Why is this conversation necessary?
On July 6, 2012, news of a video game simulating the assault of games feminist Anita Sarkeesian (@femfreq) prompted me (@amirightfolks) to confront its creator, Sault Ste Marie's @Bendilin Spurr, on Twitter. An hours-long discussion ensued among hundreds of Twitter users.
- It all started when I read the New Statesman update about the escalating harassment and violence faced by Anita Sarkeesian, who made a Kickstarter for a video series on the representation of women in video games. Give this a read for context, it's pretty horrifying.
Disgusted with this organized display of hatred for feminism. This story just gets more distressing. newstatesman.com/blogs/internet… h/t @emmamwoolley- This Huffington Post article focuses specifically on the most disturbing type of abuse Sarkeesian has faced so far: a video game created by a 25-year-old man from Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, in which players can click to watch bruises and contusions appear on her face.
Internet Trolls Up Their Harassment Game With 'Beat Up Anita Sarkeesian'A sick online game in which users are invited to 'Beat up Anita Sarkeesian' is the latest online bullying exercise to hit the web. When A...- The HuffPo article links directly to the game in question, which has since been removed from the site. However, a description of the game (and the NewGrounds user who created it) remained.
Eulogy for: Beat Up Anita SarkeesianAnita Sarkeesian has not only scammed thousands of people out of over $160,000, but also uses the excuse that she is a woman to get away ...- The maker's username made him easy to find on Twitter, and the comments in his Twitter feed confirmed this was the same person. I asked the internet:
- THE INTERNET SAID YES.
- Knowing full well the can of worms I was about to open, I'll admit my heart was in my throat as I tweeted:
- And then, because I wanted him to face "real-life" consequences for his misogyny too, I gave prospective employers (and the Sault Ste Marie press) some context via the HuffPo story above.
- Sault Ste Marie employers, if you get a resume from @Bendilin Spurr, he made a woman facepunching game: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/07/06/internet-trolls-online-beat-up-anita-sarkeesian-game_n_1653473.html?utm_hp_ref=uk cc: @saultstar
- His first response was so baffling and idiotic that I LOLd IRL.
@amirightfolks Of course I would never hit a person in real life, outside of self defense. Physical assault is a disgusting crime.- It sure is, Bendilin! So then...
- @amirightfolks Why not? There are hundreds of movies, novels, television shows, etc where it is accepted.
- I call this the "artistic expression" argument. A couple of responses to that:
@amirightfolks @Bendilin Yes. That normalizes violence in society—specifically mouthy women getting slapped down.- Yes - why NOT make a game about...well, ANYTHING except a woman being assaulted as retribution for expressing an opinion?!
- @greg_a_elliott @amirightfolks Because I am, admitting, not that talented of a person.
- Ha, okay. We can agree there. But he didn't stop with the "free artistic expression" thing. One of his other bullshit arguments: Anita Sarkeesian is selfish (for asking for money to execute a research-based video project, which people have donated to of their own free will).
- @amirightfolks @SaultStar The game isn't about "punching women." It's about punching a selfish person. There's a difference.
Did you find this story interesting? like or comment as 26 already did!
Liked!
- Nik Guintai completely agree re: real life consequences. the response is appropriate, and comforting.2012-07-22T06:06:29.701Z
- Callum Hay@NGC 6611 I don't see "he has earned this" as a quote anywhere, Steph is propounding a philosophy that applies to EVERYONE (i.e., be responsible for your...more2012-07-21T22:13:16.079Z
- NGC 6611Oh, and you say "he has earned this", I guess you are an authority to say so.2012-07-10T15:29:45.808Z
- History Nerd GirlBen Spurr's twitter account has been suspended. Either he's fed up receiving hate tweets (which a lot of females that speak out about a game do) and has...more2012-07-09T11:03:45.543Z
Women in TO PoliticsJose, I understand where you're coming from, but there are a couple of problems with what you're saying. First, Anita is a public figure, but female public...more2012-07-08T20:57:34.389Z- John MarshallI like how his Steam profile says a woman has never written a good novel. Yes, because Harper Lee, Virginia Woolf, and Gertrude Stein aren't women.2012-07-08T03:22:46.978Z
- Mark ArmstrongThis is an interesting campaign. The individual concerned went out of their way to express an obvious distaste of women who "don't know their place" in a...more2012-07-07T23:58:39.473Z
- Jose Pablo MongeI believe this went too far... Anita is a public figure and she is by defnition going to receive this kind of stuff, I still believe this went too far, this guy...more2012-07-07T23:36:17.796Z
- Eddie BluntThis is what happens when you live by the flame. 2012-07-23T23:59:10.705Z
- Nik Guintai completely agree re: real life consequences. the response is appropriate, and comforting.2012-07-22T06:06:29.701Z
- Callum Hay@NGC 6611 I don't see "he has earned this" as a quote anywhere, Steph is propounding a philosophy that applies to EVERYONE (i.e., be responsible for your...@NGC 6611 I don't see "he has earned this" as a quote anywhere, Steph is propounding a philosophy that applies to EVERYONE (i.e., be responsible for your actions and be prepared to face the real-world consequences that those actions beget). There is no "authority" being implied here: Steph is simply putting forth an argument and via that argument she concludes her opinion on the matter. Concerning your other "argument" about newgrounds and it having other violent video games, you do realize that you're side stepping the issue via a straw man, right? Did you even read the arguments that were being presented by Bendilin and evaluate why they are in fact really terrible arguments? There are differences between typical gratuitous-violence-in-video-games and hate crimes. There are a lot more factors to consider in these situations other than just the fact that they are 'violent' games. Every game has a context, your argument fails to acknowledge that it side steps the more important issue being scrutinized. Perhaps you should revaluate why your position is one worth upholding. While you’re at it, educate yourself on how to make a better argument: http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/poster.more2012-07-21T22:13:16.079Z
- NGC 6611Oh, and you say "he has earned this", I guess you are an authority to say so.2012-07-10T15:29:45.808Z
- NGC 6611I guess you haven't browsed what kind of crap is hosted at Newgrounds, right? There are games about torturing G.W. Bush and more stuff like that. Is Anita any...I guess you haven't browsed what kind of crap is hosted at Newgrounds, right? There are games about torturing G.W. Bush and more stuff like that. Is Anita any different than they are? In both cases there are depictions of an human being being abused, or even killed. Have you gone after the creators of those other games? What's different in this case, other than the subject of the abuse being a woman?more2012-07-10T15:28:54.997Z
- History Nerd GirlBen Spurr's twitter account has been suspended. Either he's fed up receiving hate tweets (which a lot of females that speak out about a game do) and has...Ben Spurr's twitter account has been suspended. Either he's fed up receiving hate tweets (which a lot of females that speak out about a game do) and has suspended it himself, or he's been banned by twitter itself.more2012-07-09T11:03:45.543Z
- Women in TO PoliticsJose, I understand where you're coming from, but there are a couple of problems with what you're saying. First, Anita is a public figure, but female public...Jose, I understand where you're coming from, but there are a couple of problems with what you're saying. First, Anita is a public figure, but female public figures disproportionately receive the kinds of sexualized, vicious attacks she's gotten. Second, the consequences for what he's done SHOULD be severe - it was a disgusting, unjustifiable act that betrays a hatred of women that has the potential to be dangerous to the women he interacts with. Is their safety less important than Bendilin's reputation? He earned this, plain and simple.more2012-07-08T20:57:34.389Z
- John MarshallI like how his Steam profile says a woman has never written a good novel. Yes, because Harper Lee, Virginia Woolf, and Gertrude Stein aren't women.2012-07-08T03:22:46.978Z
- Mark ArmstrongThis is an interesting campaign. The individual concerned went out of their way to express an obvious distaste of women who "don't know their place" in a...This is an interesting campaign. The individual concerned went out of their way to express an obvious distaste of women who "don't know their place" in a terribly brutal manner. The reaction to it is justified and necessary.more2012-07-07T23:58:39.473Z
- Jose Pablo MongeI believe this went too far... Anita is a public figure and she is by defnition going to receive this kind of stuff, I still believe this went too far, this guy...I believe this went too far... Anita is a public figure and she is by defnition going to receive this kind of stuff, I still believe this went too far, this guy will never escape his "consequences" just because the internet said so... what makes you so different than him?? more2012-07-07T23:36:17.796Z
