Read on Twitter
Twitter lit it up and sent that phrase and "President Plump" and other slurs trending. What was especially disappointing was seeing some reporters and others I respect indulging in the deliciousness of a spicy remark. Then others went all in without a thought about the /2
collateral damage. Well that collateral damage has a face. Many faces. It is the gentle soul who said she so crushed by the responses she's taking a break. What was her crime? She very gently posed a mild request to think of people like her. That elicited responses like /3
"kill yourself." My objections weren't nearly as polite as hers, but responses were less vicious because I'm not a woman on Twitter. They were still ugly ("get on a treadmill, lardass"), but I gave the block feature a good workout. I'm not writing because I have hurt feelings. /4
I'd like to punch something, but I'm not sad. But, you know what, I have been talking to people who are. It's especially hard on women who live in a society that is just brutal to large women. They face this all day. And when you lob it back at Trump, you're not hurting him./5
He won't even see your impotent little tweeting. But you know who will? People who are hurting. The teenager who spends all day hearing she's worthless because of her size. Many of you have said it's tit for tat, or fight fire with fire. But you're not fighting anything. You're/6
reinforcing a culture in which it's ok to abuse these women and these kids for their weight. You tell me, no we're only directing it at him. Guess what? That's not how it works. The only thing you're doing is becoming him, and you're telling these people you agree that weight /7
defines a person. You say it's ok to hit back at a bully? Well, you're a bully. And what you're doing is garbage, but won't hit back at you. Some of you say, "I'm fat, and I'm not bothered, so it's ok." To that I say, I'm glad you're well defended. /8
But not everyone is, and I've been consoling people whom you have reduced to tears. And, though it's worse for women, let me assure you, it's no picnic for the men either. Again, some of you say "get over it, snowflake, I'm big and it doesn't bother me." Again, I say I'm glad /9
you're well defended, but I know people who are not. Are they worthless? Do they deserve what you're serving up. I'm one of the lucky ones. I'm about twice as fat as Trump, but I really like myself--some might say too much. But it's still insulting. And as I said what gets me /10
so worked up is what you're doing to people I care about. Based on my interactions across this day on Twitter, I know this thread will unleash Twitter hell on my timeline. Bring it. I'm quick with a block. But remember that every insult you lob is going to hurt someone you /11
have never heard of and do damage you'll never know about it. With that in mind, do what you will. If you come at this with the rationalizations or insults, instead of pausing to consider this one time the effect of your actions, I can't stop you. If you're the kind of person /12
who'd do that, I suspect the pain of your own life is punishment enough. But to those with integrity able to hear this message, I hope it sinks in. We can't change social media. It's ugly. But you can change what you do. I hope you will for the sake of people I care about. /13