Alisha Rai wrote a tweet about cake pops on Valentine’s Day that went holy heckin’ viral. It was on every social media platform. It was on tv. Morning shows spent 3+ minutes debating it. Then jackwagon men’s rights activists on YouTube ranted about it.
The cake pops are a metaphor, but the outcome of online virality and that level of exposure is very real, and very difficult. So we talk about what happened, why it happened, and why it’s so goddam threatening for marginalized women with platforms and opinions to be funny while criticizing the behavior of entitled people.
And in delicious, delicious irony, Girl Gone Viral, Alisha’s new book, is out this week.
TW/CW: harassment, like holy whoa. We’re talking throughout the episode about online harassment of a woman of color, and there are some shitty examples at different times in our conversation, so heads up.
Some people suck. You, however, are fabulous.
Music:
https://www.purple-planet.com
