It’s a sad truth to admit, but hate speech is nothing new. People — especially those from marginalized communities — have been enduring threatening, demeaning, and terrifying messaging for literal generations. But unfortunately, with the rise of xenophobia amid the current political climate, paired with the instant connectivity made possible by modern technology, it seems like hate messages are becoming all the more common. You only have to look at what’s transpired in the days following the 2024 presidential election for evidence of this.
On Nov. 6, the day Donald Trump was confirmed to be the president-elect of the United States, the internet exploded with rhetoric that ranged from concerning, to hurtful, to downright terrorizing. But it wasn’t just that the results of the election emboldened people to post their hateful thoughts for the general public to see — some people went so far as to send comments and messages directly to individuals. There is likely an untold number of horrifying messages that have been sent, but there are two in particular that went viral almost immediately.
The first is a deeply disturbing text message a number of Black individuals across the country — including college and high school students — have reported receiving, which told them they’d been “selected to pick cotton,” a clearly racist reference to the country’s history of enslaved Black people. Even more alarming is that many of these texts were personalized, with the messages including the recipients’ names. According to The Crimson White, the student newspaper for the University of Alabama (one school where students reported receiving these texts), the messages seem to be coming from TextNow, a service that allows people to create fake numbers to send messages. In a statement to Her Campus, a rep from TextNow responded to the incident, writing in part, “We are working with partners and law enforcement cooperatively to investigate this attack … We do not tolerate or condone the use of our service to send messages that are intended to harass or spam others and will work with the authorities to prevent these individuals from doing so in the future.”
few things more terrifying to me rn than seeing gen z boys increasingly and gleefully commenting “your body, my choice” on young women’s tiktoks
— Rachel Charlene (@RachelCharleneL) November 7, 2024
The other highly-public messaging people have been receiving post-election spews misogynistic rhetoric directly related to Trump’s anti-choice stance, and comes mainly in the form of comments on TikToks and Instagrams: “Your body my choice.” Primarily found under posts made by women about the state of reproductive rights in America, the comment (most often posted by men who are celebrating the results of the election)Â is, in no uncertain terms, a threat that those on the receiving end cannot be faulted for taking seriously.
By many accounts, it doesn’t seem like this era of blatant racism and misogyny — not to mention transphobia, homophobia, and more — is going to end any time soon. And while I don’t wish this upon anyone, it’s important to be prepared in the event you end up on the receiving end of a hate message. So, here are some steps you can take.
Don’t Respond
Look, if you’re anything like me, your first instinct when receiving a hate message might be to fire back a reply, schooling the sender on how disgusting and pathetic they are — or, you know, words to that effect. However, the best practice is to not give them the satisfaction of a response. In most cases, these people are merely trolls looking to get a rise out of people. And in the event the message was actually sent with more sinister intentions, it’s not safe to interact with the person who sent it.
Block The Sender
Blocking is a beautiful thing. Not only does it help keep you from responding to the message, but it also prevents the individual from sending you any more hateful messages.
Report The Message
Hate speech in any form should not be tolerated. If you received a hate message on social media, each platform should have a clear and easy tool for reporting it. If you’re in high school or college, you can also report the message to your school administration, especially if the message was sent to your school email, or if you know the sender is affiliated with your school. The line between free speech and a hate crime is, unfortunately, blurry. However, you are within your right to report any messages that make you feel threatened or unsafe to authorities at any level — from your local police department to the FBI.
Talk To Someone You Trust
If you’re struggling after receiving a hate message, speak to someone you trust to hear you out and help you find tools for handling it, whether that’s a friend, family member, mentor, or mental health professional. Not only can speaking up about your experience help you heal from it, but it can also raise awareness about the issue, and possibly even help others.
Take Care Of Yourself
No matter the type of message or how you choose to handle it, remember to prioritize your mental health and wellbeing. Receiving a hate message can be incredibly distressing, even traumatizing, with effects that might not show up right away. Be sure to be gentle with yourself and do things that feel good for you — whether that’s going for a run, gettin some extra sleep, or spending time with people you love — and remember that you don’t deserve the hate you received. No one does.