And if you think I am bringing up societal problems of the past or blowing this out of proportion, then you are living in a fantasy world where sexism, discrimination and homophobia don’t exist. This is for boys and girls, parents and children, straights and gays, because social rejection affects ALL of us.
I am asking you to think about boys who internalize messages that vulnerability, sensitivity and standing up for gender equality means they are a pussy. Isn’t that what we all want? I am asking for everyone to think about girls who are looking at this public reaction who might now be discouraged to pursue an authentic place in a male-dominated industry. I am asking for everyone to think about the impact this unwelcoming online environment has on our youth wanting success, respect and acceptance. I am grateful for the handful who showed their concerns for us regarding the repulsive comments, but I am not asking for sympathy. I don’t see enough people challenging the intolerance that deadmau5 preaches to his 3 million followers, researching beyond the headlines they read, or protesting against the derogatory dialogue that circulates on social networks. The sad part is that it is 2014, and people are still passively reading headlines for face value, parroting the words of celebrities, and jumping on the bandwagon of popular opinion. I am relapsing after avoiding social media to share what I have learned and to encourage people to challenge and question what they read/hear/see from now on, and that goes for situations beyond our case, whether it’s politics or celebrity gossip. And what I see in that reflection is an immense amount of hatred and intolerance for one another. This sickens me, because the way we participate in Internet dialogue mirrors our attitude as a society. But hell, I can’t even fake a smile right now. Some of you are probably laughing at these comments, as I did at first.
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