One of the great rewards of this work is seeing a growing wave of young women go into battle against violence against women in all its brutal manifestations, calling out and naming this violence as unacceptable. One such woman is 24-year-old Talitha Stone. Talitha decided she had to speak out and has been involved with the work of Collective Shout for a couple of years. Talitha’s passion and gutsy activism gives me hope that things can change. I first introduced you to her when she infiltrated try-outs for the Lingerie Football League last year. You can read about what she experienced here.
Talitha copped a raft of violent threats, including death and rape, when she participated in Collective Shout’s social media campaign against US rapper Tyler the Creator, who we believed was in breach of his visa conditions for vilifying women and celebrating violence as entertainment. She didn’t think his behaviour should be supported and naturalised and threw herself into the fray. The level of venom and abuse she received provided further evidence for our arguments. You can read about the online harassment here. (There have been even more threatening tweets since then, forwarded to police).
On Thursday Talitha attended the rapper’s gig in Sydney, to gather more evidence in our quest to have Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor withdraw his visa. She captured video of Tyler engaging in sexually degrading insults of her, which has since gone around the world and had more than 13,000 views at time of writing. View here. Note the crowd’s response to the tirade, pumping their fists, jeering and cheering, in a ritual celebration of abuse.
But none of this has stopped Talitha. She wrote about her experience for The Guardian.
I have found out what happens you decide to take on one of the biggest rap artists in the world.
The Australian grassroots movement of which I am a part of, Collective Shout, is currently in a dispute with music artist Tyler the Creator. We believe his lyrics – which often mention raping women – are inciting hatred, and we have been calling on immigration minister Brendan O’Connor to revoke his visa.
This Wednesday, I tweeted both Tyler the Creator and the clothing store Culture Kings. I wanted to inform Culture Kings that the artist they were hosting for a signing event regularly promotes violence against women through his lyrics – some of which promote the rape of dead or pregnant women, and also refer to locking women in car boots and basements. Read more.
There was also a news piece in The Guardian
A woman who claims she was verbally abused on stage by an American rapper in Sydney on Thursday evening has reported the incident to police.
Talitha Stone, a 24-year-old blogger and campaigner, says she felt “petrified” following “terrifying and disturbing” abuse which she says was levelled at her by US rapper Tyler, the Creator.
Stone, who is a member of the online feminist activist group Collective Shout, had previously been part of a social media campaign to have the rapper banned from Australia. She had received a slew of abuse including rape threats on Twitter after the rapper, who has 1.7 million followers on the microblogging site, retweeted one of her posts, which said: “have to visit @Culturekings tomoz to protest against @fucktyler he will be there at midday. I think they need educating on #misogyny.” Read more
Talitha also made New York Magazine
After a feminist protester reported Tyler, the Creator to the police, the rapper called Talitha Stone a “fucking bitch,” “fucking whore,” and “fucking cunt” while she stood in the audience at an Odd Future show in Sydney.
Stone and anti-misogyny organization Collective Shout had been trying to get the Odd Future leader’s Australian visa revoked, citing rules against visitors who “vilify or incite discord” and “songs advocating rape and extreme violence against women.” (Sample lyrics: “Rape a pregnant bitch and tell my friends I had a threesome,” “Keep that bitch locked up in my storage, rape her and record it.”) When Stone tweeted about protesting a concert in Sydney, Tyler retweeted her, prompting cyber harassment from his fans and Stone filing a police report. Read more
The story also made celebrity gossip blog PerezHilton
Tyler, the Creator is at it again!
The rapper certainly isn’t a stranger to controversy or being totes offensive, and now he’s set off some serious dramz in Australia.
It started when the group Collective Shout and female protestor Talitha Stone petitioned to have his Australian visa revoked because his performance would go against Australia’s rules against visitors who “vilify or incite discord” and “songs advocating rape and extreme violence against women.” A number of rappers, including 2 Chainz, haven’t been able to obtain visas to perform in the country in the past.
And The Age
NSW Police have confirmed they are investigating a sexual assault at a gig where US rapper Tyler, the Creator was performing.
A NSW Police spokesman confirmed it was investigating a sexual assault report made by a woman during a concert at the Enmore Theatre on Thursday night. He said no formal statement had been taken yet.
Police are also investigating a tirade against blogger and campaigner Talitha Stone at the Sydney concert and a Twitter campaign against Ms Stone through Tyler’s 1.7 million followers.
Ms Stone, 24, of Sydney, told Fairfax Media that when she made her complaint to Newtown police on Friday, she was told police were already investigating a ‘‘sexual assault’’ of a woman at the same concert. Read more
See this ABC News video shown Saturday just prior to Tyler’s final Australian gig at Brisbane Eatons Hill Hotel (nice try hotel management saying you didn’t know who the artist who was coming was). Management had earlier received a visit from two of our Brisbane supporters, bearing a 14,000 plus signature petition calling on them to pull the event (the signature list rose another nine thousand a mere 48 hours after that).
Despite the tsunami of hostility against her, unlike many attacking her Talitha chose not to hide behind the anonymity of the internet. She could have used a false name, or requested that her image not be used. But her intimidation is what Tyler and his fans wanted, it’s what misogyny always wants of women. Talitha refused to fear them or to be silenced. If they were going to attempt to abuse a woman, it was going to occur in the light of public scrutiny.
I really like the way ‘Hecuba’ expressed it in a blog comment.
Tyler obviously didn’t like that brave woman who held him to account for his women-hating insults, because Tyler reacted by directing sexually degrading insults at her. Typical male behaviour whenever a male is challenged on his women-hating views, he reacts by uttering male threats and sexualised insults.
Unfortunately all but one of our elected officials gave a damn. The Immigration Minister didn’t reply, and not one female MP had even a word to say about it.
But we press on. Women like Talitha Stone give us the inspiration to do so.
11 Responses
Well done Talitha and Collective Shout! This campaign was a great victory.
You have opened up a huge discussion in our country about refusing to tolerate violence against women, and likely significantly influenced how controversial visa laws will be interpreted. You had international media attention for your campaign, meaning Tyler was held accountable for his actions and you received a huge outpouring of support from people around the world. That is no small feat.
Well done Talitha for bravely speaking out against that women-hating male Tyler. I sincerely hope other women are also speaking out and adding their words of support to your brave decision in disclosing your identity, because your disclosure means women-hating males will escalate their sexualised insults and threats of male violence against you.
Stand firm Talitha because you speak for all women who refuse to capitulate to virulent male hatred/male contempt for women.
Men continue to claim ‘male hatred/male contempt for women and girls doesn’t exist,’ but the vitriolic incessant degrading sexualised insults male rapper Tyler continues to utter, proves male hatred of women are not isolated incidents but are very effective methods men enact to maintain their right to dominate and oppress all women because their sex is female.
It is vitally important Tyler does not become a scapegoat for mens’ pandemic male hatred of women and girls. There are innumerable Tylers globally and most of these ‘Tylers’ continue not to be held accountable for their support of pandemic male hatred/male contempt for women, because these males hold powerful socio-economic positions. However, most importantly, being white and male ensures these women-hating males can easily deflect attention away from pandemic global male hatred of women by claiming ‘it is about race and women are holding Tyler accountable because he happens to be a black American male.’
We mustn’t allow white men to ‘play the race card’ because race doesn’t cause men such as Tyler to promote and incite pandemic male hatred of women – rather it is male arrogance and male belief their sex alone is the definitive human species.
Tyler continues to demonstrate he is incapable of responding respectfully when a woman dares to challenge him on his misogynistic utterances and instead his only utterances are virulent women-hating insults.
What does this say about Tyler’s view of women? Has Tyler ever uttered male hating rants and if not why not? Is it because Tyler like all males knows that if he dares to insult another male, that male knows his right to be accorded respect has been violated and he might retaliate with threats of male violence. Only males have right to be accorded dignity and respect, whereas females aren’t human but merely exist (supposedly) to be males’ disposable; interchangeable sexual service stations. This is why Tyler constantly directs sexualised dehumanised insults at women and girls.
After all males can’t harm women and girls since they aren’t human and hence promotion of male sexual violence against women and girls isn’t a crime is it?
So… A vacuous Hollywood gossip merchant has a better handle on the Tyler situation than the Australian government. Great,
Talitha you’re a courageous and strong women and you have done a great job of keeping this man and his offensive tirades in the spotlight. Hopefully with enough exposure others will choose to fight this as well….along with the numbers that already are. And on top of all that, you’ve done a wonderful job of exposing the weak government that stands at the top in Australia….a government more concerned with their reputations or whatever it is that keeps them from taking a strong stand against anything that disrespects women and even incites violence against women. How can we expect the culture of a country to change for the better if their own leaders won’t stand up and fight for what is right. It sickens me and explains so much as to why, in this country, women still treated by so many as sexual objects and are the victims of violent crimes.
Well done, Talitha.
Someone had to call this asshole out and you did it! Don’t let anyone’s comments make you think you’re in the wrong for even a second.
Every time somebody stands up for what is right, evil people will resist them. But I really believe that you, and everyone else fighting for the concept that women are human beings will win the day… one day.
I think what we’re seeing in today’s misogyny is a reaction against feminist victories. Since the beginning of time, men have operated under the assumption that part of being a man is to be braver, smarter, and more responsible than a woman. Feminists have undone that myth, and now there are a lot of young men around who don’t know what being a man is all about. Rather than doing the hard work of attempting to reconstruct a positive and more egalitarian view of being a man is, many young guys now are simply spitting the dummy against the feminists and trying to pretend that women are inferior (so that their masculinity has a basis once again).
As such, I think that the misogyny we’re seeing is a desperate grasp at something long gone. As such, I think we have reason to hope that we can put it to death!
Thanks so much to Collective Shout and Talitha Stone for all your efforts, it’s so important.
Here’s Bernard Zuel in SMH not quite getting the point: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/tyler-creates-stir-but-is-australia-crying-wolf-20130605-2nppv.html?rand=7674715
Tyler is supposed to be so cleverly “meta”. He has A LOT of competition when it comes to selling violence, eg. I find Law & Order SVU offensive, the same exploitation of (mostly female) misery & suffering – one difference is in the delivery.
To the audience: Who wants to “consume entertainment” based on graphic descriptions of rape, murder, mutilation? Who enjoys listening/watching/buying this? Which record & touring companies are making $$$ off YOUR consumption of violence?
This stuff wasn’t funny a couple of years ago, isn’t funny now. If you’re going to see or have been to see Odd Future, is your laughing at violence is helping victims of gender and sexuality-based violence? The women being systematically raped in the Congo, Syria etc.are dying to know.
If you’re a parent, why is this ok for your kids – do you even know what they’re listening to? If you’re age 18 or over, why do you think this material is entertaining? Do you know any victims of sexual assault? What do they think of this content?
For the record, this content has been flagged by several major organisations dedicated to working with and supporting the 1 in 3 women, 1 in 5 men who have been sexually assaulted. They know that anything that normalises, minimises or appears to condone sexual violence supports the culture of violence which leads to these alarmingly high rates of violence. Eg. from White Ribbon, “to show you are against violence, you can make your concern known.“Hey mate, that’s sexist and I don’t think it’s funny.” http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/whatmencando/standup
PS. Tyler’s fans still threaten to rape women who speak out. To those who claim ‘Goblin’ etc is all in the past, Tyler still does the “bad old” material at shows btw.
Well done Talitha; Can his anti-female rants be taken as pro all-male homosexual civilisation based on violence – hmm we had one before in History – Sparta.
Wake up Politicians AND Australia Public Service; you strain at letting people come from Hungary to visit a dying relative and yet celebrate a ranting violence inciting IDIOT – allowing him and his entire entourage in to promote something that YOUR public polemic is clearly against.
Geez – we should still have Senator Stott Despoja in Govt – she had the “balls” that you clearly do not.
Well Done Talitha – run for Prime Minister
Good on YOU Talitha. This man is disgusting and abhorrent. I cannot believe people actually call this entertainment and also that he is allowed to get away with this!!! Shocking and I hope the government officials start taking action and revoke his visa and send him back to the hole where he must have crawled out from!!!
Thank you Talitha. You speak for all of us.
Talitha, you are beautiful, smart and strong. This world needs you. Thank you so much for your stance, your courage and tenacity is so inspiring. You are a fantastic role model for all women. Bravo!
Talitha, well done standing up. Please remember that the sort of person who spits venom and abuse via the internet behind false identities only does so because they are way too feeble and weak to do so in person. A look into the crowd and a “Tyler” event reveals a room packed with sad losers with inferiority complexes – its a psychologists dream gig. None of them would actually stand up and face a strong and confident woman for fear of being humiliated. You and Collective Shout keep on the good work and don’t let these losers bother you.