Melissa Blake: Why I'll never stop speaking out for women

[adrina]

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After Paul Nehlen, a republican politician, called Sarah Silverman a "skank" Melissa Blake suggested that perhaps he should not be calling women names if he is seeking a public office. In return, a twitter storm was unleashed upon her.

Everything was fair game to the keyboard bully warriors that attacked. Her health, her appearance, her humanity, her life.

Through all those emotions, though, one conclusion became crystal clear: Women aren't safe anymore. Not in real life and not in cyberspace. Because what happened to me? It was assault. Sure, it may not have been the physical kind, but make no mistake about it, as I read through those cruel words, it felt like I was being ripped apart. Thanks to social media, assault can't be so narrowly understood anymore.

Does any of this remind you of anyone? More and more, President Trump's high-profile treatment of women online highlights a dark and dangerous trend. The leader of our country has shown no hesitation in going after women who challenge him and shown no interest in restraining his supporters from attacking everyone.

A list of 45's high profile attacks on women:

• Hillary Clinton
• Megyn Kelly
• Mika Brzezinski
• Heidi Klum
• Carly Fiorina
• Heidi Cruz
• Elizabeth Warren
• Alicia Machado
• Natasha Stoynoff

Of course this list is just from the election cycle and doesn't include his long history of other comments - about his ex wives, women in general and even his own daughter.

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There will be those people who say that I shouldn't say anything, that I'll never be able to change people's minds. They'll caution me not to rock the boat or make too big a deal of this. And to those people, I say this: What if you had said that to Susan B. Anthony during women's suffrage or to Rosa Parks during the civil rights movement? What if you had told them they shouldn't be so outspoken? And what if they'd listened? We'd no doubt be living in a very different world. I shudder to think what humanity would be like, don't you?

Because every time we choose silence over speaking up, that line of normalization widens the circle just a little, as if to say, "Yes, this behavior is perfectly acceptable."

In that tangled web of hateful tweets, someone called me the Purveyor of the Matriarchy. It was meant to be an insult, but I couldn't help but see it as a compliment -- a call to duty, even. I'm never going to be quiet, especially not on Twitter and social media. I'm not going away. And I'll always stand up -- and speak out -- for women everywhere.

I quite agree with her.

 

[Charmolypi]

I am concerned about the normalization of that behavior too. People adjust to what they see and begin to accept the current cultural temperature. I feel less safe now because I truly believe I am less safe now.

 

[Froya]

Women aren't safe anymore

Anymore? I'm unaware of a time when women were safe.

 

[adrina]

I am concerned about the normalization of that behavior too. People adjust to what they see and begin to accept the current cultural temperature. I feel less safe now because I truly believe I am less safe now.

Yup. I see it at work. God help if you contradict a man, you get shouted over. Regardless of the fact that he's wrong and you are right... might makes right you know. So much for civilized behavior. Human beings - the thinking animal my eye teeth.

Anymore? I'm unaware of a time when women were safe.

Unfortunately you are correct in many ways.

 

[IrezumiKiss]

I quite agree with her.

Ditto.

 

[Jennifer]

Anymore? I'm unaware of a time when women were safe.

If only we could stand together as a collective and fight the misogyny.

 

[AlotLikePsyche]

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After Paul Nehlen, a republican politician, called Sarah Silverman a "skank" Melissa Blake suggested that perhaps he should not be calling women names if he is seeking a public office. In return, a twitter storm was unleashed upon her.

Everything was fair game to the keyboard bully warriors that attacked. Her health, her appearance, her humanity, her life.


A list of 45's high profile attacks on women:

• Hillary Clinton
• Megyn Kelly
• Mika Brzezinski
• Heidi Klum
• Carly Fiorina
• Heidi Cruz
• Elizabeth Warren
• Alicia Machado
• Natasha Stoynoff

Of course this list is just from the election cycle and doesn't include his long history of other comments - about his ex wives, women in general and even his own daughter.

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I quite agree with her.

Me, too.

I admire her, and you. You're our very own GB Melissa Blake, adrina. Thank you for speaking-up for yourself and other women here. It's appreciated.

I saw this on FB a while back, after Trump commented on the appearance of Brigitte Macron, and thought you might like it:

https://i.imgur.com/AZr7DUS.jpg

 

[adrina]

Ditto.

If only we could stand together as a collective and fight the misogyny.

Agreed. Unfortunately there is a divide and conquer type process going on.

Chicks before dicks. (Even if I hate that type of terminology. Heh.)

Me, too.

I admire her, and you. You're our very own GB Melissa Blake, adrina. Thank you for speaking-up for yourself and other women here. It's appreciated.

I saw this on FB a while back, after Trump commented on the appearance of Brigitte Macron, and thought you might like it:

https://i.imgur.com/AZr7DUS.jpg

Great image.

And thank you. I am sincerely touched by your words.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Ditto.

You're a good man, Zumi.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I admire her, and you. You're our very own GB Melissa Blake, adrina. Thank you for speaking-up for yourself and other women here. It's appreciated.

https://media.giphy.com/media/3otPozQx87Fj9tkki4/giphy.gif

 

[adrina]

https://media.giphy.com/media/3otPozQx87Fj9tkki4/giphy.gif

I feel like my reputation precedes me.