Calling It 'Bullying' Doesn't Do Amanda Todd Justice by Jarrah Hodge

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I posted an article about Amanda Todd the other day and this one is related but also an important read.  
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"Talking about the suicide of 15-year-old Amanda Todd, it's tempting to look for quick answers, to condemn the technology she was using, to believe we can prevent future Amandas from making the same choice by speaking out against 'bullying.'
But calling it "bullying" or even "cyberbullying" doesn't do it justice. "Bullying" erases specific social factors and makes it seem like something that you age out of. Adding the "cyber" prefix doesn't necessarily make it more accurate. Technology was a catalyst, but webcams, cellphones, and the Internet aren't the key to understanding what happened to Amanda; systemic sexism is.

Girls in North America are under incredible pressure and subject to conflicting messages. On the one hand you're told to protect your purity in order to maintain your reputation. On the other hand, practically all the role models around you in the media -- in romantic comedies, advertising, even Disney movies- - are telling you that your worth is based on your desirability. You get the message that you are nothing without a boyfriend."

READ MORE: Calling It 'Bullying' Doesn't Do Amanda Todd Justice
 

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