Solidarity with all those who’ve built and engaged in whisper networks and lists on bathroom walls. Solidarity with all those who name names publicly. Also solidarity with all those who choose not to name names for any reason… I endorse no hierarchy of tactics.
But I hold a special antipathy towards those who attempt quash whisper networks and public disclosures.
I just read Moira Donegan’s article about starting the crowdsourced Shitty Media Men list. Reading this article, I see the common refrain of losing relationships, work, and resources for daring to try to provide some sort of noncarceral framework of accountability for violence and harassment.
Years ago, when I first started exploring the politics of naming and publicly reporting sexual violence, I was demoralized every time I heard yet another person talk about the social and economic consequences they experienced after simply talking about being assaulted.
But now these stories fuel me. They teach me the same lesson I need again and again: naming is power, naming is resistance.
They try to silence us, keep us isolated and disconnected, using every tactic at their disposal. And when that fails, it terrifies them.
Even when it’s an anonymous list on the back of a toilet stall door or google spreadsheet that’s live for just a few hours.
