Only nice things should be written about Chvrches, who are so much better than their group name is obnoxious to type out, but people online say mean things about puppies, so what hope do they have? Let me rephrase that: what hope does Chvrches’ lead singer Lauren Mayberry have against not hearing about she’s such a bitch.
None, she has none, because the Internet is a bubbling cesspool of festering misogyny. Like so:
“This isn’t rape culture. You’ll know rape culture when I’m raping you, bitch”
“I have your address and I will come round to your house and give u anal and you will love it you twat lol”
“Act like a slut, getting treated like a sluy [sic]” (Via)
Where does those insightful comments come from? Let Mayberry explain, via the Guardian.
Last week, I posted a screengrab of one of the many inappropriate messages sent to the band’s social networks every day. After making the post, I sat back and watched with an increasingly open mouth as more and more people commented on the statement. At the time of writing, Facebook stats tell me that the post had reached 581,376 people, over five times the number of people who subscribe to the page itself, with almost 1,000 comments. Comments range from the disgusted and supportive to the offensively vile. (Via)
She continues:
I absolutely accept that in this industry there is comment and criticism. There will always be bad reviews: such is the nature of a free press and free speech. When you put your work out there, you are accepting the fact that people will comment on it, but it is your choice whether you read it or not.
What I do not accept, however, is that it is all right for people to make comments ranging from “a bit sexist but generally harmless” to openly sexually aggressive. That it is something that “just happens.” Is the casual objectification of women so commonplace that we should all just suck it up, roll over, and accept defeat? I hope not. Objectification, whatever its form, is not something anyone should have to “just deal with.” (Via)
Read the whole thing here, then listen to “The Mother We Share” to feel happy again.
