News item about Mumsnet trolls and Liz Fraser

[paddEpower]

Apparently a "parenting writer".
Anyone read it?

So to check I’ve got this right- this is a woman who is a writer, and the thing she writes about is her own life, her relationships and her children. That’s the product. She’s written 4 books about her life/experiences, as well as newspaper columns where the topic has been her talking about her life and children.

But she is then shocked and upset to discover that people are interested in her life and family?

Or is the shock that people will read her own words and think she’s made bad decisions?

By writing about her own life experiences, she was putting her life up for being judged, the confidence this woman must have to have expected that judgment to be entirely positive.

I think, to be balanced her point is that it's gone beyond general interest to absolutely obsessing and saying when people have seen her and where she lives and stuff which I think probably is a little de trop.
I certainly wouldn't go looking on places like tattle for what's there about me why would you? Just move on

I don't think either I'd post sexy pics of parts of my body, but hey, I'm old-fashioned

Not to be too obsessive myself (and have never posted on tattle) but even though that poster went too far, the point was that Liz Fraser was teasing her followers by suggesting she might be in Venice with a lover, rather than her little girl. Or would a better word be taunting? There had been plenty of suggestive comments about whom she might be with from Liz herself, deliberately stirring up speculation. Kathleen Stock is right - it’s a strange sort of codependent relationship she’s got going on there with her followers. Like all influencers I guess!

Most people have never heard of her. I think that must annoy her.

Seems so.

@LilyRoseCarnation La Fraser is very good at implying something is happening when it really isn't. I definitely remember the Venice trip - the implication being she was off on a romantic break. Being spotted on her own with her daughter seemed somewhat contra to the narrative. The rage at being found out doesn't seem to have abated, and we're about 3 years in.

I've seen the message on the other place - can the bananas be sent via MN?

I've read the mumsnet threads she references. They were disguised as a thread about creative writing to get past the mumsnet talk guidelines. She's right in saying that the level of energy, sleuthing, 'inside knowledge' and vitriol was alarming. While a certain amount of discussion and criticism is to be expected and taken on the chin, this was a day by day character assassination by people who seemed to have made it an all consuming past-time.

I remember thinking that that their relentless scrutiny made the subject's slightly annoying Instagram posts of her legs seem almost innocent. At least she was getting some fresh air. I think the police might be more interested than some posters think, given that this 'interest' seems to have extended into impersonating her and her business. That is quite shocking.

I don't pick up any rage from the article she's written but if she was angry, I'd understand why.

Could you pm me please I might have something for you 😊

Same here.

I dont want to kick a woman when shes down, but seriously?

I still have the voice note I sent to a friend that evening. “I can’t any more,” my voice shakes. Where can I go to have peace?

Slowly I started to let the poison I was drinking on those websites get into my blood,

This is the state that a lot of people who live in ‘the online space’ get into. They talk/write shit about others, big themselves up, use photographs of themselves and their DC to seemingly taunt others into speculating/obsessing about them and buying whatever it is they’re selling, and then get upset when they become an object of others’ attentions.

These ‘influencers’ are not elected public officials, they are not Heads of State or his/her representatives, they are not front-line workers just doing a job.

They grift, they hustle. Maybe some do it with a bit more class than others, but it’s still the same game with the same shitty rules. The only winning strategy is not to play.

They write and post about themselves to 'seemingly taunt' others into becoming obsessed with them?

That's a reach.

If you're writing and posting about yourself, someone who deeply dislikes you may perceive the fact that you're putting yourself out there as exasperating and provocative. It doesn't mean that you are deliberately taunting or provoking them at all, nor does it justify bullying.

Yes, I totally agree about the deliberate attacks on her business ventures, though they do seem to be a hell of a lot of them

Id I found a subreddit about me or tattle. I'd join in 😀

I'm another one who'd only heard of the actress (RIP).

Is she a bit Jack Munroe? Constructs and sells a narrative about her life where she and her lifestyle are the product to be consumed?

The only Liz Fraser I've heard of was the actress. She died some years ago. Never heard of this one.

She always does the same things in the same cycle and the cycle is far too short for her always to be making dramatic “that’s it, I’ve changed” announcements. She’s always bellyaching about stalkers, always making her accounts public, private, public , private; always loved up, no, strong and single; starting a business, never delivering. She is like the 5 year old at à family gathering who is always getting up and announcing a “turn” but has forgotten to learn a song or a poem and just simpers. Everyone forgives her for a while, but eventually one person rolls their eyes and she has a massive tantrum that “everyone is being mean”. Look, love, everyone else getting up has learnt to do something: you could do the same

Wow. I can see what she means actually. You care weird amounts.

@Notabarbie The threads were taken down years ago. One or two were put in 'creative writing' on account of a lot of what was being posted by Ms Fraser was 'creative'. I think most people got the humour, without it having to be explained to them.

I don't really think the police will be particularly interested, and I suspect the impersonation claims might be on the creative side, too.

But I totally agree with the Kathleen Stock summary about not being a massive show-off if you don't want people to comment. So true.

I think what really upset people in the beginning was when women who had very little money themselves fell for her sad narrative and sent her money; then saw her flaunt a desirable lifestyle of involving lots of travel, a beautiful flat in Venice and all the carefully curated sexy shots next to her parents glistening swimming pool.

i enjoyed her book but then it became clear that some of it was in the ‘recollections may vary’ category. Her ex whose reputation she had completely destroyed had no right of reply so it only seemed fair that others put his side of the story.

i once wrote a book that had a couple of nasty reviews, I made the classic mistake of engaging and getting riled which only made things much worse. By amplifying her ‘trolling’ she may just make it much worse.

Seems there was some sort of legal injunction too

Hmmmm the threads were hidden because they kept being removed and you know it.

You have no reason to suspect she's making the impersonation claims up other than a disinclination to believe you've alligned yourself with bullies.

More like no reason other than she's lied her arse off to grift her living for bloody years 😂

When someone repeatedly lies, I would generally be looking for evidence of any claims they make.

I suspect her "trolls made fake bookings and it's due to those mean people on the interwebs" is more along the lines of people booking and not turning up - which happens in EVERY industry. It's why business charge deposits for any booking that has an upfront cost to the business.

Or maybe those "fake bookings" actually changed their minds after looking at her Instagram feed and realising they didn't want to learn writing from a "writer" who continually posts thirst shots of her legs, and of her upper torso covered in yoghurt, watermelon juice and god knows what else.

RhinoORhine here u are lovey - no one could get hold of you.

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Erm, incorrect. They weren't hidden at all. I know they were put in Creative Writing because La Fraser's writing is so creative. I know this because I started the first one for that very reason. And very funny it was too. The entire thread. The creativity of the posters was fabulous. What a great sisterhood we had on here, calling out the bullshit and supporting women who had been hurt in real life by Fraser.

Some of the scolds who swarmed were even funnier. (Though they lacked the sense of humour and writing abilities of the Sisterhood of Cleaning Ladies, alas!)