Trans* Violence Tracking Portal Press Release
November 21, 2014

Yesterday, on the English-language imageboard website known as 4Chan, a conversation was captured that points to an offensive by transphobic haters to target transgender people to trigger suicides. Hate speech online is common. However, 4Chan users recently gained attention and notoriety for starting, orchestrating, and escalating Gamergate, an organized campaign against women involved in the video game industry. They target anyone who speaks out against their misogyny. Numerous threats of violence and death against women (and their families) have been associated with this campaign.

The ideas being floated are to infiltrate trans* spaces and pressure trans* individuals to commit suicide in aggressive manners. The direct efforts to push transgender individuals into sucide by very aggressive haters needs to be considered a severe threat to the welfare of the community. As one writer noted about this news, "4chan's gotten a taste of blood with gamergate and they're now interested in going out and abusing their power to kill people."

We at the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal are distinctly concerned that one of the plans is to engage gay men (knowingly and unknowingly) to participate in their campaign. Some gay men actively participate with TERFs as a Transgender Exclusionary Gay Men (TEGM) and routinely harasses transgender woman. We are aware of other gay men as well as TERFs who actively harass and marginalize transgender people. This new planned assault on transgender individuals needs to be considered serious and precautions taken. Gay Organizations should consider educating their community to insure safety for the entire LGBTQQI Community and not be used as pawns in a game of terror and hate.

We urge caution on every level as to who you friend and use good social media practices. If a person is bullying or harassing you- do not engage- Immediately BLOCK and REPORT.

http://www.transviolencetracker.org/index.php/press-releases/112-haters-plan-to-trigger-trans-suicides

Spreading it around my Facebook, ->-bleeped-<- and Tumblr. I can't believe these people...

Please note that this is coming from 4chan, ignore them and hopefully it will go away.  Just be aware of it, especially if you are on tumblr.

There are some really deranged people out there. If I can give some advice on this. Don't ever take anything on the internet personal. I personally challenge people like this but calm and cool no matter how angry or hurt it makes me. I keep coming at them again and again and again, with kindness or sometimes even condescension but never anger or hate. The more people like this talk the more stupid, unintelligent and crazy or hateful they seem. So keep them talking and let them talk themselves into being stupid.

Warning though. If you can't go around with someone without giving into anger please don't even attempt it. All it will do is hurt yourself. I've outlasted more than one fool on youtube and never got angry once.

Reminds me of one post here a while ago on how to argue with transphobes. You don't argue with them. You just let them talk and eventually their stupidity will shine through from their own words. You just prod them along and let them do you arguing for you. Be as nice as you can and really concerned. Being manipulative is not that hard.

This should belong in the hands of the police ... Just my thought.

Okay, this article is hopelessly biased. I got as far as the part about Gamergate being an assault on women in the video game industry. No, it's not. It's a consumer revolt against unethical video game journalism, and I am a full supporter of it.

Gamergate is also not a 4chan thing. 

Ok so that's horrifying :/
Sometimes I don't understand why people hate us so much, I mean sure we're different but there are so many wonderful, beautiful trans* people out there, how ignorance can drive actions with such a brutally murderous intent is just sickening to me and for some reason I would at least hope others would feel the same way as well.

Quote from: Myarkstir on November 21, 2014, 09:41:31 PM
This should belong in the hands of the police ... Just my thought.

unfortunately these monsters tend to be pretty good at hiding their online identity and also tend to be across borders, there is nothing any single nations police service can really do about it.

We should also stay alert on Susan's, because even though this isn't as enormous as tumblr or Facebook, it doesn't take to much effort to find this place and the possibility of infiltrator's is a real and very significant eventuality....

Quote from: Pikachu on November 21, 2014, 09:48:24 PM
No, it's not. It's a consumer revolt against unethical video game journalism, and I am a full supporter of it.

That may have been what the initial goals were, but when a massive amount of rape and death threats directed at women, that absolutely is more attention worthy.

I honestly get the impression that 4chan literally just trolls everyone. I don't take anything they do seriously, I think it's all facetious in nature. Besides, so many people get bullied online and don't even make the effort to block or avoid the people who are throwing negative comments their way. They just keep reading them and reading them.

But it would be sad if someone was actually driven over the edge, like if they were so mentally unstable that these trolls managed to get under their skin that much.

what if someone comes here in a vulnerable state (hardly a rare occurrence) contemplating suicide and seeking reassurance for the community that it will be ok. I think there might be a very real threat of someone being pushed over the edge, feeling that they've lost their last place to turn :/

That's what I'm afraid of

Quote from: skin on November 21, 2014, 09:53:14 PM
That may have been what the initial goals were, but when a massive amount of rape and death threats directed at women, that absolutely is more attention worthy.

Of course there are people involved who are distorting the message and injecting their own agenda, just as there are with any large group. Sadly, it has become somewhat co-opted, as is the tendency whenever things like this get big. But that in no way takes away from what it's really about, no more than the few bad apples in the trans community take away from the rest of us.

Quote from: Pikachu on November 21, 2014, 10:06:17 PM
But that in no way takes away from what it's really about, no more than the few bad apples in the trans community take away from the rest of us.

I very strongly disagree, but this is a discussion for another thread.

Quote from: Jo-is-amazing on November 21, 2014, 10:03:55 PM
what if someone comes here in a vulnerable state (hardly a rare occurrence) contemplating suicide and seeking reassurance for the community that it will be ok. I think there might be a very real threat of someone being pushed over the edge, feeling that they've lost their last place to turn :/

That's what I'm afraid of

Well that is why it is super important that we report any such occurances and do nothing else. Susan's has lots of competent people who are there for us.

Oh my god. That is so scary and horrible. This makes me so scared for my girlfriend, and for a lot of you guys. If anything like this happens to you, please don't take it personally, and just remember that it's complete ignorance and hatred that is coming from those people. You're so much better than that.

Stay strong. <3

I think we are fairly safe here.  We've had 4Chan come into the chat rooms before.  They didn't last long.  Threats such as these are why the "Report to Moderator" buttons are for.  Bad actors will be dealt with as quickly s we can.

Perhaps, if you see attacks like this happening on other sites you can rally to the victims' defense, both publicly and privately.

The world is full of rotten people and we can be empowered to deal with them.  Shame is stigma that we apply to ourselves.  Trolls try to use stigma and shame to hurt us.  Refuse to accept the validity of the stigma and the shame goes away.  Most trans people are strong people.  We can deal with this threat just like we can deal with any other.

I heard about these losers elsewhere. They are just worthless sacks of crap.

Infiltration can go both ways. 

Sad what this world has come to...

But trans* folks are the strongest people they will encounter. Remember that Internet troll who committed suicide after she was exposed? Trolls are weak and pathetic human beings without a life, keyboard warriors who never had to fight for anything in their lives.

I am honored they waste all their alloted time to us.

One chat site I know that is absolutely shocking for it is airg, there is a fair few transgirls on it but they tend to ignore them trolls n and up in the lifestyle forum, but there are some serious nut jobs on there.

Quote from: Jill F on November 22, 2014, 01:03:50 AM
Infiltration can go both ways. 

Haha that's so devilish of you  lol I should try it muhahaha