The pond life who bully don’t care about Yes or No

ANOTHER week, another woman hounded off Twitter. This time it was Claire Heuchan, a black feminist writer who recently won a Write To End Violence Against Women award. A few months later, Heuchan’s treatment online underlined why it’s so important for organisations to keep highlighting gender issues in the media, whether it be in journalistic content or the treatment of women who dare to put their names to it. Heuchan’s apparent crime was to write about nationalism and racism, offering her view on something that deserves constant discussion and reflection in any decent society. After Sadiq Khan drew a connection between Scottish nationalism and racism, Heuchan penned a Guardian article arguing that Khan had good reason to raise the issue. She wrote that there was an “obvious overlap” between nationalism and racism, and continued with a thought-provoking piece. She found herself on the receiving end of a deluge. As ever, a feminist of colour offering a glimpse of the world was just too much for the racist pond life that stalks open forums and newspaper pages for targets. Don’t get me wrong, I had disagreements with the piece and wasn’t afraid to air them. “White SNP supporters and their allies had never experienced racism,” Heuchan argued, effectively erasing the horrendous experience of the Irish in Scotland for decades. For me, framing racism within the parameters of the nationalist vs unionist debate was misleading: Scotland’s independence movement was characterised by self-reflection and an acknowledgement of an uncomfortable history rather than fuelled by it. The contrast of the Brexit vote further highlighted the civic nature of events in Scotland. Non-UK nationals were invited to vote in Scotland’s referendum because they are part of our society, but Westminster excluded them from the EU vote after a debate dominated by anti-immigration rhetoric.

Scotland has its problems with racism, bigotry, homophobia and other forms of poisonous discrimination – you’d be hard pushed to find a society that doesn’t – but rather than typify a generic view of nationalism underpinned by racist tendencies, Scotland bucked the trend. A couple of years before the referendum, I’d have been a No voter. I’ve always considered myself internationalist and outward-looking; my response to nationalism and patriotism has always been suspicion and the fear of malicious political control through the politics of division.

But the independence movement shifted the goalposts. Rather than flag-waving, I found myself drawn to people talking about radical politics and a chance to do things differently – not only for Scotland, but with a view to having a positive impact on the wider world.

While I still hesitate to self-label as a nationalist I’m less bothered about others slapping the label on me.

But while the bigger picture is important, so is personal experience. I think comparisons between nationalism in Scotland and racism are overblown, to say the least, but Claire Heuchan’s perspective is important. How we in Scotland, unionist or nationalist, respond to that really matters.

So it’s disturbing that within hours of her article appearing she had quit Twitter because of the abuse she received. I, too, have received xenophobic and misogynistic abuse for having the cheek to write a few opinions down. Because of my political viewpoint, much of that abuse has come from the unionist population on Twitter.

Therein lies the crux of this: it is a mistake to frame this latest incident in the context of the national question. The truth is far more basic. If you are a woman with a view and you use social media, you are likely to suffer. If you are a woman of colour, it will be compounded by racism. If you are LGBTQI+, homophobic abuse will be hurled your way. Any characteristic that trolls can stick a label on will be exploited. Why? Because fundamentally, regardless of politics or subject matter, they are bullies.

It is vital that people from all sides of the political divide unite to condemn yet another attack on a woman raising her voice. Bullies respond to strength, so flex your digital muscles.