Prominent gamer/best episode of Dollhouse guest star Felicia Day weighed in on #GamerGate yesterday, explaining that she’s mostly shied away from THE LIE out of “self-protection and fear.” In an essay on her Tumblr, Day admitted that early on “during the Gamer Gate phenomenon,” she thought, “These trolls will dissipate into the night like they always do, it will be fine.” It’s not.
They have not dissipated. And because of the frightening emotions and actions attached to what has happened over the last month, the events are sure to have a long-lasting affect on gaming as a culture. The fact that it has affected me, to the point where I decided to cross the street last weekend away from those gamers, was heartbreaking. Because I realized my silence on the issue was not motivated by some grand strategy, but out of fear that the issue has created about speaking out.
I have been terrified of inviting a deluge of abusive and condescending tweets into my timeline. I did one simple @ reply to one of the main victims several weeks back, and got a flood of things I simply couldn’t stand to read directed at me. I had to log offline for a few days until it went away. I have tried to retweet a few of the articles I’ve seen dissecting the issue in support, but personally I am terrified to be doxxed for even typing the words “Gamer Gate”. I have had stalkers and restraining orders issued in the past, I have had people show up on my doorstep when my personal information was HARD to get. To have my location revealed to the world would give a entry point for a few mentally ill people who have fixated on me, and allow them to show up and make good on the kind of threats I’ve received that make me paranoid to walk around a convention alone. I haven’t been able to stomach the risk of being afraid to get out of my car in my own driveway because I’ve expressed an opinion that someone on the internet didn’t agree with. (Via)
Thoughtful and expressive, and Day’s appreciation of her fans is genuine. I once ran into her at some nerd thing and despite the fact that I look like a doofus who regularly tweets at 3 a.m., she couldn’t have been nicer to me. So of course she was immediately doxxed by some dick-weasel.
Just minutes after her post was made, a commenter with the username “gaimerg8” posted what they claimed was her address and personal email in the comment section below the post. The comment, and the entire comment section, have since been removed. (Via)
I believe Chris Kluwe put it best.
https://twitter.com/ChrisWarcraft/status/525093738264031232
https://twitter.com/ChrisWarcraft/status/525094762500456448
https://twitter.com/ChrisWarcraft/status/525094905740161024
Well, Kluwe and ClickHole.