Maturity vital in public debate

PERSATUAN Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower) strongly abhors the slew of vile attacks against activist and writer Maryam Lee following her public expression on #UndiRosak.

Instead of demonstrating maturity when engaging in the discourse, many supporters of the Opposition resorted to unwarranted sexist, misogynistic and extremist harassment against Maryam, targeting their attacks solely at body shaming and her identity as a young woman.

Many of these attackers have accessed, taken and used her picture without Maryam’s knowledge and consent, and further manipulated and/or morphed her photographic images into sexually explicit ones. These images are accompanied by extremely demeaning and sexualised insults and name-calling.

Many have also falsely accused her of “receiving bribes from the ruling coalition”, “betraying the people”, and “working for Najib”. Others have belittled her views by saying that she is “needing therapist and some introspection”, “brain damaged” and so on. This includes many people, predominantly men but also women, who are known for their activism and progressive views.

It is also disheartening to see fellow activists who hold similar views on #UndiRosak failing to support Maryam with the reason that if someone presents her/his views in public, she/he deserves to be attacked.

What does that say about the realities women and minorities live in? And what kind of change are we all – politicians, civil servants, civil society, activists, lawyers, writers, journalists, students, teachers, employees, employers and others – demanding? Whose change are we bringing if a young woman’s autonomy over her vote and her expression and political views are stifled by employing such derogatory and low tactics?

Engaging in a democratic discourse does not mean we only respect those views that agree with ours, but also to respect and listen with an open mind to expressions and opinions that are alien or new to us. Such a view undermines the reality that women are attacked more severely than their male counterparts for speaking up on the same issues despite the valid points they make.

If the same thing happened to a man, the outcome most probably would be different and support and courtesy might be extended to him under the name of brotherhood.

Maryam’s privacy was infringed upon when her photos and personal data were taken and used without her consent. What is more distasteful is the concerted effort to silence a voice that does not fit into the narratives of the Opposition’s supporters.

Let us all be reminded that everyone, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, religion, political belief and so on, has the right to freedom of expression and opinion. Any impediment to these freedoms must be addressed and condemned.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression David Kaye, in a March 2017 statement, said: “The Internet should be a platform for everyone to exercise their rights to freedom of opinion and expression, but online gender-based abuse and violence assaults basic principles of equality under international law and freedom of expression. Such abuses must be addressed urgently, but with careful attention to human rights law.”

Right to freedom of expression and opinion is often used to justify such vile, sexist and misogynist attacks against another. It is also generally perceived that everyone has the same right and power when it comes to their ability to express. Empower’s 2017 report on women’s experiences on social media, “Voice, Visibility and A Variety of Viciousness”, shows that our expressions, thoughts and opinions are closely tied to our privilege and power in society. It is “regulated” subconsciously and socially by the dominant narrative and by the patriarch.

Often, when a woman is attacked and harassed online, she is deemed to be complicit in her own violence and harassment because she is not speaking the way that is socially accepted.

A corrupt and abusive government oppresses everyone. But sexism, misogyny and gender inequalities oppress women and a large number of others who do not appeal to the patriarchal and masculine culture.

We urge all parties to halt all forms of attacks and harassment against Maryam and the #UndiRosak group. We urge the Government and the election candidates to speak up and protect freedom of expression for all by ensuring a safe space for meaningful discourse both online and offline.

As Audre Lorde says in one of her poems, “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognise, accept, and celebrate those differences.”

The Internet should be a platform for everyone to exercise their rights to freedom of opinion and expression, but online gender-based abuse and violence assaults basic principles of equality under international law and freedom of expression. Such abuses must be addressed urgently, but with careful attention to human rights law.

MASTURA M. RASHID Communications and Outreach Manager Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor