Nuance Needed

I am not deaf to the argument that in some contexts, removing certain types of speech creates a safer and more inclusive space. To be clear, I want those spaces to exist. That’s the same reason I moderate comments on my blog and block trolls on Twitter. But I view that as very different from a major online platform with more than one billion users making those decisions for me.

But I also realize that something I said in that interview was, while representative of my personal experience, pretty callous.

I have dedicated a substantial amount of my time to finding and cultivating platforms for women’s voices, based on my belief that a solution to the widespread harassment and bullying of women online is to keep pushing women’s voices into the mainstream, louder and stronger. I recognize that this solution doesn’t work for everyone, and therefore acknowledge that it’s a mere piece of the puzzle, rather than a solution on its own. So when I say, “I get really tired of [the argument that women are bullied out of public discussions] because I’m a woman and I don’t feel that way,” the point I’m trying to make is that, while I feel bullied, I’m not going anywhere. No way, no how.

I want to be clear: I am not denying that women are frequently “bullied off the Internet,” and I can see why it appears from the interview that I feel that way. Rather, I believe that that refrain ignores the experiences of those of us who would prefer to respond to hate speech with more speech, prefer to shout louder over the din. I’ve been accused many times of upholding the patriarchy for my ideal that sunlight and resolve are even a solution, and I’m tired of it.

And so I stand by my position, reflected in the words of the great Justice Louis Brandeis, that the best remedy to “bad” speech is more speech, not enforced silence. I believe this, but I also believe we need to fight to ensure that women—as well as other marginalized groups and individuals—have the opportunity to engage in counter speech.

If we are to fight for free expression, we must also fight for greater opportunity, and we must have each other’s backs. We must call out misogyny where we see it, and we must have zero tolerance for it in the workplace. We must commit to inclusivity, and we must raise up those around us who might not have the same privilege that we do.

It is possible to be dedicated to freedom of speech and to the advancement of women. I’ve worked at the EFF for a little over two years and have found it to be the most inclusive space in which I’ve had the pleasure of working. Not to mention, eight out of eleven

staffers here with the word “director” in their title are women, and on the whole, we’re very balanced in terms of gender. In the often privileged field that is digital rights, this is notable.

Interviews are less than ideal in getting one’s point across; quotes are

shortened, context is left out, and terrible titles are added for link

bait. But while I intend to make no excuses for what I’ve said, I feel

compelled to elaborate on my beliefs and how I came to them. I expect disagreement, but I’d prefer it be with my ideas, rather than a context-less shell of them.

I believe that free expression is compatible with a better society, and I

will continue to fight for both.

Image by Todd Blaisdell, CC BY 2.0