Twitter - what an absolute cesspit

[ImaSababa]

I had to deactivate my account last night. I feel like an absolute coward for doing so, and I will probably reactivate at some point. But wow...

I happened to comment on a post from Planned Parenthood, expressing disappointment at their use of non-female specific wording regarding abortion. Within minutes I'd been attacked by a legion of TRAs with manga profile photos. One delightful specimen managed to find my work website, and launched an attack there.

I should have stayed to fight, but I just feel like I'm too old and too weary to be waging war with little twits on social media.

Anyone else left Twitter, or gone back to fight the good fight??

No absolutely not. I just think if 20 women have already replied saying "this is stupid and offensive" then we don't need another 200 to pile in afterwards.

Yes we do, sadly we need women to speak up, the more solidarity the better. The more voices against the abusive, misogynistic, threatning voices the better.

Fair enough. It's interesting to hear the other side of the argument.

I despite Twitter. I think it makes people crazy and ill. It's shocking to see even professional academics get pulled into pile ons who just lose it. It's honestly a good thing that you have cut it out from your life. I joined Twitter a couple of years ago to talk about the medical ethics implications of the Alfie Evans case - it's something that I had a professional interest in at the time, and I thought I could help correct some conspiracy theories that were going on at the time. I had to leave after a couple of weeks because I got so many targeted rape and death threats. It was utterly miserable.

I think Twitter is excellent in bringing out the worst in people. It seems to be very good for brewing dramatic arguments rather than sensible debate.

I used to follow some academics in the field of work I’m in but after seeing them argue constantly and even take breaks from Twitter themselves for their own health, I deleted my account. These people would not talk to each other like this in real life.

These people would not talk to each other like this in real life

...just like those daft drivers who turn into nutters behind the wheel.

I wouldn't join in a dog pile on an individual, but I think companies and organisations need to know that TRAs don't hold the majority viewpoint. (I know there is still an individual behind a company twitter account!)

Long live ratios!

Someone will post something stupid and egregious about "uterus owners" or whatever and you'll see hundreds of women replying.

Do you have an alternative course of action for us? Or should we be good girls and just put up and shut up?

I do know what you mean @twoHopes. I think it's good to challenge it, but it's a fine line to walk before we end up looking a bit like the MRAs (never, ever as bad). I'm not sure what the answer is. Probably the only answer is the end of Twitter! But do we stay and make sure our voices are heard, or give in and give them nothing to react to? I wonder what the best approach is. I do take heart from the amazing people sharing good information on the topic.

I left Twitter last Christmas and made it my New Year Resolution to not go back and I've not missed it since. I will follow links from here on occasion but I no longer engage.

The only SM I use now is Mumsnet an I'm comfortable with that.

@SunsetBeetch

I wouldn't join in a dog pile on an individual, but I think companies and organisations need to know that TRAs don't hold the majority viewpoint. (I know there is still an individual behind a company twitter account!)

Yup, companies need to be called out on it. We are making our views known, it's important.

I don't comment on private individuals threads because it's not going to make any difference and I don't like pile ons.

I do comment, however, on public figure accounts eg politician, celebs and anyone with influence if their views are misinformed or/and misogynistic.

Do you have an alternative course of action for us? Or should we be good girls and just put up and shut up?

There is a balance to found between "put up and shut up" and "mass pile-on"...! I do take the argument that the more voices there are the more this doesn't look like a "fringe opinion" anymore. But the risk is that your random observer on Twitter sees a massive dog pile over something seemingly fairly innocuous and thinks "well that was pretty nasty!".

Obviously I don't think we should put up and shut up. I'm pretty sure my MP's email inbox would disagree that I've been putting up and shutting up about this.

I am always so glad when I see all the GC women piling on to rubbish all the charities and businesses that have fallen under the woke spell. Very heart-warming. Keep up the good work.

We seem to be in the Middle Ages with better technology

I am always so glad when I see all the GC women piling on to rubbish all the charities and businesses that have fallen under the woke spell

I think when it's charities or businesses or politicians then I think you're right. I guess I have mixed reactions when it's an individual as I know what it's like to be in the other end of a pile on and it's a pretty horrible experience.

Interesting to hear everyone's views on this though.

I think journalists and MPs and business people need to get the fuck off twitter too, and start living in the real world again

This x a million. It's so artificial. Watch The Social Dilemma.

No absolutely not. I just think if 20 women have already replied saying "this is stupid and offensive" then we don't need another 200 to pile in afterwards.

We have to, or it looks like people don't care. Their cause definitely has the weight of numbers of people virtue signalling. We can't afford to let them set the terms of the debate.

I just had a pop on there after posting here earlier, to see how Ann Sinnott is getting on-saw Rosie Duffield trending and all the pitchfork wielders still out in force demanding a public burning 🙄 Toxic little bullies.

Wasn't it because she liked Piers Morgan's tweet that said 'do you mean women?'. Were they all baying for Piers' blood, or, like Rosie Duffield, do they know who the women really are and who to attack?

Now my blood is boiling again...

It's bad for your mental health. It's essentially brainwashing - absorbing the repeated thoughts of other people.
That said, you can curate your timeline, mute conversations, mute or block people, mute key words, and generally take control of what level you engage.
My mute list extensive.
And I don't get into arguments. No one's ever won a 'debate' on twitter.

Now my blood is boiling again...

The problem is that Twitter is designed exactly to provoke this reaction. It's a rage machine by design not by accident. There's a reason the buttons are "like"/"retweet"/"comment" and not "agree"/"respectfully disagree"...!

I agree that companies deserve pile-ons when they use anti-women language. They do it for woke points, and because they think that it will benefit them in marketing terms to jump onto the woke bandwagon.

They deserve to have it pointed out to them that misogyny will cost them, and that they will lose customers, potential customers and sales because of their stance. A handful of women cannot achieve this. Twitter ratios can help achieve this. I reserve particular scorn for companies who are heavily reliant on female customers, yet still try to be woke (Lush, Body Shop, Tampax etc)

On the other hand, pile-ons to an individual are counter-productive. The person feels bullied, and her mates rally round to tell her we’re all bigots anyway. We don’t win anyone over doing this. I’m thinking of examples like when Cariad Lloyd used the term “bleeder” (why, Cariad?) and the resulting pile-on just made her double down.

IME pile ons for individuals just entrench views and make things even more polarised. Which is great for twitter, but not so great for anyone else (except trolls)

I remember tweeting someone who I 99% agreed with but had a tiny niggle with something they said, someone I had a huge amount of respect for and thought I'd sent them a really calm tweet, they reacted angrily and defensively. At first I was offended until I realised they were in the midst of a pile on, and of course my tweet just felt like another bit of abuse - no matter my intent.

@Backbee

No absolutely not. I just think if 20 women have already replied saying "this is stupid and offensive" then we don't need another 200 to pile in afterwards.

Yes we do, sadly we need women to speak up, the more solidarity the better. The more voices against the abusive, misogynistic, threatning voices the better.

I agree with that which is why I joined twitter earlier this year after the JKR storm - I just wanted ppl to see that women who are concerned about trans ideology aren't in the minority.

I also agree that it's bad for your mental health which is why I avoided before now - it's like AIBU on steroids, somehow brings out the worst in a lot of ppl. Plus the negative effect of constantly being labelled 'bigot' 't**f' and the DARVO tactics from TAs can't be underestimated.

On the other hand, I've come across some great humour and creativity and had fun chats on other topics with other gc types. It can feel like a nice community at times.

I've already managed to get suspended 3 times and currently on a total ban while they consider my case - my crime? Opining that a male trans person shouldn't have been included in a scheme to get more Women into politics.

I keep meaning to leave and stop spending so much time on there so they'd be doing me a favour if they refuse to lift the ban!

Agree with the poster who said journalists, MPs etc need to get off twitter. The main news BBC and Sky often report that there's a twitter storm as if it's of huge significance when in fact it's a few thousand zealous people just shouting at each other online.

I hate Twitter with an utter passion - I deleted my account this week after challenging one of the people I work with on their interpretation of the Equality Act. I was very, very careful in the way I phrased it but they are a new employee whom I do not know well and I do not trust them not to go and check my Twitter for who I follow. And as I still need my job, Twitter had to go. I don't need Twitter to do my job.

People I know who appear quite sensible in real life seem to cast off all sense when they get on Twitter. It's a moot point whether they're revealing what's actually inside their heads or whether it's performative to earn woke points.