It makes sense, right? I'm sure you can think of a few interactions where someone has exhibited this behavior. It happens all the time. Random snarky comments, random memes, potentially racist twitch emotes.
But, hey, it's the internet... Brush it off, right? No, fuck that. A single comment at the wrong time, to the wrong person, can ruin their entire day. A single comment can push someone over the edge to leave the internet. A single comment can stop your favorite creator from ever creating again.
And you know who takes the brunt of this abuse in my experience? Women. I can't think of a single female streamer I've followed that has not undergone some kind of abuse. From minor comments to focused bot abuse. It comes in all shapes and forms. From, "Hey baby!", to "Show us your tits!". How fucking dare you?!
You are not entitled to flirt with women. You are not entitled to comment on a woman's appearance. You are not entitled to a damn thing. Keep your shitty little comments to yourself.
Before you say something about how someone is dressed, or how they're acting: that does not matter! This is a human being. Humans deserve to be treated with respect no matter their appearance, situation, how they make money, or anything else.
This goes way beyond just women, so don't stop there. LGBTQIA+, people of colour, indigenous peoples, people of asian heritage, and even more I can't think of right now. I'm sure the list is nearly endless. The internet is overflowing with vitriol for people to wade through.
Repeat after me: Words have consequences! Show some fucking respect.
And who is to blame for this? Me. I am. I've watched this abuse happen online and not said anything. I've watched abuse of my favorite streamers and said nothing. I "left it for the mods". I was "friend-zoned". This is all bullshit. I was the problem. But you know what, fuck that. I will not sit idle. I will act. People deserve to be safe. No more.
Now the hard question: How about you? Are you the problem? Do you smack down this shitty behavior, or do you "let it slide"? Do you actively make a welcoming environment for every person on the internet? It doesn't even matter if you were an abuser. You can fix it. You have control. Introspect on your own actions and feelings. You know when something you've done is shitty. Do something positive, be better than you were yesterday.
