The Biz
Twitter is Not a Safe Space for Women
As a business owner, expressing your opinions online can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s a great way to connect with your customers and showcase your brand’s personality. But on the other hand, it can also lead to negative reviews and a loss of business.
For women business owners, this fear can be particularly significant. We rely on a steady stream of income to keep our businesses running and provide for ourselves and our families. The thought of losing customers because of something we said online is enough to make us want to stay silent.
But here’s the thing: staying silent isn’t an option anymore. In today’s world, consumers expect brands to take a stand on issues that matter to them. And as women business owners, we have unique perspectives that are worth sharing.
So how do we overcome this fear? First and foremost, we need to remember that not everyone is going to agree with us. That’s okay. We’re entitled to our opinions just like everyone else.
Secondly, we need to be prepared for backlash if it does happen. That means having a plan in place for how we’ll respond if someone leaves a negative review or comments on our social media posts.
Finally, we need to remember that speaking out can actually attract new customers who share our values and appreciate our authenticity. By being true to ourselves and sharing what matters most to us, we’ll attract people who want the same things from their businesses.
It’s natural for us as women business owners to feel hesitant about expressing ourselves online out of fear of backlash or losing business. But by remembering why we started our businesses in the first place and staying true to ourselves, we can overcome these fears and make meaningful connections with our customers online.
The Case of Twitter
Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms, but it has a dark side. While it can be a great tool for communication and self-expression, it is also home to some of the worst online harassment towards women.
Twitter’s policies on harassment are clear: “You may not engage in the targeted harassment of someone or incite other people to do so.” However, these policies are not enforced consistently. Twitter has been criticized for its lack of transparency when enforcing these rules, leaving users unsure about what actions result in consequences.
Reporting mechanisms are also inadequate. Users who report abusive behaviour often receive automated responses that fail to address their concerns. Furthermore, reporting abusive behaviour does not always result in action being taken against the offender.
Victims
Examples abound of how Twitter’s policies and reporting mechanisms have failed women. When journalist Julie DiCaro reported a barrage of misogynistic tweets directed at her, she received little support from Twitter despite her efforts to report the abuse. While some offending accounts were suspended temporarily, others remained active.
Actress Leslie Jones was subjected to racist and sexist attacks on Twitter that included threats against her life. Despite repeatedly reporting these incidents to Twitter, many offending accounts remained active for weeks before any action was taken.
The most famous case of all is of course, the relentless harassment and abuse of the author J K Rowling. With her Harry Potter series, she has captured the hearts of millions of readers worldwide, both young and old. However, in recent years, she has become the target of intense online harassment on Twitter.
The nature of this harassment varies widely, from insulting tweets to death threats. Some have even gone so far as to doxx her – posting personal information about her online – or making false accusations about her character and beliefs.
This targeted harassment has had a profound impact on J.K. Rowling’s mental health and well-being, as well as affecting her ability to express herself freely without fear of retribution.
Time to Truly be Kind
The best way to overcome these fears is by creating safe spaces for women’s voices. These spaces allow women to express themselves freely without fearing backlash or harassment. They provide an opportunity for women to connect with one another, share experiences, and find support.
Creating safe spaces starts with acknowledging the challenges that women face when expressing their views online. It requires actively working towards greater representation and equality in the business world. Women from marginalized groups face additional barriers when trying to express themselves in a male-dominated industry. As such, it is essential to include diverse voices in these safe spaces.
The creation of these safe spaces should focus on building a community where women can feel comfortable sharing their experiences without judgment or retaliation. This community should foster an environment of respect and understanding where everyone is encouraged to listen and learn from each other.
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APPLY
Thank you for having the courage to speak up and supporting marginalised women, it’s a really important topic that needs to be addressed, I too have recently left Twitter for this reason, it doesn’t feel a safe place for me or my business
A fantastic article Sara and thank you for writing and sharing this. This is why I have never have and never will use Twitter. Like most people, my mental health is a fine balance at the best of time so I steer away from anything that maybe even the slightest bit damaging.
A brilliant blog post, Sara, after listening to the podcast with Joanne Rowling. ( no K as she has no middle name; to make her name appear masculine 🙄 in the world of another male-dominated world. Authors! ) After hearing about the crazy threats she received on Twitter, I am shocked and mortified at how vile certain persons can act towards other human beings! We are all entitled to our own opinions! If a constructive reply can not be written, then scroll on by. BULLYING, in my opinion, is a big no-no. What happened to equality for everyone, not just the minority? My mental health isn’t at its best. I would be devastated if this type of bullying happened to me all because I voiced my opinion! Another reason I tend to keep stum. I have since taken my business page off of Twitter. I don’t want anything to do with a place that can’t support all its users equally.