Earlier this week, Sady at Tiger Beatdown launched the Twitter hashtag "#MenCallMeThings" and the results have been… horrifying, frankly. But also, for me, a little bit comforting. 

 

Reading the onslaught of misogynist swearing, bullying, and threats lobbed at other female bloggers makes me realize that I'm not alone. I'm not the only one who gets called unprintable things, just for the crime of being female and talking about it. In so far as it's, like, the worst thing ever, it's reassuring to know that it's not just me.

 

On any given day, across all the things I write and do on the internet while openly female, I get called at least three unprintable things before breakfast. Any time you do or say something outspokenly feminist, much less invoke "the F word" (feminism), it triples the rate. Why, I've already been called "sick in the head" and a "Femi-Nazi" right here on this very blog today. 

 

Each time I click to post an article, I wonder how bad the comments will be. Duck and cover, and then click Post. Sit back and wait for the vitriol to start rolling in.

 

From what I can tell, one of the best ways to get hate-filled comments from people who hate women is to use the "feminism" tag on StumbleUpon. Apparently there are a lot of people out there who Stumble from one feminist blog to another, specifically because they hate feminism and the feminists who talk about it. What a joyless existence that must be. How desperately unhappy those people are, just itching for a chance to lash out at a complete stranger.

 

There is probably nothing that can be done to change that. But talking about it in the open can help change our part of the equation. And that's all I really care about. I have no illusions about being able to change the mind of anyone who hates feminism. I deliberately preach to the choir, because the choir is important, and we need to keep singing, and sing louder. (To stretch an analogy far past the point of reason.)

 

If you have a Twitter account, and you are a female, please consider sending a #MenCallMeThings tweet. It's a strange experience. It can feel shameful to admit that men insult and degrade you, as if somehow you have brought it upon yourself simply by virtue of being female. But I urge you to speak out, reach out, and add your voice to the choir letting all women know that they are not alone.