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A couple of years ago I wrote about the sexual violence subtext of being bullied in highschool in the context of #HimToo in @PacificStand. I'm 47 years old and I do not want my bully elected to public office without a LOT of assurances. /1
https://psmag.com/social-justice/himtoo-and-male-victims-of-sexual-assault
https://psmag.com/social-justice/himtoo-and-male-victims-of-sexual-assault
2/ There may have been many horrific things going on in my main bully's life, I dunno. But I still remember how he made me feel. I'd need him to do an enormous amount of work on himself - and maybe he has! - before I'd want to see him elevated to a position of leadership.
3/ and of course the bullying I experienced was trivial compared to the current interceptbro discourse
4/ but also I was suicidal for a lot of highschool so it wasn't so great.
5/ all of this is to say that the acts we do as teenagers and the harms we leave behind us do not vanish when we turn 18, and it's appropriate to still reckon with them. I know I do.
6/ now @thomaschattwill is saying we have to destigmatize being a blackmailer as a teenager in this digital age. That's wrong. The destigmatization has to happen on behalf of the victims (or the stupid pictures we ourselves post), not the victimizers.
7/ the more we learn, the clearer it is that he hasn't done the work to move past his deeds. Maybe he's on the right path as interceptbro2 said ... but he's at most one step down it. It would be better if he walked a little farther before seeking office. https://twitter.com/studentactivism/status/1297253816014966784
8/ I can't tell you I like talking about this. Fuck you Intercept bros and everyone who props them up. Thanks very much.
9/ Good essay though I think. I'm glad I wrote it.
