Twitter Harassment Is Not Just a Joss Whedon Problem: The Age of Ultron Director Explains

[ismnotwasm]

Sooner or later, GD creeps me out on gender issues. Thought I'd something about this here.

Twitter Harassment Is Not Just a Joss Whedon Problem: The Age of Ultron Director Explains Why He Deleted His Account

Buzzfeed has asked the Avengers: Age of Ultron director why he left Twitter, and “harassment from feminists” was not his answer.

Speaking with Joss Whedon over the phone, Buzzfeed got straight to business after over 24 hours of the Internet speculating why he left the social media site. Was it militant feminists, they asked?

“That is horseshit,” he told BuzzFeed News by phone on Tuesday. “Believe me, I have been attacked by militant feminists since I got on Twitter. That’s something I’m used to. Every breed of feminism is attacking every other breed, and every subsection of liberalism is always busy attacking another subsection of liberalism, because god forbid they should all band together and actually fight for the cause.

“I saw a lot of people say, ‘Well, the social justice warriors destroyed one of their own!’ It’s like, Nope. That didn’t happen,” he continued. “I saw someone tweet it’s because Feminist Frequency pissed on Avengers 2, which for all I know they may have. But literally the second person to write me to ask if I was OK when I dropped out was [Feminist Frequency founder] Anita [Sarkeesian].”
When we first reported that the creator had deleted his Twitter account, there was no indication as to why. There was a joke in his feed not too long before about getting in trouble with Marvel for what he’s said online, but beyond that there was simply no direct reason given. Many, however, took the criticisms and flat-out insults and threats being thrown his way over Age of Ultron, and in particular over Black Widow’s storyline, as reason for his departure. And yeah, things went a bit wild from there.
http://www.themarysue.com/joss-whedon-why-he-left-twitter/

[seabeyond]

1. i understand he is a long time supporter, and this comment is suppose to support feminist.

i cannot help see some issues in his statement.

not to you ism, but i gotta ask, am i allowed to call out my issues recognizing he is a feminist ally? or am i suppose to just shut up.

[ismnotwasm]

2. That's why I posted from this particular source

TheMarySue is not shy about criticizing Whedon, but they don't demonize him either.

Calling a women a slut is bullshit, pure and simple. Of course it needs to be called out IMO.

[seabeyond]

3. or using the term militant. as he claims feminism. or pitting feminists

against each other, as he pits feminist against each other.

did i read this correctly? that is my only question. if i read it correctly, then i am right on for saying something, even to an ally. if i did not read it correctly, correct me and my bad.

[ismnotwasm]

7. Yeah that was weird

He's done great Ted talks, and was the golden boy feminist ally for a minute there. He addresses that a bit in the article

I like his work but I always took issue with certain aspects of "Firefly" as much as I enjoyed the show. Never did get into Buffy too much. I hate fuckin vampires.

[seabeyond]

8. i do not do fuckin vampires either, lol. admittedly, i have not watch any of it. firely, buffy,

avenger.

[geek tragedy]

16. I think Buzzfeed used the term in its question to him.

Anyhoo, I see nothing wrong with being a militant feminist.

My wife's a feminist activist, and yes the in-fighting amongst feminists gets really harsh--intra-movement disputes often do (labor unions are rarely as nasty as when they're fighting other labor unions, nobody hates Ted Cruz or Mike Huckabee more than other Republicans, Hillary hate at DU, etc).

[seabeyond]

4. and yes. that giggle with slut, and women are suppose to laugh and shut the fuck up.... is bs.

for sure.

[ismnotwasm]

5. This excerpt clarifies a bit-the whole article is pretty good

But Whedon also made sure to acknowledge his privilege, and that what he experienced on Twitter was still nowhere near the kind of fear-inducing harassment Sarkeesian receives for doing her work.

“For someone like Anita Sarkeesian to stay on Twitter and fight back the trolls is a huge statement,” he said. “It’s a statement of strength and empowerment and perseverance, and it’s to be lauded. For somebody like me to argue with a bunch of people who wanted Clint and Natasha to get together [in the second Avengers film], not so much. For someone like me even to argue about feminism — it’s not a huge win. Because ultimately I’m just a rich, straight, white guy. You don’t really change people’s minds through a tweet. You change it through your actions. The action of Anita being there and going through that and getting through that and women like her — that says a lot.”

[seabeyond]

6. that is excellent. maybe i should read the whole, you think, lol? nt

[Kelvin Mace]

9. I agree with ismnotwasm

I am a regular reader of The Mary Sue and they don't shy away from smacking down sexist act/remarks even when it comes from an "ally". Which happens, we all are not perfect, and if you have had to wade through some of the vicious unwarranted criticism to get to the thin slices of constructive criticism, you can wind up losing your temper and saying something stupid.

To me, this was the one "take away" from the story:

“I’ve said before, when you declare yourself politically, you destroy yourself artistically,” he said. “Because suddenly that’s the litmus test for everything you do."

[ismnotwasm]

10. Yes, that struck me as well

He's not perfect, never has been, but he's a good director whose work is enjoyable.

[seabeyond]

11. wasnt he on big bang. i like him on that even though he pissed me off cause he

took advantage of my sheldon. lol

or am i thinking about a different man.

[ismnotwasm]

12. Ha! Never watched hat one either!

[mercuryblues]

13. you are

thinking of wil wheaton. Another cool guy.

And this article from wehunted

http://wehuntedthemammoth.com/2014/01/21/wil-wheaton-to-mras-youre-idiots-mras-yeah-well-youre-a-mangina-and-women-like-you-and-your-narration-is-bad/

So the Men’s Rights movement has faced some setbacks in the past. The Southern Poverty Law Center profiling them as a movement filled with hate (if not literally a hate group by the SPLC’s strict definition). Events that literally no one showed up to. Paul Elam.

But MRAs have never faced anything quite like this.

Wil Wheaton — yes, that Wil Wheaton, the one who was on Star Trek TNG — has stated publicly that he thinks they’re a bunch of idiots:

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

14. Joss Whedon is a writer, director, producer

Wil Wheaton was on Big Bang.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000696/?ref_=nv_sr_1

[F4lconF16]

15. Please call your allies out on it.

For one, it's how we learn, and second, it'll tell you very quickly who your allies are. We all screw up to some extent at one point or another, and it should be recognized.

[seabeyond]

17. "We all screw up to some extent" admittedly, as have i. i just do not think it is a big deal

to educate or be educated.

thanks.