Please stop telling me not to answer misogynist trolls. I know most of you mean well but I ignore about 80% of them to begin with. If I answer it’s because I want to. By telling me I shouldn’t, you’re taking away my agency and contributing to a process that robs me of my voice.
By lecturing women that they should ignore misogynistic attacks online, you’re also helping to create an environment that triggers shame in us for our perfectly understandable impulse to stand up for ourselves, and that only serves the interests of our attackers.
Please have enough respect to realize that I am perfectly aware of what happens when I “feed the trolls.” If you don’t like seeing me shut down a douchebag every once in a while, feel free to unfollow. But first ask yourself why it irks you so much to see a woman fighting back.
Let me make my own decisions and learn from them. Remember that this is not my first rodeo. I’ve been dealing with a constant barrage of vicious trolling for years that many of you have never experienced, at least not to that extent. If I want to blow off steam, that’s my right.
I’ll end this by thanking everyone who has shown me concern, even if it’s sometimes misguided. Your support has helped me stop crying in bed after bouts of trolling and start trying to find the best way to handle it while staying true to myself. Allow me to continue my journey.
