insults men suffer. Very few men are threatened with rape or murder, their right to be there and assert their views without sexually explicit abuse or threats being thrown at them, is not questioned.

It's one of the reasons Mumsnet gets infested with MRA's - because they hate the idea that we are talking to each other without them policing our talk and makign sure we don't step out of line.

It's very telling that many women adopt male usernames on many websites, as then they can express their views without the threat that they'll be tracked down and raped.

[NarkedPuffin]

'The violence of the language used towards women who express their opinions on the internet, is very different to the insults men suffer. Very few men are threatened with rape or murder, their right to be there and assert their views without sexually explicit abuse or threats being thrown at them, is not questioned.'

Very, very true. I don't particularly like Louise Mensch and am far from her politically, but I am so sick of women being treated this way and of people dismissing it or suggesting that 'men get abuse/threats too' and saying there isn't a significant difference in the way that women are treated.

[SardineQueen]

Today on the BBC apparently a UKIP "spokesman" has called Lady Warsi a "bitch" on twitter.

[WomanlyWoman]

@sardinequeen "Incidentally after newsnight yesterday I was talking to DH again about thread on here which had the question. If we need to have more women in power to improve things for women, should feminists always vote for a woman (if there is one available) irrespective of politics. And I still find that a very very interesting question."

^ I would never never vote Tory. They are in no way a progressive party when it comes to women's rights, or for that matter the rights of normal working class people. I'm a strong feminist and I think Thatcher put the women's movement back years.

As to the main point, despite my dislike of Mensch and her party, she does have a point about sexist abuse. I'm all for free speech, but not hate speech.

[OrmIrian]

It's shameful, totally shameful!

[OrmIrian]

It's almost a default reaction to a women voicing an unpopular opinion - the violent, mysogynistic language.

[SardineQueen]

trisha I have never voted tory either!

I just don't see how we're ever going to get women's interests on the agenda when everything is run by men though.

[startail]

What struck me as ironic is the photo's alongside the article.

Almost all female celebs, several of them in bikinis. One discussing looking sexy when pregnant.

Utterly inappropriate to the main article.

[Lottapianos]

SardineQueen, that is a really interesting question and I can see where someone might be coming from with the suggestion that we should vote for women over men every time with the intention of getting more women to the top. It would be a wonderful thing to watch PMQs, Question Time or similar and see equal numbers of male and female faces and to feel that women were being represented more fairly, at least by number.

However, I'm with trishawisha in that I could never imagine voting Tory under any circumstances. I think it's perfectly possible for a woman MP (or PM for that matter!) to be just as destructive as a male MP and that sadly, not all women have a sense of solidarity with other women.

[SardineQueen]

it's an idea not a direction!

I did it yesterday and put a woman at the top followed by the candidate i wanted.

I don't think I could bring myself to vote tory either.

But - and again an idea not a direction! - what if the choice was between a tory woman who seemed to care about and understand things that matter to women, and a leftie man who seemed to be a sexist? Imagine there are no other options... What then?

[grimbletart]

I would always vote for the person on the basis of their policies, aims and ideas.

I would never ever vote for a person on the basis of their sex and I have been a feminist since my childhood.

[SardineQueen]

Yes and I totally get that.

I have been persuaded though that by doing that, women will never gain equal representation.

TBH I have always voted on party political lines rather than on the person - I have no idea what my local tories policies, aims and ideas are for our borough. Even if a tory in the local elections was saying things that I agreed with I'd not put an X next to them.

What about quotas? Anyone think those are a good idea?

[MrsBethel]

What is this, the 1980s?

I suppose it's handy that some of the dickheads out there choose to advertise their dickhead-ness so clearly via Twitter. What a bunch of f&%ing s%$&:!ds.

[grimbletart]

Even if a tory in the local elections was saying things that I agreed with I'd not put an X next to them.

Sounds like you are a victim of conditioning Sardine especially if the Labour candidate was a misogynist knob - are you really sure you would vote for him simply because he is not a wicked Tory but only a misogynistic twit? Not sure how that would help women.......

Personally, I quite often vote for a different party member at the local elections than at the general election - on the basis that they have done a good job for the community and especially if they are not what I call a knee-jerk politician i.e. my party right or wrong.

[BasilEatsFoulEggs]

I think quotas are a necessity.

Men have had quotas for years; 100% male only shortlists. Because of that, women aren't competing on an even playing field. We simply have to level it.

No-one's going to tell me that that would lower the quality of candidates and have me believe them. I do not believ that women are on average less capable and competent than men. I also don't believe that it's possible to get a female candidate who is going to be even more of a nobber than some of the men who stand for councils and parliament, like this particular nobber. Nobody has said about this nobber: "the reason he has made such a crass and woman-hating remark, is because he is a man, this proves that we need to make sure we're more careful about what men we let in to the candidate lists".

Men are allowed to make mistakes, people will take a risk on a man. Quotas would ensure that women are treated the same way.

[SardineQueen]

I didn't answer my own hypothetical question though!

In that situation I think I would have to abstain.

Fortunately there are always more than 2 choices!!!

[catsareevil]

Louise Mensch isnt above insulting others who dont agree with her...

[SardineQueen]

Does she threaten to smash their faces in with a hammer?