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The reality of sexism in the UK today - bank note campaigner forced into hiding

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Original post by Fullofsurprises
Caroline Criado-Perez, the graduate student who led the campaign to ask the Bank of England to feature at least one woman on the banknotes, has been forced to leave her home by large numbers of death threats, threats of sexual violence and other threats - she is now living at a guest house under her boyfriend's name.
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/aug/04/caroline-criado-perez-twitter-rape-threats

The reality of sexism in the UK - not some abstract discussion about lad mags, but harsh threatening behaviour dished out to a female student who has the temerity to win a battle to have the authorities recognise women in a public way. She's a really good person and her family have been through a lot - she deserves better.

Britain has a long way to go to modernise its attitudes.


Why the hell are you making this an issue of sexism? The issues are online threats and harassment, not sexism. Don't make this into an issue it is not. Even if it was a 100 different people, it doesn't show that Britain needs to change or is inherently sexist. Have you been completely oblivious to the total condemnation across the media and by famous figures of this?

The one thing that pissed me off about the news coverage of this was that all headlines were concerned with women getting abuse on twitter, because clearly it is only a woman's issue.

Urgh.
Original post by DaveSmith99
Welcome to twitter, the website where everyone even slightly in the public eye receives death threats for basically anything.

I also don't think you will find anyone arguing against how wrong and disgusting this is. What people will argue against is feminists attacking harmless things like lads mags for no reason and just throwing around the latest feminist buzzwords along with no proof or logic.

The thing is, when you are dealing with people who have far more power and influence than you, there aren't really many other ways to express your anger other than over the internet. So while in this case the reaction is unjustified, in a lot of cases the backlash should be sensitively taken as a symbol of public anger about feminist-superiority policies.
Original post by ThatPerson


The one thing that pissed me off about the news coverage of this was that all headlines were concerned with women getting abuse on twitter, because clearly it is only a woman's issue.

Urgh.


This, I thought that was completely disgraceful. Lots of people get abuse on Twitter, it certainly is not just a "women's issue".
I think there's a difference between normal trolling and what those people did (harassment) I find normal trolling amusing, I mean stuff like the rate me threads or the oxbridge is the meaning of life posts etc. I mean ISA was a troll, but I don't think that she incited violence or threatened to rape people. I mean that's just messed up. Also not all trolls are guys. And not all trolls threaten people or make fun of dead people etc.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by Whowhatwhere
I think there's a difference between normal trolling and what those people did. I find normal trolling amusing, I mean stuff like the rate me threads or the oxbridge is the meaning of life posts etc. I mean ISA was a troll, but I don't think that she incited violence or threatened to rape people. I mean that's just messed up. Also not all trolls are guys. And not all trolls threaten people or make fun of dead people etc.


Different types of trolls, some only care about a reaction, at any cost.
Reply 45
I completely disagree with her campaign, I mean, you don't just replace Darwin because you want a woman on the bank note. Especially not a fiction writer. I don't think it's fair that someone gets automatic rights to have their face on a bank note purely because they are a woman, they should earn their place and prove themselves better. Having said that, I completely agree that the woman campaigning for it shouldn't be treated the way she is. No-one should get treated that way.
don't know, im not campaigning for it but is there any need for all these wannabe alpha males crying about it? even if it does change, will it affect you? Will you feel oppressed? If the answer is no then good on you, you are more logical than these feminazis and you should be proud of that.
Original post by ThatPerson
Why the hell are you making this an issue of sexism? The issues are online threats and harassment, not sexism. Don't make this into an issue it is not. Even if it was a 100 different people, it doesn't show that Britain needs to change or is inherently sexist. Have you been completely oblivious to the total condemnation across the media and by famous figures of this?

The one thing that pissed me off about the news coverage of this was that all headlines were concerned with women getting abuse on twitter, because clearly it is only a woman's issue.

Urgh.


For someone who studies at Oxford I expected better.
Reply 48
BS issue.

In what why does society become less sexist if there is a woman on a bank note ?
Original post by shadowdweller
What people don't seem to get is that it's possible to focus on issues happening here and elsewhere. It's not a case of one or the other

Posted from TSR Mobile


But do you not think just wanting "a woman on a banknote" for the sake of female representation is actually pretty sexist? The achievements she has don't matter at all as long as she has a vagina?
It's extremely saddening to see that even in a supposedly civilised, modern country, women who dare to speak out about equality are still screamed down as feminazis and subject to the most horrific abuse. While I don't agree that a woman NEEDS to be on a banknote, I can understand her view, and there is certainly no justification for abusing her in such a vile way.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by kidomo
For someone who studies at Oxford I expected better.

He's right. You look like a fool for making that remark.
Original post by Unkempt_One
He's right. You look like a fool for making that remark.


I think kidomo was referring to the OP, but I'm not sure.
Has she opened her eyes recently?
The ยฃ5 note has like 14 women on it. Not to mention the the queen is on every bank note.
On a side note why Jane Austen... Why not Rosalind Franklin etc?
Original post by Chief Wiggum
But do you not think just wanting "a woman on a banknote" for the sake of female representation is actually pretty sexist? The achievements she has don't matter at all as long as she has a vagina?


The initial argument stemmed from the fact that the only woman on a bank note (excluding the queen, because that's a different matter) was replaced, despite the fact that many of the men had been on their respective notes for longer

I think putting a woman on for the sake of it is ridiculous, but there are many women whose achievements qualify her to be on a note

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Whowhatwhere
On a side note why Jane Austen... Why not Rosalind Franklin etc?


i mentioned this in the other thread, but i never got an answer,,,
Original post by Fullofsurprises
Caroline Criado-Perez, the graduate student who led the campaign to ask the Bank of England to feature at least one woman on the banknotes, has been forced to leave her home by large numbers of death threats, threats of sexual violence and other threats - she is now living at a guest house under her boyfriend's name.
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/aug/04/caroline-criado-perez-twitter-rape-threats

The reality of sexism in the UK - not some abstract discussion about lad mags, but harsh threatening behaviour dished out to a female student who has the temerity to win a battle to have the authorities recognise women in a public way. She's a really good person and her family have been through a lot - she deserves better.

Britain has a long way to go to modernise its attitudes.


How about we introduce an effective method of policing the Internet to stop trolls. This isn't the only example we've seen. You call it sexism. I call it trolls using the Internet to do harm. This is no different to those sick F**kers who leave abusive messages on RIP face book pages. That's your problem here. Not sexism.
Original post by Chief Wiggum
I think kidomo was referring to the OP, but I'm not sure.


I was referring to OP.

I see you're a Cambridge student... it is not surprising to see why you guys still remain at the top and above Oxford! I'm just kidding! (to oxford students)
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by Chief Wiggum
I think kidomo was referring to the OP, but I'm not sure.


It was the OP, I'm not even at university :tongue:

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