Somewhere over the years in the midst of the horses and country music, an increase in alcohol consumption and blatant sexism became prominent components of our annual celebration of western culture, the Calgary Stampede.
This year was certainly no exception.
A witness of one woman and two men having sex in a public space video-recorded the event and shared it online, which spurred a plethora of shameful, hateful and sexist comments in the days to follow.
As mentioned in the Calgary Herald article yesterday, this isn’t just about the three people and the public posting, it is about the litany of online activity and the public shaming that has resulted.
It is crucial we separate the encounter itself from the reaction it has received. “We shouldn’t be discussing whether people should be doing this or not, we should be discussing why it’s OK for everyone to be so abusive,” notes Rebecca Sullivan, head of women’s studies at the University of Calgary.
So long as the actions are safe and consensual, people can express their sexuality how they like and with whom they like (though not necessarily “where” they like, according to the Criminal Code). But the video itself and the humiliating online discussions and sharing have become a source of entertainment. When did it become our domain as a society to comment on individual sex acts?
As written in an earlier YWCA blog from this year (Stop cyberbullying: start with compassion), social activist Monica Lewinsky calls this kind of collective behavior “a culture of humiliation.” And yes, it is a form of bullying.
Equally troubling is that the shaming that is taking place is overwhelmingly and disproportionately directed at the woman. Blogger Joseph McGuire says it best in his latest (So much for #safestampede) “Shaming [women] if they deviate from our expectations is one of the ways society tells women that their bodies are not their own and their sexuality is not their own.”
Another issue not being commented on is the initial videoing and uploading of the encounter. A law that came into effect earlier this year states the distribution of intimate images without consent is illegal. Yet no shame seems to have been directed at the anonymous witness for illegally sparking this online reaction.
We are mid-way through 2015 in the heart of a progressive province and country, and yet we are still in need of a cultural intervention. How can our culture be cured? More than making the choice to avoid clicking and commenting on or sharing shameful videos and images, we need to speak up and speak out against horrendous acts of cyberbullying.
These images will unfortunately continue to be seen by many; many of who are far too young to comprehend the implications. Discussions about increased awareness about sexual consent and mutual respect will help to break through the online commentary of harassment and misogyny.
