“If she broke your heart, break her face…” A Mexican woman senator, Ana Gabriela Guevara, was attacked by four men after a traffic collision. Suffering from broken bones, Guevara posted a photo of her bruised face from the hospital and called for an end to gender violence. Some users, however, responded with the hashtag #BeatingWomenIsHappiness (#GolpearMujeresEsFelicidad in Spanish). News of the attack and the misogynistic hashtag caused a social media storm.
Women on Facebook condemned the attack and emphasised the importance of female empowerment and support. Some pointed out the rise of gender violence in parts of the world.
Sherly Paul: “Let’s stay united and speak up against the growing atrocities against women and girls. We give birth, bear the pain and surround the world with warmth and love. Let the world know that we are strong, bold and courageous and be like Judith in the Bible, Or Durga in the Vedas.”
Sherry Apfel: “WOW. God bless this woman because she is a fighter! And the men who beat her are cowards & monsters! I’m proud of her for not giving up and continuing her fight against abuse! Latina women are strong! Never underestimate them!”
Myra Wood: “Even animals don’t behave this way, so what does this mean about the men who do this to women… Cowards, nothing but cowards!!!”
Natasha Jarvis: “As women we need to support each other and invite men to participate in the cause!”
Harley Einhander Quinn: ”These cowards didn’t have anything better else to do plus their lives are so poor they resorted to this?”
Rose Tyler: “How horrible! Violence isn’t an acceptable way to deal with emotions, and this seems to be all too common in Spanish speaking culture.”
Helga Ingeborg Vierich: “Violence against woman seems to be getting worse in Mexico.”
Karen Bain Bostwick: “This is what happens when misogyny is tolerated.”
Adrian Santos: “Anybody hitting a woman is very cowardly. This guys need to be brought to justice.”
Tweeps criticised users of the hashtag #BeatingWomenIsHappiness. Others pointed out why the feminist cause is still relevant and vital in society because of ongoing incidents of violence against women.
@FutureFeminism: “Why feminism is needed in #2017? Because the hashtag #GolpearMujeresEsFelicidad (#beatingwomenishappiness) is a thing. #Misogyny #VAW”
@VeryValdivia: “#golpearmujeresesfelicidad or #beatingwomenishappiness is one of the most disgusting hashtags I’ve seen on social media.”
@s_rdz: “Ladies, if any man on your timeline used the #BeatingWomenIsHappiness #GolpearMujeresEsFelicidad hashtags feel free to report ‘em”
@KitttyGang: “Mexico Twitter [is] trash for starting this hashtag (#BeatingWomenisHappiness)”
@leticia_GMZ: “Clearly there is not enough support and respect for women when such an ignorant hashtag like #Beatingwomenishappiness exists”
@Un_nnoying: “#BeatingWomenIsHappiness. We were raised by a woman, we fall in love with a woman and we spend our life with a woman… Still this is trending.”
@_KalieKalie_: “#BeatingWomenisHappiness is a real hashtag. AND PEOPLE GET ANNOYED WHEN I’M PREACHING WOMEN’S RIGHTS.”
@Greytdog: “A Mexican woman senator was attacked by men, and the internet responded with #BeatingWomenIsHappiness. And this is how a man like Trump wins.”
@nadaelshrief_: “We need feminism because apparently #beatingwomenishappiness”
@ali_lafferty: “#BeatingWomenIsHappiness is another reminder why we need feminism more than ever in 2017. No woman should be a target because of their sex.”
@a_t_needs_God: “Any man who says #BeatingWomenIsHappiness / #GolpearMujeresEsFelicidad is NOT a real man. He is a depraved coward hiding in a man’s body.”
