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LABOUR SENATOR LORRAINE Higgins has deleted her professional Facebook page after being subjected to a “tirade of abuse”.
Higgins told TheJournal.ie that she decided to delete the page after being called a ‘c**t’ and told she should have been aborted. She also received death threats.
During her unsuccessful European election campaign, Higgins was told she would be “hatcheted in the face”.
The Galway-based Senator said that she initially tried to “brush off” the abuse, telling herself ‘This comes with the territory, you have to get on with it’. However, she took action after her family became upset when the level of threats increased.
Higgins stressed that “for the most part” the people who engaged with her page were “decent” but said she had to take action when the volume of trolling targeting her and her supporters continued to increase.
I asked myself: ‘Do I really need to look at it first thing in the morning?’
Higgins, a qualified barrister, said that she has almost completed a new cyber bullying Bill that proposes more serious punishments for online trolls.
She noted that she has always had an interest in cyber bullying but became more involved in the area when victims contacted her after she was bullied herself.
The Senator said that having a debate online is fine but “trying to degrade me and humiliate me is not the way to do it”.
I’m not talking about people expressing their opinion, I’m talking about direct threats.
There has to be deterrent and sanctions for people.
Higgins stated that if the harassment had taken place in public, the perpetrators would have been arrested.
She added that when she contacted the people who had threatened her directly, they were “cowardly” and didn’t want to talk.
Legal framework
In late 2013, the then Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte set up the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group to report to him on a range of issues related to online content.
The group made a range of recommendations in June 2014, including that the Communications Regulation Act be amended to include ‘electronic communications’ deemed “grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing”. An implementation group was set up by the Government in July and will report back by the end of the year.
At present, the Law Reform Commission is also reviewing online-related issues such as cyber bullying.
Whatever happened to “My Body, My Choice”. If these ring girls are comfortable with what they are doing then it is nobody elses business how they earn a living and they certainly don’t need other women getting offended on their behalf.
@Dj:
Actually it’s good to see the beautiful women finding their voice and standing up for their rights. For too long now they’re been patronised and looked down upon by their austere sisters.
@Dj: Spot on.
@Dj: it’s just the nuns of yesteryear in their modern guise. At least the nuns’ overarching moral code was documented though, the modern one is subject to constant change. And old/ugly/fat women jealous of the beauty, youth and success of the girls in question, and they can be a screeching and nasty bunch.
@Dj: It’s no coincidence that the majority of male and female SJWs are overweight and have a face like a slapped arse. These new-wave feminists are hailing this as a massive success for women, but a lot of them will now have to seek employment elsewhere in an environment already heavy competed, with upskilling likely needed,
@Simon O’Connor: They can go for jobs in RTE and 2FM. The only qualifications for there these days is to be female.
@Simon O’Connor:
Our very liberal TD Ruth Coppinger is against women working in this area as she thinks it sends out the wrong message believe it or not.
@Aine O Connor: She’s not liberal, she authoritarian. If she were liberal, she would leave these women alone and mind her own business.
@rse biscuits:
Agreed
@Aine O Connor: What will be the knock on effect across other industries? Nobody likes to admit it, but with a lot of waiting and bar staff, looks come into play. What about actresses, models and general promotional staff? I go to a lot of international exhibitions, and all of the promotional girls are absolute knockouts. Why do you think that is?
@Dj: Surprise surprise, a gaggle of fundamentalist religious male commenters who consistently make derogatory comments about women make derogatory comments about women. Lads, maybe if you took a day off berating females you wouldn’t be single and reduced to fantasising about female attendees at Mass every Sunday. It’s kind of cute that the only woman you’ll all ever love is your mommy though!
@Royston Fitzpatrick: Total nonsense.
@Royston Fitzpatrick: So you want to change one dogma for another in the Victorian age? Women are individuals, they should have the right in a 1st world country to work where they want without fundamentalists dictating what they should wear and what they should do.
@Simon O’Connor:
The world is gone mad. Whether we like it or not everyone likes to be admired . That is why women in particular go to enormous trouble to make themselves as attractive as possible.
As you point out where will it all end. Common sense they say is very scarce.
@Liam Doyle:
Ruth Coppinger TD is against the girls working in this area and I can assure you she is no NUN.
@Aine O Connor: i noticed she’s wearing lippy and make up on tv now ..they must be trying to make her acceptable to normal people
@Royston Fitzpatrick: laughably ignorant and sweeping comment, really Oh my..
@Dj: this is the first step to enforcing the hijab on all women.
@neilo: He is not letting himself down but expressing superficial mob expressions of nuns.
http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/holocaust/h-eternal.htm
People looking to make themselves feel better at the expense of another will find it.
@John’s Voyage: To be female & pretty.
@Liam Doyle: You should visit a Cuan Mhuire centre and experience what these women do for those suffering from addiction. They do it quietly in a society that berates them and I can’t but feel total admiration for their service in helping those who need it. Thankfully a wider group of people know of their existence and they will tell you what beauty is.
@Aine O Connor: Would the men like to see their daughters do this kind of work?
i think not.
@Sean Conway: So?
@Royston Fitzpatrick: Looks like Alt Right Crybaby / Cultural Marxist got a new account!
@Sean Conway: Do you think ring girls/pit girls etc don’t have fathers??
@Sean Conway: do fathers own their adult daughters to the point that they can dictate what work they may do? Of course not, and it doesn’t really matter if fathers are happy with the work their daughters do, what’s important is whether the women themselves are happy with the work they do. From a not excessively possessive father of a beautiful daughter.
What about women who want to do this sort of work? I imagine it pays very well, and is very easy work for those with the right physical attributes, who wouldn’t take if they could get it! But I guess women should only have choices as long as they choose what the “sisterhood” deems appropriate. Life was less confusing when the sisterhood identified themselves with habits I think, but otherwise it’s not that dissimilar from the 50s in some ways.
@Arfer Daly: You’re right. There is still some real liberals out there that get drowned out by the regressives.
Believe it or not liberal TD Ruth Coppinger is against girls working in this line of work as she thinks it sends out the wrong message for women.
Rosemary Smith on the other hand our famous rally driver thinks if the women want to do it it’s their choice.
@neilo: socialism sits on the left
It is now forbidden to appreciate feminine beauty.
@White Rabbit: Of course it is. Judging feminines on their beauty is sexism.
@White Rabbit: worlds gone
Quick. Someone phone Veronica.
@itzme: She’s in bed with her wife at this time.
@John’s Voyage: Shouting at photographs of random men.
But aren’t they aaaaalll lovely girls.
@James Wond: In appearance yes.
Militant feminism is more than a bit like militant Islam in that opposition is considered treason.
Que the birkenstock wearing voice of “All Women” to simultaneously advocate for women’s right to make their own decisions while eviscerating them for acting outside the birkenstinion manifesto
@Kris Kendellen: I liked both of your comments because it was so well put.
@Kris Kendellen: Feminism is a dangerous ideology, and it’s infecting every college and university campus. Imagine how parents feel, they sent their sweet, well mannered, well adjusted girls off to college, pay thousands for their “education”, only for them to come out the other end with a degree in bloody communism, blue hair, and a few abortions under their belt.
@Susannah O’Brien: the above argument doesn’t make sense
Lads 1- Feminists and Mary Whitehouse 0.
@Niccolo Saccho: __ I doubt that Mary Whitehouse bothers much these days, she’s been dead for years.
You need to decide between ‘almost half’ in the headline and ‘the majority’ in the first line of the piece, which refer to the same thing.
@Brendan O’Brien: exactly. It’s not a majority, it’s a plurality.
Are women not able to make their own choices ? Are they being forced to go into this line of work . Ridiculous carry on !
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: Men finding women physically appealing is abuse now you see.
Was it 56%of the same poll group who said they would remove a wheel clamp if they thought they could get away with it…
Let them do whatever they feel is right for them. It’s no one else’s business.
What has it got to do with the sport ？
@Kerry Gallagher: what does it matter? Better or worse, it’s a long-standing tradition with these sports. The women do the work voluntarily. What good reason is there to impose a ban?
I don’t see the big deal, if women want to do it then let them do it , what happened to free choice? Before we know it models will be under attack
@Derek Lyster: Can anyone actually show real evidence of the ‘harm’ these ladies perform?
Someone said this was outdated and perhaps it is {we maintain many clapped out traditions} but what actual damage is it doing to anyone? A particular subset do not like it and therefore have deemed it fair game to be banned. That’s it from what I can see {I could be wrong} – the opinion of one group is deemed sufficient reason to scrap these roles (sorta)
@Derek Lyster: good point.. how exactly is this different from any other form of modeling or acting?
Que the birkenstock wearing voice of “All Women” to simultaneously advocate for women’s right to make their own decisions while eviscerating them for acting outside the birkenstinion manifesto
Banning Ring Girls,Grid Girls ,Dart walk on girls ,is that not just another way of telling women what they can or cannot do , instead of giving women the choice of any profession they choose to do .
@Jim Brennan: I would not be surprised if the Feminists start a campaign to regulate what clothes a woman can and can’t wear.
Maybe something like this.
https://mashable.com/2015/05/27/swimsuit-police/#qQ1jccf5ygq3
I actually just happened to be watching Claire Byrne for the first time in my life when this was on. Ruth Coppinger is a disgrace and an patronising idiot. Claire Byrne is mega hot. Wow.
@rse biscuits: Also if you missed it, hunt down the short film made by Kevin Sharkey at the end of the programme. Great stuff.
@rse biscuits:
Ruth was given short shrift tonight, I’d say, for once, she was glad to exit the studio.
I do support her socialist principles though.
@Niccolo Saccho: She seems to be a total eejit imho
They’ve gone from shoving women in our faces to shoving children in our faces. Please, just put a pucking robot waving the pucking flags……:)
Headline Edit :
“Almost half of 1000 people asked by Claire Byrne don’t want to ban….”
@@YouKnowThatSite: Claire Byrne audiences was polled – not exactly the most neutral or objective group to canvas….
I’ve always thought it ridiculous to have promotional girls at the RDS or selling mobile phones or parading around like show ponies at boxing rings, car launches or darts tournaments. The fact that the girls are paid well for what they do and that some want to do it albeit they need the money) could be used as argument for many outdated practices. e.g. page 3 girls. It is not a justification. Summed up best for me in the Simpsons clip where Homer asked the lovely girl if she came with the car and she tittered and said Oh You! He went off delighted with himself and the next guy came up and said the same thing to the same reaction.
Won’t somebody please think of the children
I don’t see why it should be banned. If the girls are happy to do it and they are getting paid for their work, What’s the harm?
Personally I think it’s tacky and outdated but in the interests of equality I suggest we introduce 50% scantly clad men to parade around the ring holding numbers. Wouldn’t they be happy to do it? Earn some money? No?
@Carly Kelly: The fighters are scantly clad are they not but i get your point. Punters want/ expect to see this and it makes no real difference to the rest of us so what’s being gain actually by scrapping them?
@Carly Kelly: is that for women’s boxing Carly.
@Ciaran Henry: Granted the fighters are scantly clad but it’s not quite the same thing is it? They are not bare chested for titillation. And while I accept that punters are probably mainly male, what about the female spectators? Don’t they count?
@Carly Kelly: Have you attended many boxing matches yourself over the years? If so have you objected to the organisers about these women being involved and their purpose?
If the answer to either question is NO then I really cant see the sincerity in your objection.
Ask the ladies in the ring themselves how they feel about the job they do and if they have no issues then leave them be. Their body, their choice….unless it does not fit the feminist agenda of course.
Might as well ban modelling outright!
What a load of politically correct Bollocks
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