On Friday, a post by writer and activist Clementine Ford struck a chord – among you, readers, and among thousands of Australians fighting to stamp out victim shaming across the country.
I mean, this is really the absolute height of irony, @facebook. #onlinemisogynyisaliveandwell pic.twitter.com/lWSlzgQ7Ma
— Clementine Ford (@clementine_ford) June 20, 2015
Ironically, I can’t login or post to my FB account for 30 days but the dickwads who’ve been abusing me will have free reign to shit on it.
— Clementine Ford (@clementine_ford) June 20, 2015
“It’s ridiculous. I wasn’t even blocked for the original protest photo but for reposting abusive messages that men sent to me and wanted me to suffer with privately. And there are extremely worrying indications that FB doesn’t even examine these reports – one of the notifications I got said they had removed a post because it contained nudity, but it was just screencaps of messages sent between three boys about how I was a filthy cunt.The worst part is it’s my fourth ban, and all of them have been for reposting images of unsolicited, vile messages that the senders have then complained about me posting. I use my page for work and community activism, and a 30 day ban significantly impacts my ability to do my job. I’m worried that if this keeps happening, they’ll permanently unpublished the page and two years of profile building and important discussion archives will just disappear, even as men and boys continue to be allowed to post on and publish pages dedicated to misogyny.”
“I think there’s a big difference between showcasing unsolicited sexual harassment and backlash and betraying the trust that has been built between people who share an intimacy. The two are completely incomparable.”
So #Facebook gags @clementine_ford because she shared abuse sent to her by sad little men. This says to women “don’t speak up”. #shameful
— Johnny Barrington (@johnbarrington) June 20, 2015
We’ve seen community guidelines lead to questionable blocking of accounts or content in the past. Like photographer Rupi Kaur, who saw her photo—documenting her period—removed from Instagram, flagged by community guidelines. But after many called out the move online, Kaur’s photo was, thankfully, reinstated.
All a lady needs is amazing mates. My girlfriends back home just sent me this out of the blue. ?????? #amazingbabes pic.twitter.com/C1tnxl1aRe
— Clementine Ford (@clementine_ford) June 20, 2015