Black feminist’s article prompts nasty backlash
A BLACK feminist writer has claimed she has been hounded off social media after she linked the independence movement with racism.
University of Stirling PhD student Claire Heuchan said she feared for her safety after stoking the ire of online nationalists by responding to comments made by London mayor Sadiq Khan.
The Labour politician caused outrage at the weekend by drawing parallels between Scottish nationalism and racist movements around the world.
Independence supporters insist they are part of a progressive and civic campaign that is tolerant of all.
Writing in the Guardian, Heuchan said: “Equating racism with Scottish nationalism is a massive false equivalence, yet both perspectives are reliant on a clear distinction being made between those who belong and those who are rejected on the basis of difference.”
The article sparked a massive reaction from opponents and supporters. But many comments on social media were personally abusive and threatening.
Stuart Campbell, a notoriously hateful blogger who runs pro-indy website Wings Over Scotland, branded Heuchan a “galactic-class c***wit”. A separate comment left on the student’s personal blog called her an African who had no right to voice an opinion on the Scottish constitutional debate.
Heuchan said she had been left “pretty terrified” by the attacks, which included attempts to find out where she lives. She added she had been forced to delete her Twitter account.
Professor Karen Boyle, head of gender studies at Stirling and Heuchan’s PhD supervisor, said: “Many people who disagree with Claire have done so thoughtfully and respectfully.
“While it would be absolutely wrong to characterise all disagreement as racist and sexist, much of it has been. It exposes the difficulties black women – and many others representing marginalised or minority groups – face when they speak out in public life.
“This kind of abuse is unacceptable.”