"A woman's opinion is the miniskirt of the internet"

[HedleyLamarr]

I posted this in Feminism [brave emoticon], and someone has suggested putting it in AIBU.

So, I was sent a link to this article in the Independent. Your thoughts/ideas are much appreciated .

And what did Kathy Sierra do?

I wonder how our feminists feel about the death threats sent to Erin Prizzey by feminists.

Pizzey not Prizzey

Apologies for seemingly abandoning this thread. I went to bed, and had a lovely kip. Squeaky and Worra, as I say in my OP it was suggested I post the article here. Did any of you read the original thread? I linked to it in my 2nd post. Narky has already linked this article which has comments from female bloggers that are, quite frankly, blood chilling. How would you like an email saying you should be raped? That has your address on it? Why are threats like this not hate crimes?
I am not posting this because I'm a feminist. Other posters who recognise my nn might chuckle at that. I honestly thought it was worthy of discussion, and your input, whatever your viewpoint, is much appreciated.

"Eleanor, do you and the other feminists get some sort of sneaky thrill when you type these things.. I ask, because it only seems to be the feminists who seem to repeatedly type out things about "cocks" etc... "

I notice squeaky quickly pitched in with the puerile, sexually-orientated ad hominem attack...guess it serves to further underline the original post.

Incidentally squeaky, what, exactly was the point of your post? Was it an attempt to derail the thread into "let's all snigger at the the sex-starved feminists, the closest they getb to cock is typing it on their keyboard"

Next you'll be telling us that we should be grateful for the rape threats...after all, it might be our one and only chance to get laid.

FFS

quietlyafraid

How the fuck is calling someone 'ginger' in any way equivalent to rape threats?

Poor little men, they get all the horror of being called 'ginger' and 'shortarse', while we get off lightly with the offers of rape and torture. I'm glad I'm a woman as I don't think I'd be able to cope with the trauma of having my hair colour pointed out to me.

"While I won't deny that almost all bloggers attract some extremely inflammatory comments and LGBT or non-white ones have their own special fan clubs too there is something distinct, identifiable and near-universal about the misogynist hate directed at women online."

From the New York Post article.

"As women gain visibility in the blogosphere, they are targets of sexual harassment and threats. Men are harassed too, and lack of civility is an abiding problem on the Web. But women, who make up about half the online community, are singled out in more starkly sexually threatening terms"

-From the Washington Post article.

That is pretty much exactly what I said the author of the article in OP should have written! I suspect this thread would have been far more interesting had either of those two articles been in the OP rather than the poorly-argued article that was linked to bemoaning how internet abuse in general is a problem that only affects women.

Not a gender issue. ANYONE who posts on the internet gets abuse. Author is attention seeking and annoying.

I am SO sick of hearing on MN how hard / terrible / much worse things are for poor old women.

Think of yourselves as victims if that's what you like to do, but from where I am standing being a woman rocks, I wouldn't swap it for the world and tbh I have found being female an asset not a burden or something to overcome.

All this moaning about how everything's harder for women and everthings's a big issue for women and it's different for women gets right on my nerves.

Well said Catgirl. I also find the abuse that feminist women give to other women who do not agree with their viewpoint to be quite disturbing really.

It is a gender issue, if the threats you receive relate specifically to your gender.

It is a gingerism issue if the threats you receive relate to having red hair.

There are ignorant tosspots all over the internet with their own particular bete noires.

There seem to be an awful lot of nasty foamers who hate women.

Some of them go far enoujgh to cross over into RL, how are you supposed to know who'll stop at intimidation and who will do worse?
It's a bigger problem than anti-ginger sentiment, imo.

Incidentally, I find it odd when people try and do Gotcha! by saying a feminist did something wrong once so whaddya think about that! what point is that supposed to make? We're not all the same - that's a basic premise of any anti-discrimination movement.

what abuse squeaky? do feminists who disagree with you get your address and threaten to call round and rape you?

I'd like to see an example of feminist abuse on this thread - I don't think you can point it out.

For anyone who is convinced it's no different for men and women, the New Statesman article about this is interesting: one of the writers, Jane Fae, says:

'I write for a range of national press and magazines - with pieces in some of them that are blogs in all but name. I also write a blog that started out as something aimed at the trans community, but has lately expanded to take in issues around sex, sexuality and feminism. Oh. I am also, as that horrid phrase has it, a "woman of trans history".
So I am in the fairly unique position of having written under both genders - and having sight of my e-mail postbag as male and female. There IS a marked difference. In fact, when I first started to notice the difference, I was quite shocked.
First off, even the nice comments seem at some level to be more personal. I won't say I never got strongly dissenting views before I transitioned: but there was usually, mostly, some appeal to the rational argument underlying. Not so much any more, as many of those critical of what I have to say seem far readier to reach for the personal attack: the implication that I only say what I say because I am a woman. Or, as one politely put it, "an ugly woman".'

There's no doubt that men too can get horrible and aggressive responses, but the nature of the threats made to women and men is very different.

She doesn't say worse though. She just says "different" and "more personal".

Wow - just read LP's article - poor woman to receive such abuse, totally over the top ( why does she waste her time reading it? )

She's right though, having an opinion people don't like ( whether you're male or female ) is a real eye opener. keyboard warriors are ruthless, and pathetic.

i was struck by a comment by one of the pundits on the News Quiz describing Teresa May as 'appears to be a woman - in fact a Stepford Wife with the sole function of pleasuring right-wing financial mismanagers'

it was quite unlike the tone of the whole programme - i was struggling to think of similar vitriol directed at Cameron and Cleg
obviously as soon as women dare to have an opinion they become 'non-women' 'non-people' to their attackers..........

I think theses articles we've been linked to are ALL awful,why turn it into a pissing up the wall contest, as to who gets more insults men or women/gay or straight?

The level of hatred towards many posters on the internet is just and very very

I'm all for free & open speech, and I realise the internet by it's anonymity allows language & opinions to be expressed that wouldn't normally be use face to face,therefore difficult to police.

However when the posters personal details are used in threatening and downright vile abusive terms such that the poster feels his/her personal security is threatened, then that is wrong on many levels. Doesn't matter whether or not we like said journo/columnist,, it is wrong.

How we stop it however is another matter.

Thanks Headley for a thread that's very thought-provoking.

Agree. It's wrong.

It isn't a competition as to who get the worse abuse. Any abuse that is threatening and uses personal details etc should be stopped and dealt with. Regardless of who its aimed at.

Agree BB22 - I've seen some pretty shocking attacks on here (and other parenting sites) Abuse is abuse - it's not reserved for high profile journalists.

Anyone's fair game to some people.

I do wonder if it's part of the general feeling of unrest, frustration, hardship,anger,deprivation (real or felt) that seems to be prevalent at the moment with life being tough for many.

SO much anger & nastiness around, I think maybe there are some people who unleash their darker sides on the internet as a form of lashing out because they can't do it in RL.

No excuse of course, just thinking outloud...