Alex Wennberg sexually harrassed by "BookTokers"

[FireGilbert]

Anyone following the dramas with Alex Wennberg and his wife having to ask TicTokers to stop sexually harassing him? Really disgusting behavior by these woman and would be completely unacceptable if the sexes were reversed.

My wife, a self published author, has been telling me about the rise in popularity of hockey romance novels going viral through TicTok BookTok, which has caused a correlating growth in middle aged female hockey fans. Even our local Australian ice hockey team has embraced the new popularity resulting in bigger crowds, but also some really cringe TicTok marketing where young players are thirsted after and even asked to read explicit passages from these books.

This all reached a head over the weekend when Wennberg's wife called out the behavior on instagram, leading to the Kraken, who had originally embraced the attention, to delete their BookTok account. Here are more details.

https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/...ersy-rcna97369

The Seattle Kraken embraced thirsty ‘Booktok’ hockey romance videos. It backfired.

What started as a playful thirst for hockey players on TikTok quickly devolved into what one Seattle Kraken star and his wife have blasted as inappropriate behavior.

Over the weekend, Alexander Wennberg and his wife, Felicia, took to Instagram to plead with the Kraken fanbase to stop posting sexual comments, calling it harassment. “Enough of sexual harassment, and harassment of our character and our relationship,” the hockey star wrote.
Their public request came amid a rise in social media content surrounding Wennberg and his Kraken teammates, who have become viral heartthrobs on TikTok. Hockey romances have become a popular subgenre within BookTok, a huge community of book lovers on TikTok, and in recent months many have translated their love for these books – romance stories centered around the sport –into an interest in professional hockey.

Videos showing Kraken players doing groin stretches and walking in slow motion gained popularity, with many using a catchphrase, “Krack my back,” to sexualize them. Even the Kraken team leaned into the fervor, inviting creator Kierra Lewis, who is credited for being among the first to cultivate the crossover fandom of hockey and BookTok, to one of their games...

[getbak]

[Wormius]

So basically the team encouraged this behaviour, and when Wennberg voiced his displeasure over it, everyone stopped.

[Stampede2TheCup]

Originally Posted by Wormius

So basically the team encouraged this behaviour, and when Wennberg voiced his displeasure over it, everyone stopped.

I disagree with this assessment. To me it sounds a lot like blaming a woman for receiving sexual harassment based on how they look or dress. Marketing people as sex symbols is not an open invitation for sexual harassment.

It started as a bit of fun marketing that the players by and large didn’t seem too opposed to. The Wennbergs eventually voiced their displeasure when it ended up with having an unintended result of bringing out a bad element of people.

In retrospect it was a mistake by the Kraken marketing team to create an environment that made their players the targets of this. However, the real fault all lies with with the harassers. They completely crossed a line and the team’s marketing is no justification for this behaviour.

Also, I wouldn’t be so sure everyone has stopped even at this point….

[GreenLantern2814]

Whatever gets you to stop using Chinese Communist Party spyware, guys.

[Huntingwhale]

Yesterday I heard the term booktok for the first time, but refused to look it up since it sounded so dumb. I'm upset I wandered in here and now I know what it is.

[devo22]

this is one of the dumbest things I've read in a while, and that says something. What a time to be alive

[dustygoon]

What’s an example? I might be just completely out of touch, or this is really weird. I’m not sure what the hell is actually occurring. Like there are fantasy books about Wennberg? Or there are slow-mo videos with exotic captioning?

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Yesterday I heard the term booktok for the first time, but refused to look it up since it sounded so dumb. I'm upset I wandered in here and now I know what it is.

I have down everything in my power to avoid BookTok and stuff like this is why.
They're also always cancelling someone over something.

But I fully agree with the earlier post about the gendered nature of it. I'm a pretty sex positive person but these types of comments on posts etc, without express consent, are no different from Cat calling etc. And what makes it ok? A gender reversal? Naw, that ain't it.

[Reggie Dunlop]

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by devo22

this is one of the dumbest things I've read in a while, and that says something. What a time to be alive

If there was a list of things to get rid of to improve society social media would be at the top.

So would Edmonton sports teams.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

What’s an example? I might be just completely out of touch, or this is really weird. I’m not sure what the hell is actually occurring. Like there are fantasy books about Wennberg? Or there are slow-mo videos with exotic captioning?

Here is a full breakdown

https://www.davyjoneslockerroom.com/...dia-nightmare/

Basically, Wennberg was asked to do a bit of acting, reading a character in a novel. The Kraken promoted it and it blew up.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Here is a full breakdown

https://www.davyjoneslockerroom.com/...dia-nightmare/

Basically, Wennberg was asked to do a bit of acting, reading a character in a novel. The Kraken promoted it and it blew up.

That's not only a good break down but a really thoughtful column.

[Winsor_Pilates]

This is beyond weird but good on Mrs Wennberg for calling it out.
She shouldn't have to deal with that crap and from what I read on the last link, her reply and requests were completely reasonable.
Creeps on the internet are creeps on the internet, male of female (or other).

[TheIronMaiden]

If you post thirsty comments online you always look like a creep loser.

[taxbuster]

Jeez .. I saw the heading on the thread and wondered how one tokes on a book.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by taxbuster

Jeez .. I saw the heading on the thread and wondered how one tokes on a book.

Roll your week with pages of the Bible. Preferably using a Quija board as the rolling table.

[CSharp]

Maybe the Krakens should change their name to Squid - no more Kraken My Back. Problem solved.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Happy to say I've never touched TikTok and never will.

If it is run by China then all the more reason.

Not sure if accurate but I hear the Chinese are inundated with educational and motivational content (children in particular), while people in western countries get spammed with viral nonsense aimed at making them more scatterbrained with shorter attention spans.

As for this story, not sure what to say. Sexualizing people regardless of which direction it goes when it's not asked for is distasteful and it goes to show regardless of the gender people can act gross/distastefully.

[CSharp]

This is like a Jerry Springer's wet dream! Social media gone wild!