We Shouldn’t Get Used To Online Abuse

I have spent the last three days talking about online abuse. More specifically, the abuse of Leslie Jones and other black women on Twitter. I’ve written essays, appeared on multiple radio broadcasts, fielded hundreds of questions and comments. I was getting ready to leave for yet another radio appearance to discuss online abuse when one of life’s shitty coincidences happened: my eight-year-old son burst into my room in tears due to online abuse.

My son has a small YouTube channel that he has lovingly put together all by himself. I didn’t even know it existed until he sent me a link to a video he created. The videos are what you would expect from a nerdy, creative eight-year-old: Minecraft, drawing contests, impromptu plays, and a little freestyle rap. He had 10 YouTube subscribers and his goal for 2016 was to get to 25. I’ve never promoted the channel (even though he really wants me to) because I know that the “trolls” who harass me regularly would love to have access to my children. He checks his channel on a regular basis, hoping for commentary or a new subscriber.

But when he checked his channel yesterday, after posting a boisterous and giggle-filled rap, he found a comment filled with vile insults — calling him, amongst other things, a “pussy nigger with no followers.” For an eight-year-old kid who’s lucky to get one comment a month, this was…