by Philippa Willitts // 4 July 2012, 15:11
Any woman who has any kind of internet presence has probably been faced with trolls at some point.
This woman had trolls call her fat. She is fat. She responds with pure awesomeness.
(Heard through @GirlEmpowerment)
Founder of The F-Word, Catherine Redfern, has co-authored a new book with Kristin Aune. Find out more at the Reclaiming The F-Word website.
Has The F-Word whet your appetite? Check out our Resources section, for listings of feminist blogs, campaigns, feminist networks in the UK, mailing lists, international and national websites and charities of interest.
Got something to say? Something to review? News to discuss? Well we want to hear from you! Click here for more info
Kate // Posted 04 July 2012 at 16:38
I wish I knew this woman!
Charlotte Brough // Posted 04 July 2012 at 22:37
What an absolute legend! I love her!
MaryE // Posted 04 July 2012 at 23:20
She doesn't even seem particularly big to me. Seems like the trolls couldn't muster up "four-eyes" or some other similar primary school insult and went for fat because they can type it using even less thought than usual.
Never understood WTF someone's appearance has to do with the value of their opinions.
Alasdair // Posted 05 July 2012 at 14:46
"She doesn't even seem particularly big to me."
With respect, I think that response is rather missing the point. It wouldn't matter what size she was, it would be wrong to mock her for it regardless.
"Never understood WTF someone's appearance has to do with the value of their opinions."
That's more like it.
Great video, by the way!
MaryE // Posted 05 July 2012 at 19:30
Alasdair: I never said, or implied, it would be OK if she were bigger, of course it wouldn't. But it does IMO make the trolls look even stupider than they already were. Like calling Michael Johnson lazy.
zohra moosa // Posted 06 July 2012 at 10:16
This made my day - thanks!
Gretel // Posted 06 July 2012 at 14:12
I am also a tall, "big girl." I encounter women who think it's OK to talk about how disgusting and slovenly fat is - right in front of me - and I am trying to figure out... Are you that obtuse, or are you just passive aggressive? In either case, just stay the f away from me with your weird body issues. I am not OK with your "body hate" but you don't see me professing my opinion in an unsolicited manner. If I am OK with my fat - you don't have to be - just keep your opinion to yourself.
Dawn Lawrence Music // Posted 06 July 2012 at 22:40
Cool...having grown up with feminism and exposed to it ad nauseum you could count me as in on the "backlash" but given your rules above you will probably not have any problem with anything I want to say.
Dawn Lawrence Music // Posted 06 July 2012 at 22:43
Fortunately i think the tide is turning. Beginning with non -white men we are getting to hear from men who like women who don't look or feel like other men to them. GREAT! I'm all in... sooner or later i think the pale boys will figure it out. (this is as racially explicit as I will get)
Hugs, D "I like my lady lumps"
MaryE // Posted 07 July 2012 at 14:24
But Dawn, it doesn't matter if men like women to be a particular way (whether slender or bigger or whatever)! If feminism means anything, surely it means women having a voice and a value *independent of men's desire to bang them*.
It's a pity you have run into feminists who put you off - however I wonder what exactly in feminism might have done that. I hope it isn't the idea that we shouldn't be beholden to men's fancying us or not, as that seems pretty basic. NB this is nothing to do with heterosexual desire being "wrong" - just not relevant in non-erotic contexts, and indeed not relevant in some erotic ones...