[PsYcNeT]

Could go here or the Fed thread, but a thoughtful and informative response from Gondek regarding the Freeland incident.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1563992273180049409

2/Why on earth would I openly state that I feel fear after seeing that horrible video? Because you need to hear what actually happens to women after something like this. We have been conditioned to never show fear, but I think it’s high time we talk about it.

3/I’ll explain what I mean with some experiences I have had as a candidate & political figure. During the 2017 civic election, I had a man call to tell me he knew where I lived & I should watch out. He then confronted me in person at a public debate. He was about 6’2”, 200 lbs.

4/In an open area packed with people, he loomed over me to hiss that he had made that call & he would make sure I lost the election. He then sat in the front row leering at me for the whole event. I compartmentalized the fear, cleared my head & crushed the debate.

5/Here’s another one. Minutes before the UofC mayoral debate in 2021, the Western Standard published a story but used my kid’s name instead of mine. My blood ran cold. Why would they make a mistake like that? Were they planning to write something about my family?

6/Once again, I compartmentalized the fear & went into the debate. I have no idea how I responded to anything because my mind was scared for my family. I got through it but the bizarre mention of my kid’s name made me wonder if my family would be safe should I win.

7/Then in January 2022, protestors came to my home to air their grievances over pandemic measures. Unbeknownst to me, they stood on my driveway until I opened the garage door, when they scurried to the street. My mum was with me. We closed the door quickly & went back in.

8/It didn’t last long but it shook our family. Would this happen again? How did they get my home address? Again, we all compartmentalized the fear & moved on. My mum still looks out to the driveway nervously every time we have to drive somewhere.

9/April 2022 brought us a new low of finding a costume horse head on my driveway. Pretty clear what a horse head symbolizes. Accompanied by tire marks on the street in front of my house from the erratic driving that was supposed to wake me up at 3:30 am.

10/I was asked to file a victim statement so charges could be laid. The statement had to show fear. Took me 2 days write because actually unpacking my fear was emotionally draining. Compartmentalizing works because you can ignore how you feel. Speaking of your fear is exhausting.

11/There are many more examples. The man who yelled racial & misogynist slurs at a retirement dinner, followed by an attempt to charge at me. Random man on Stephen Ave telling me to go back where I came from. Balaclava-clad man trying to get into Council Chambers to see me.

12/I am sharing all of this now because you need to know that there are people who feel that their freedoms involve being able to intimidate others. They go after journalists & politicians with no fear of retribution. And we’re left to compartmentalize so we can do our work.

13/The cold reality is that we all know the Deputy Prime Minister will be targeted again. We know I will be targeted again. All the stories that are being shared by journalists & politicians should show you it will happen again. And the next time may result in injury or death.

14/All this to say that I obviously condemn what happened to our Deputy Prime Minister. And I hope you can now see how such vile actions create situations for the rest of us, where we have to ask who’s next. Women in media & politics often feel like we’re screaming into the void.

15/The condemnation of hateful verbal assaults like this is important, but it has to be accompanied by action. More needs to be done to identify groups & individuals who are perpetuating organized hate. They must face consequences before the inevitable violence is unleashed.

16/ Expecting people to “be better” is not enough anymore. Organized hate has to be rooted out & stopped through legislation. The justice system needs to protect people who are targeted. Listen to women who are telling you the law is not strong enough to protect us.

17/That’s it. There’s my pound of flesh for those who needed proof that such acts of hatred take a toll on us. But let’s be clear. Like all the other women speaking up, I’m not going to back down or give up. Fear doesn’t win. We have work to do. Let’s go.