cyber bullying

Why are people so mean?

Last month, I received the cruelest, most demeaning form of hate to date, on Twitter.

How experiences you have online can affect how you act in the ‘real’ world.

As a journalist and outspoken feminist, I always knew the risks of being online. I’ve read stories of extreme harassment and doxing, such as when a troll pretended to be writer Lindy West's deceased father or when game developer Brianna Wu received death threats and had to flee her home.

Sex at any age involves trust and self-exposure, but especially for adolescents just learning to trust themselves and their partners in relationships. When slut shaming exposes someone to intense humiliation and possibly further social ostracism, the emotional damage can be terrible.

The internet is weird and gross and hilarious and helpful.