Not Your Dear

“Dear” Internet Predators
sexual harassment in texting is also punishable by law

As much as I love Maxen, I hate him too, for this very line “You’re all my dears.” I’m sorry but as friendly as the world dear sounds or as “sweet” of an intent it may have, there are some scenarios when it just is not okay. You don’t write dear in a formal letter, so why is this word loosely thrown all over the internet? I get it when someone needs to address an audience and make them more comfortable, and sometimes after one or two conversations, it seems to flow. There are situations when dear sounds okay and creates a bond, but there are situations when it is downright creepy and needs to stop.

And this is on social media. A more implied version of dear would be “babe” and in case you haven’t understood what I’m talking about yet, it’s sexual harassment via texting. People believe that you need to meet or at least talk to someone face to face for sexual harassment to happen. But well no. It’s time we rethink this. Even the law recognizes it as illegal, so be aware. If someone texts you something that’s highly inappropriate please don’t feel scared to block and report. There are so many creeps floating over the internet, that it’s not even a joke. Social media is now a marketplace for employees and employers, yet a place where everyone just wants to be themselves and talk to friends. But unfortunately, that simply does not happen.

If you’re a girl on social media, I’m sorry but you’ve entered the lion’s den. If you post a picture of yourself even as your profile picture on an art or quotes account, well, it doesn’t guarantee you immunity at all. Infact, it’s the reverse. People find a way to you regardless and then they question your gender. Apparently, boys can’t be artists or if they are, they post a girl’s profile picture to get more “engagement.” So, now society not only thinks that women are not deserving but that whatever they do is overrated and gets the most attention. Geez, we really need feminism, but I forgot that feminism in the wrong hands is equally demeaning as well. So much for “a better place” through activism. I’m sorry but no one should be judged by their gender. A person’s profile picture has absolutely nothing to do with the content they produce and if you think so, you deserve your own layer of hell in Dante’s Inferno. Enjoy the first-class service there.

Most of these messages, by these patriarchal “the world serves me” pigheadedness brains starts with “Hi dear.” I’m sorry but if we’ve never met or ever talked, how in the world does a random person on the internet have the right to call someone else “dear?” My mom runs a business and naturally, she has an Instagram page as well. And when I was being her unofficial official social media manager, well, guess what I say in her DMS. “Hi dear.” It’s almost unthinkable that my mom would receive a message like this. But it shows us how narrow-minded our thought really is. It’s only not you, it’s probably everyone you know. Sexual harassment via text may seem like a small thing but it isn’t. And if you think I’m making a mountain of a molehill, just imagine some creep sending a dm to anyone in your family who you love to the moon and back. Imagine some creep on the internet claiming rights to call your sister or mother or best friend for that matter “dear.” Don’t you feel a tad bit angry that some random dude decides to infringe on something that definitely has no strings attached to him whatsoever and it feels wrong, doesn’t it? So what do you do? Well, number one you block and report that creep. And secondly, because you are a person and no one has the right to call you anything without your consent, you stand bold or text bold and say “NOT YOUR DEAR,” just like America did, initially.

If Kiera Kass created a problem, she gave its solution too, so don’t you dare try to blame her “dear” patriarchal, sexist society. So the next time your patriarchal pigheadedness inspires you to call someone who you’ve never talked to, please remember that you’re not entitled to be served at all and that she never gave you consent to be called “dear” by you. So by calling someone’s dear, you might pay the high cost of possibly a lawyer and fifteen minutes of bad publicity. Trust, me James Charles learned it the hard way, so might you so remember, no one on the internet unless they allow it is “your dear”. Stop with this bad attitude and bruise your wounded egos as much as you want to because women are NOT YOUR DEAR(s).