This weekend, UN Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson delivered an eloquent speech in support of the HeForShe campaign, a solidarity movement spreading the message that feminism is a human rights issue requiring the participation of all genders–and in a textbook example of why feminism isn’t just a women’s issue, 4chan’s response to Watson’s words was unsurprisingly terrible. Trigger warning for threats and general idiocy.
In her statements, Watson implored men to consider their own feminism:
If we stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by what we are, we can all be freer, and this is what HeForShe is about. It’s about freedom. I want men to take up this mantle.
Perhaps predictably, 4chan’s b board responded to Watson’s rallying cry by threatening to make the Goodwill Ambassador the next victim in the wave of nude picture leaks that have happened over the past two months, complete with the countdown website Emma You Are Next. In addition to threatening to commit a sex crime against the actress and activist, users also spread a #RIPEmma hashtag on Twitter along with pictures of a fake report on the actress’ “death.”
“@BlurOfBlaze: #RIPEmmaWatson She was a really good actress and a good person. pic.twitter.com/KvARRCLxhL” HAHA WHAT
— nick (@nxxck) September 22, 2014
I’m only  including one comment from 4 chan’s b board here; if you can stomach it, Death and Taxes has several classically vitriolic threats in their coverage on the harassment. But here’s a statement that perfectly demonstrates the boo-hoo babyman knee-jerk rhetoric behind the abuse:
she makes stupid feminist speeches at UN, and now her nudes will be online, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
I was initially reluctant to write about b board’s behavior in light of #GamerGate, “The Fappening,” and all the other high-profile online abuse that has taken place over the past few months; it seemed like a shame that the ignorance of some communities might overshadow the awesome work being done by Watson and the HeForShe campaign. But 4chan’s actions are an indication of why online harassment needs to be taken seriously, not taken advantage of—I’m looking at you, Internet users who’ve peeked at the leaked celebrity nudes.
EmmaYouAreNext is undoubtedly a hoax, but regardless, the b board members behind the site say they aren’t planning to release pictures taken consensually—4chan wants to share upskirt photos they claim were taken of Watson without her permission. Again, that’s probably all a lie created by a lonely lizard-brain asshat taking advantage of the Internet’s anonymity to run his mouth, but b board’s professed desire to allegedly spread illegally taken pictures is a perfect example of harassment begetting harassment; a trend that, as HeForShe reminds us, all genders must unite against.
If anyone doubted the necessity of Watson’s campaign, just remember that the actress’ call for equality resulted in one community’s hope for her death and violation. Here’s that HeForShe speech again, because the rhetoric of a 4channer–no matter how hateful–will  always be overshadowed by a message this essential and expectant.
- Stolen nude photos gave Reddit enough money to power servers for a month
- Creator of Reddit’s “The Fappening” boo-hoos over invasion of his privacy
- Female game journalists quit over harassment
Are you following The Mary Sue on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, & Google +?
