The reality of sexism in the UK today - bank note campaigner forced into hiding
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Original post by deedee123
So do you think these peoples actions towards the women are justified? As you said, it's not a big deal at all, so why the **** are people sending out death threats over it?
Why the hell do people send death threats at all? They're petty, idiotic morons.
Original post by noneofthemknew
No that, isn't implied in the OP as far I can see.There is a big, big difference between disagreeing with someone and sending threatening and abuse messages to them en masse which is what OP is concerned with.
I don't think its fair to base the views of the British people from someone's twitter feed. If we did, then we may as well just say everyone hates everything and just go home and cry ourselves to sleep.
Original post by Drewski
Why the hell do people send death threats at all? They're petty, idiotic morons.
If it was a woman sending death threats to a man, i would feel the same. No one deserves to be treated like that for airing their opinion over something like who should be on a banknote...
I wasn't really for her campaign but this is a sickening thing to happen to a very respectable woman. Nobody deserves to be treated like this, not to mention there was 35,000 people on her side.
I can't help but feel that this move would have been planned years ago, as are all changes to banknotes, and the Bank would have been planning to make this change and feature Jane Austen WELL before this. I thought the campaign set the public perception of many that she is only there because people campaigned to put a woman on it and the achievements were of secondary importance to the fact that she is a woman.
They aren't really comparable. Darwin is one of the most influential people in his field and Austen in hers. Also, the notes have been switched over a number of times, so they're just switching it up to maintain a female presence on the notes. Florence Nightingale was replaced by Charles Dickens, then Dickens by Darwin, so it's not a statement of importance, merely a refreshment.
Austen has probably impacted some people's lives more than Darwin; as they have read a lot more books than study evolution. Austen's influence on literature has arguably spawned as much discussion on the human condition as has Darwin's, they are just in different forms. It's a simple question of the weight one puts on cultural vs scientific development.
May I also point out that this isn't some contest on biggest influence. After you recognise that, the whole meritocracy argument goes out the window because it's just irrelevant. You can argue that some would be better then others but that needs to be done in the context of what is being decided. Darwin was a great man who has revolutionised Biology and has had more impact on my life more than Jane Austin probably ever will.
The decision is who would be the best celebration of British achievement. It's not a contest, it's a celebration. That's why it changes - to celebrate a diversity of achievements.
I can't help but feel that this move would have been planned years ago, as are all changes to banknotes, and the Bank would have been planning to make this change and feature Jane Austen WELL before this. I thought the campaign set the public perception of many that she is only there because people campaigned to put a woman on it and the achievements were of secondary importance to the fact that she is a woman.
They aren't really comparable. Darwin is one of the most influential people in his field and Austen in hers. Also, the notes have been switched over a number of times, so they're just switching it up to maintain a female presence on the notes. Florence Nightingale was replaced by Charles Dickens, then Dickens by Darwin, so it's not a statement of importance, merely a refreshment.
Austen has probably impacted some people's lives more than Darwin; as they have read a lot more books than study evolution. Austen's influence on literature has arguably spawned as much discussion on the human condition as has Darwin's, they are just in different forms. It's a simple question of the weight one puts on cultural vs scientific development.
May I also point out that this isn't some contest on biggest influence. After you recognise that, the whole meritocracy argument goes out the window because it's just irrelevant. You can argue that some would be better then others but that needs to be done in the context of what is being decided. Darwin was a great man who has revolutionised Biology and has had more impact on my life more than Jane Austin probably ever will.
The decision is who would be the best celebration of British achievement. It's not a contest, it's a celebration. That's why it changes - to celebrate a diversity of achievements.
Original post by noneofthemknew
But that isn't the issue being raised here. The issue being raised, regardless of whether you agree with this woman's cause or not, is of how she cannot take up such a cause without being subjected to terrifying abuse.
This.
I am all for equal rights, but I think we need to spend time campaigning for equality for more important equality issues.
That said, this woman should not, under any circumstances, have to face the kind of abuse she is facing simply for raising this issue. It is really sad, and highlights the misogynistic attitude of so many people in our country.
Original post by kittyb99
Only of a regal variety though 
Which is somewhat mandatory, regardless of sex 
Which is somewhat mandatory, regardless of sex Also Elizabeth Fry on the £5 note.
Original post by RunningScotsman
I don't think its fair to base the views of the British people from someone's twitter feed. If we did, then we may as well just say everyone hates everything and just go home and cry ourselves to sleep.
I think OP was referring to how common and largely unchecked such behaviour actually is, not literally asserting that such behaviour is common to all British people. But I guess it's an issue of interpretation.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by deedee123
If it was a woman sending death threats to a man, i would feel the same. No one deserves to be treated like that for airing their opinion over something like who should be on a banknote...
No one should be treated like that, full stop.
And like I've already said, that's not necessarily why she - and others - are getting thr threats. It's simply because they're in the public eye.
Original post by RunningScotsman
Also Elizabeth Fry on the £5 note.
The campaign started because Fry is to be replaced (I can't remember with whom) and this woman thought that out of our 4 bank notes we ought to have at least one which celebrates the achievements of a woman (rather than the fact the queen was born).
Original post by -Neuro-
May I also point out that this isn't some contest on biggest influence. After you recognise that, the whole meritocracy argument goes out the window because it's just irrelevant. You can argue that some would be better then others but that needs to be done in the context of what is being decided. Darwin was a great man who has revolutionised Biology and has had more impact on my life more than Jane Austin probably ever will..
Of course it is not a contest. If it were, there would be only men on the banknotes.
You say it is not a contest. But who is treating it like one? I think in part, Perez. Just read the article:
Criado-Perez was on a roll. Earlier this year, when she discovered that the banishing of Fry would leave no women of achievement on English banknotes, she decided to do something about that, too. "I just thought: 'No, I'm not ****ing having this.'"
Never mind, she won the fight fair and square and the woman that will be put on the banknotes is suitable. No justification for a negative reaction against her.
EDIT: Not to mention the fact that the queen has always been on banknotes although I guess that is a different matter.
EDIT: Not to mention the fact that the queen has always been on banknotes although I guess that is a different matter.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by SmallTownGirl
The campaign started because Fry is to be replaced (I can't remember with whom) and this woman thought that out of our 4 bank notes we ought to have at least one which celebrates the achievements of a woman (rather than the fact the queen was born).
Ah, my mistake, I should have done my research properly
what was the point of it all?! Who really cares about who is on the note? She made an issue out of nothing.
However, I'm not condoning all these threats directed at her! It's absolutely disgusting behavior, and i hope the police deals with them promptly.
However, I'm not condoning all these threats directed at her! It's absolutely disgusting behavior, and i hope the police deals with them promptly.
(edited 10 years ago)
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.
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.
(edited 10 years ago)
it's a bank note, having darwin on it or not wont take away from his amazing achievements one bit. Though it is wrong for this woman to live in fear for the rest of her life because some *******s are getting butthurt to the max.
Original post by Phoebe Buffay
Of course it is not a contest. If it were, there would be only men on the banknotes.
You say it is not a contest. But who is treating it like one? I think in part, Perez. Just read the article:
Criado-Perez was on a roll. Earlier this year, when she discovered that the banishing of Fry would leave no women of achievement on English banknotes, she decided to do something about that, too. "I just thought: 'No, I'm not ****ing having this.'"
You say it is not a contest. But who is treating it like one? I think in part, Perez. Just read the article:
Criado-Perez was on a roll. Earlier this year, when she discovered that the banishing of Fry would leave no women of achievement on English banknotes, she decided to do something about that, too. "I just thought: 'No, I'm not ****ing having this.'"
What makes you say that?
A lot of people have been saying "oh such and such would be better!" or "Darwin deserves it more", "Jane Austin sucks" etc. Perez did treat it like a contest and made it out to a lot of people that Austin was put on the notes to compensate for the fact Fry was taken off them. This big hoo-ha was pointless when the Bank of England hinted Austin was going on them, it's belittled Austin's achievements and once again tarnished what feminism was meant to be.
Original post by ChildishHambino
it's a bank note, having darwin on it or not wont take away from his amazing achievements one bit. Though it is wrong for this woman to live in fear for the rest of her life because some *******s are getting butthurt to the max.
As people have said in this thread, I doubt very much they care about her cause, she's simply "in the news" and they have chosen to give her abuse, like they do regularly to celebrities and/or other newsworthy people.
How often do you hear about a 'nobody' (per sé) being abused in to hiding over twitter?
It's absolutely disgusting and they should be held accountable, but we should take a masssssssive step back from her actual agenda as being the cause.
Original post by DaveSmith99
Welcome to twitter, the website where everyone even slightly in the public eye receives death threats for basically anything.
I think this is an important point.
Loads of celebrities/public figures receive horrible comments on Twitter. That doesn't make it acceptable (of course), but it does mean that whenever one woman receives such abuse, it doesn't mean it's indicative of widespread sexism across the country.
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