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In reply to the discussion: The chilling effect of misogynistic trolls [View all]The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)When someone is new to a group it does raise suspicion - right or wrong. If the only discussion you jump into is a contentious one like that and bringing up a report from a rw site (even if you don't know it's origins) people tend to be leery of it. For me, it depends less on where something originated if it is well written/researched/or just plain interesting to talk about (most people don't have the temperature of every single site, and see I literally hundreds a day). I don't think it is always hide worthy (again, depends on context, seen plenty of stuff over on discussionist from whacked out sites, and while I may call such out I generally think it is important to back that up with more than 'consider the source' - unless it is someone I have a posting history with, we have discussed it before, etc).
And that takes me back to the Ferguson issue. I get the impression (after three paranoid accusations in one day!) that a newbie posting about the shooting pattern of the Ferguson cop would be immediately perceived as a troll and banned as such
That may well be - but as I said, some people are leery of people who don't add much more to the entire discussion than one, contentious view when there are a plethora of things (abuse of power, racism, over reaction by cops, etc). I would expect you would find the same sort of thing on a right leaning site when it comes to new posters.
The Spiderwoman post was interesting to read for that reason. I didn't get involved in that because I don't read comics and, quite frankly, was a little afraid of that thread. However, it was pretty clear that the picture, while appearing to be a typical Spiderman type pose, was also overtly sexual in ways that the Spiderman poses were not. The question is whether or not people who saw it differently were being actively misogynist or if they really didn't perceive how the picture could be offensive. Sometimes, that's a rough call. That doesn't take anything away from the feminists pointing out the arched back, the obsession with the butt; it all depends on whether or not you think someone is acting in bad faith or not.
Pointing out you find something to be sexist and telling people who don't fully agree with you that they hate women (misogyny) are two different things. People are gonna disagree, especially when they have seen other comics where males have had the same poses. If someone is critical of the whole Ferguson narrative I don't think it means they hate black people and have no interest in the subject of racism in general. We see things differently for a lot of reasons. Being an x cop myself I see the story in a different way to some extent than others might, a minority who has been harassed by cops has their views, and so on. Discussion and disagreement are part of parcel of many topics.
I was reading Home and Away magazine earlier today and noticed an ad with an elderly white man and white woman, his arm around her - the ad was about a free cell phone for emergency calls, etc. Leafing through the mag I didn't notice any with black people. No apparently gay people (ie, elderly man with his arm around another, etc). Another had a man and his daughter smiling sitting on the tail gate of their mini van, nicely dressed, really nice stuff in the car. It appears the magazine is aimed at older white people who have disposable income and not poor people, minorities (Indians, blacks, and so on). As an aside, on the cell phone ad, I was reminded how the right harps on black people and Obama phones - here a free phone is something you should want, etc.
Now, if someone else looked at the magazine and told me I was over thinking it, that it was targeted to a specific group and based on subscribers it only made sense - I might disagree with them, and could argue over it, but it doesn't mean I would be fair to label them racist/etc.
I don't know for sure. But often I think that misogyny is not taken terribly seriously in our world and that message boards reflect that.
On FB and elsewhere I have seen something we call 'obama derangement syndrome' where no matter what he does someone is mad about it. I'll have friends post the stupidest and often fake crap they find on the net and believe it. If I disagree I am commie loving liberal, hate America, etc, and have lost a few friends over not agreeing with them and being as upset about Obama as they are. There is a lot of sexism in this world, and indeed misogyny (again, along with racism, class-ism, etc). Labeling every single person who does not fully agree with you a woman hater tends to water things down. And then when people have a difference of opinion on the subject with you and you label them that, it simply fuels the whole 'this place is filled with it'. Not everyone who isn't upset with Obama hates America, and not everyone who isn't outraged over a magazine cover hates women and wants to keep them down.