Being Bullied*
I was checking my Twitter account today when I found a post about HB2 and the NCAA. A man questioned why the NCAA would care whether North Carolina repeals HB2 and something about money. I replied, and it went to both the man and the NCAA that HB2 needs repeal because it is about discriminating against transgender people being able to use the bathroom, which they gender-identify, and should have nothing to do with money. His argument was something about the rights of his 23-year-old daughter and her being able to blow a guy's head off if he was in the ladies' room.
He initiated a Twitter argument with me over an issue without specifics. Then, several other users started to jump in, calling me stupid, a fool, a leftist, a sensitive cupcake, disingenuous, and so on. They ridiculed me and made personal attacks on my character and intelligence, completely diverting the conversation from the original topic. Since my Twitter account is linked to the book club, I decided to edit out any controversial posts because not everyone in the club may share my views. In the end, he posted a screengrab of one of my posts posting against the LGBTQ+ community, declaring that he "fucking hates" me and that I needed to get back on my psychiatric medication. These are strong words coming from someone who doesn't even know me.
The story's moral is that I experienced name-calling and bullying today, which was very upsetting. It disrupted a significant part of my day that I needed for critical personal matters. I felt compelled to blog about it because I have never been bullied as a child, nor have I ever bullied others. However, today, I caught a glimpse of what it feels like. This experience reinforces my firm belief in showing empathy towards everyone. It also worries me to think about how a child or teen would cope with such obnoxious treatment, especially since I found it so uncomfortable as an adult in my 40s.
He initiated a Twitter argument with me over an issue without specifics. Then, several other users started to jump in, calling me stupid, a fool, a leftist, a sensitive cupcake, disingenuous, and so on. They ridiculed me and made personal attacks on my character and intelligence, completely diverting the conversation from the original topic. Since my Twitter account is linked to the book club, I decided to edit out any controversial posts because not everyone in the club may share my views. In the end, he posted a screengrab of one of my posts posting against the LGBTQ+ community, declaring that he "fucking hates" me and that I needed to get back on my psychiatric medication. These are strong words coming from someone who doesn't even know me.
The story's moral is that I experienced name-calling and bullying today, which was very upsetting. It disrupted a significant part of my day that I needed for critical personal matters. I felt compelled to blog about it because I have never been bullied as a child, nor have I ever bullied others. However, today, I caught a glimpse of what it feels like. This experience reinforces my firm belief in showing empathy towards everyone. It also worries me to think about how a child or teen would cope with such obnoxious treatment, especially since I found it so uncomfortable as an adult in my 40s.
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