Student Submission

Working on this project about digital misogynoir has been incredibly eye-opening and
emotional for me. At the very beginning, I understood the term and had a vague understanding of
what it was. However, experiencing actual examples of the vitriol that Black women encounter
launched me into a whole new understanding. The messages represented in my visual art were
harrowing—violently threatening messages, racist insults, and were visually difficult to see—but
they brought to light how truly insidious online abuse can be. It was important to me that the
artwork did not downplay or conceal the shock of these words. The reason was that the truth
must be seen. It is not just mean messages. It is the systematic and acute intersection of racism
and sexism overshooting the visibility of how hard it is to be a Black woman (and many more
intersections in-between).

As I reflected on this project, I began to think critically about how digital spaces, while
intended to connect people, can also be sites of harm. The internet allows one to say things that
they would not say face-to-face, and often this anonymity encourages abuse. Phrases like “Retire
NOW!!!” and “Go back to Cuba” alongside “SAY HER NAME” made it clear that Black women
can be attacked for simply existing but still expected to be strong and fight. I thought about how
unjust for someone under this context to experience hatred while also pursuing justice and
respect.

One of the most difficult things to do in this stage of the project was deciding how to
project these messages without escalating the issue. I didn’t want it to sound like I was
perpetuating the hate, but I certainly didn’t want to sugarcoat it either. In the end, I decided to
screen capture the words exactly as they appear online because it is important for people to see
just how ugly and violent the attacks can really be. Talking about misogynoir in theory is one
thing, but confronting the way Black women experience misogynoir directly is pertinent.
This project also had me thinking critically about what can be done to mitigate abuse or
harassment. Social media platforms have a responsibility to protect Black women from abusive
behaviors and harassment, and should not allow hateful comments to remain online for days or
weeks at a time without taking action. People who are not Black women should educate
themselves and listen to the feelings of Black women instead of brushing off their experiences or
acting like it is not a big deal. Lastly, all of us must call out abusive and harassing behaviours
when we see it, whether it be online or in person; quiet entitles the behaviour to continue.
Prior to this project, I was aware of the concept of misogynoir, but now I am much more
keenly aware of it. It isn’t just something that happens to other people, but rather a lived, daily
experience for Black women, and it is everyone’s responsibility to work towards stopping it. I
hope my art will make people uncomfortable, as it is the first step towards change. If all it does is
make one person look at their treatment of other people online differently, it already
accomplished something. After this, I intend to continue to use what I learned to proactively
challenge racism and sexism wherever I see it, whether it is online or real life.