Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Harassment of poet Jenny Lindsay raises questions about the impact of online spaces on freedom for all writers

7 replies

stumbledin · 09/02/2021 16:35

We know its not right to harrrass women but we dont want to upset trans activists so we wrote this wibbley wobbley statement. Confused
scottishpen.org/scottish-pen-statement-on-the-online-harassment-of-jenny-lindsay/

OP posts:
Genesis1v27 · 09/02/2021 19:28

It could potentially be a good statement of intent from Scottish PEN. Braver than might have been expected in some ways. Unfortunately it doesn't clearly acknowledge where the awful "sustained online smearing and harassment" against Jenny Lindsay is coming from and why, and who is causing writers to not "feel confident in their ability to express themselves without fear of harassment or violence." Such threats must be condemned without equivocation or hesitation, and can never have a justification, regardless of the merits of an issue.

Until PEN recognise that, they won't understand that there can never be a "healthy literary culture," or a healthy society for that matter, when appalling behaviour from unhealthy elements is tolerated and not condemned.

PEN should be defending freedom of expression for writers without exception. A line like "It is important to recognise when writing stretches beyond offence and can cause real harm to others, and work needs to be done to stem the perpetuation of hatred online" suggests Scottish PEN aren't quite there yet.

aweegc · 09/02/2021 19:36

"It is important to recognise when writing stretches beyond offence and can cause real harm to others, and work needs to be done to stem the perpetuation of hatred online"

Perhaps PEN needs to run workshops on how to read literary texts you don't like and then just carry on with normal life?

notyourhandmaid · 09/02/2021 20:29

"When writing stretches beyond offence and can cause real harm to others" is a good description of the celebrating-violence-towards-women tweets that Lindsay objected to, if only they'd made that connection.

ArabellaScott · 09/02/2021 21:09

It's a start.

They've already been condemned for making it, on Twitter.

Beamur · 09/02/2021 21:43

It's pretty wordy but I think the sentiment is good. I think the recognition that sometimes a situation requires a more measured response and time is particularly apposite.

highame · 10/02/2021 07:35

www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-are-trans-activists-and-a-bookstore-trying-to-cancel-me-

This in the Spectator today about Julie Bindel being cancelled

New posts on this thread. Refresh page