I am totally furious

[luckykaa]

I know shirtstorm is news, but it's been really infuriating me.

Bullying has always been an issue I'm passionate about. I identify with those who speak out and campaign against it. Yet this week, because of a shirt, a mob formed. Hundreds of people weighed in to criticise someones choice of clothing. Telling him he's the reason women aren't going into STEM; that he's a sexist pigdog, that anyone who wears a shirt like this is a sexist pig. Over a shirt! Over what he was wearing. I mean sure, he probably should have been a little more circumspect. Hey, he probably should have covered those tattoos as well since not everyone likes them. He didn't. It was a fairly minor mistake and he didn't deserve the abuse.

Matt Taylor made a mistake. He apologised. The apology was accepted. Those who harrassed him also made a mistake. They are yet to recognise they have even made a mistake. Outside of the small echo chamber that's defending this hrassment, I see comment where people are ashamed to be associated with feminism.

As far as I can see, this is ganging up. I checked the people who are usually socially aware of bullying. A lot of them not only weren't critical of the mob. They were actively joining in! When people say "hey, this is bullying" tweets were disected and analysed and the bullies decided, that what they were doing wasn't bullying. Not one of them even considered the possibility that perhaps this was an overreaction.

When you gang up under a banner and collectively harass a guy over what he wears, then it is bullying. When you drive a man to tears, then it's bullying. The bullies aren't the ones who get to decide what bullying is.

I tried adressing this with other people. My complaints are dimissed.

This is bullying plain and simple, and the worst thing is, it's been defended by those who usually take a stand against bullying. This is the worst kind of hypocrisy. These people have formed a morality police, telling people what they may and may not be offended by. Well, I reject your assessment. This offends me, but the hypocrisy offends me more. Anyone who defends the haters digusts me.

Comments

[cath-er-ine.livejournal.com]

Wow. This post finally made me go and see what the fuss was about. Really? That's it? A T shirt with some half naked ladies on it? *confused*

Of course, everyone's welcome to an opinion. For me, bullying is only bullying when it is a sustained attack. If 20 million people said it was wrong once each does that make it bullying? I'm not sure. Harrassment is obviously wrong though, and from what I can make out this is what has happened.

I don't have all the facts but I can't understand why people are making such a fuss about this when it's apparently fine to create the video games and music videos in the first place. Do these people stand up for the environment or children's or animals' rights as well? Not convinced they have their priorities right!

[flickums.livejournal.com]

Nothing gets my skin up more than bullying. It is the one issue that turns me into a frothing homicidal maniac. I am very protective of the people I care about and will not play nice with anyone who sees them as an easy target.

Now on to the controversial bit.

The big problem with Shirtstorm/Shirtgate/whatever the cool kids are calling it is that with so many people wading in, it makes it very difficult to establish a clear idea of what the situation is.

An example being that shortly before you posted this, a friend argued the point that the original complaints aimed at Taylor were fairly minor, politely worded and quite well constructed. They then went on to point out that the majority of abuse has been aimed at the feminist movement rather than being aimed at Taylor himself (I can pop you a link to this argument via Facebook if it's something you want to read through)

Personally speaking, I have pinups on my walls at home and don't lie awake at night feeling like I'm holding back the sisterhood, nor do I feel ashamed of expressing the fact that I find the female form beautiful.

This guy landed a probe on a comet! Who cares what he wears or how much ink is on his arms? Let him enjoy what he accomplished without making assumptions regarding his gender politics.

[the-smut-fairy.livejournal.com]

That thing's gone that way? I had last read the story on the first day, when it went something like "This aspect of your public appearance seems rather ill-judged" - "Ah, yes, I see what you mean. In hindsight, that was a mistake, and I sincerely apologise". Then taking it beyond "OK then, let's move on" is worrying.

[xenaclone.livejournal.com]

The very same shirt turned up on 'Sky at Night' in a programme about the comet. The scientist in question actually wore several different shirts and is evidently a fan of the Hawaiian type [G].

As long as the shirt doesn't say, I want to kill X' or 'Let's murder puppies' [ono] on TV, anyone has the freedom in the west to wear what the heck they like.