If Depp is Jack Sparrow, Heard is Amy Dunne from “Gone Girl” in the court of public opinion. ShindanMaker, a Japanese website that lets people create their own fortune teller-like tests, has a new test among its ranks specifically for conducting vibe checks. Heard, a queer woman who spoke out about domestic violence, is a destroyer of their ideals: crazy and conniving. They seem to prefer the story about their pirate hero, the one who makes quips on the stand, the one who has entertained them for years and made their lives more enjoyable. While it’s very possible that Depp and Heard both contributed to an abusive partnership, social media users don’t seem to want to consider this messiness. But, as gender justice advocate Farrah Khan told Vice, the trial also “has the potential to scare victims and survivors of abuse from speaking out because they fear backlash similar to what Heard is getting right now.” Want more articles like this? Follow THINK on Instagram to get updates on the week’s most important political analysis Perhaps one positive result of the public response to this case is that more men will be empowered to share their experiences with abuse. Men often don’t like to be seen as victims or disempowered, while women are scared they will be disbelieved and then harassed. Social media users even harassed a clinical psychologist testifying on behalf of Heard, filling her professional Google profile with one-star reviews calling her a “liar” and “evil.”Īnd survivors can be reluctant to come forward with their abuse stories for different reasons. The problem is the reflexive assumption that Depp is being wronged, along with the gleeful way social media is harassing the woman who accused him of violence. Both sides have made upsetting accusations. By September of 2019, vibe check began to be used as a shitposting meme. We don’t know the truth in this situation. I saw the bouncer wave in a group of two young-looking boys in Adidas drawstring bags in few people in front of me after asking how many were in their group. And there’s the toxic fandom gone amok as people mindlessly cheer on a man who has already lost a libel trial against the British tabloid The Sun after it called him a “wife beater.” There’s the willful conflation of an actor, Depp, with his most famous and beloved role, Captain Jack Sparrow, the charismatic pirate - blurring the lines between his real life and the public’s fantasy. These are two human beings talking about one of the darkest parts of their lives, and we’re treating it as entertainment. It reminds me that when women allege abuse, they’re often put through the wringer - famous or not.Īlongside the frightening level of sexism, there’s a jocular vibe surrounding this case that’s disturbing. I am an abuse survivor, and it’s particularly damaging to see social media pile-ons focused on a woman who didn’t even initially name her abuser. ![]() Instead, the trial has turned into a circus of misogyny and delusion. The case should provide a sobering look at domestic violence and how it affects both men and women.
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