Dang. I thought this was going to be something written by the teddy bears and crowd molested by Miley Cyrus ...

If a word defines something, yet doesn't, then what does the word mean.

Reshared to Facebook.

See also the most recent post on John Scalzi's blog.

I think she's amazing for not allowing shallow people to shame her into silence, no matter what the pain they inflicted. But....

"Good to know Facebook doesn’t care about people stealing your photos and turning them into mean-spirited memes."

I hear this a lot from a lot of different people. I guess I wonder what people think the company, any company, should have done differently. And before you answer, consider three things: 1) they have no idea whether she is or is not the actual person in the photo; 2) they are complying with existing privacy law; and 3) Facebook is a free service.

Too often, I hear a variant of the meme "they should do more" without any thought of what "more" should look like and how much "more" people are willing to pay to get. I think they should do more and I have some specific ideas where they fail. But those come from having worked in the industry.

oh, and @1...

muttering about comments section technology @1 < USOC >

OK Cupid is a sewer of woman-hating douchenozzle "nice guys" who don't take their fedoras off when they make love--oh, who am I kidding, they're all virgins--and whose main hobby is making fun of women who don't meet their impossible submissive supermodel ideal. Check out http://okcniceguys.tumblr.com/

the way i see it, if you're a woman and you're not a feminist, you're an idiot. if you're a man and you're not a feminist, you're a fucking douche.

@ 9 Depends on your def of feminist, everyone of Gen Y believes men and women should be equal, but feminists are something more.

Hillary 2016!

You should see how many dudebros on forums and message boards call Kate Upton fat and obese. It is just bizarre the lens these guys use to view women.

Although the gravitas of her story was lost on me when she claimed to be brave for daring to be fat in public. It was just too funny not to laugh at. She is brave for putting her story out there, however.

@9 that depends heavily on what you consider a feminist. Support equality? yeah totally, think free-bleeding is cool? no free-bleeding is fucking disgusting and people that do it are fucking disgusting. I don't know any other feminist talking points, but fuck free-bleeding.

@10 - I'm of "Gen Y," and I understand that your talking point about feminists wanting "something more" (?) is a scare tactic/straw man argument used against feminism! Cray, right?

(“We remove content if it’s required by relevant privacy laws in the country you’re writing from. Since you’re an adult writing in the US, we won’t be able to remove this content for violating your privacy.”

Good to know Facebook doesn't care about people stealing your photos and turning them into mean-spirited memes. )
****
Welcome to the internet and welcome to the reality of copyright law and a culture of remixing and free speech. Be careful what you put on the internet because it can and will be used to mock every cherished ideal you may have. It may piss you off, but the law doesn't protect your feelings - it protects speech. Grow thicker metaphorical skin and hold tightly to your values when dealing with the internet. Otherwise you're going to have a really bad time, ok?

@12,

What the fuck are you talking about?

@8,

I think you just described the entire Internet.

How is it fat shaming?

@12 I don't even want to know what that is

Why is it ok for The Stranger to stereotype Republicans as old white men, but not ok to stereotype Feminists as obese? At least its an obvious attempt at humor.

@18 - That's actually how patriarchy has treated women, and what feminism actively is against, as you are probably already aware, you second-wave feminist you. Relevant.

14 is right. If you're going to put yourself and your thoughts out there, it's a given that some people will try to rip you to shreds.

Here's an interesting article from the same website.
http://www.xojane.com/issues/internet-is…

@20: Just wait until the 2016 primary starts heating up and all the Stranger staffers and commentors relentlessly shame Chris Christie for his weight.

But the answer to your question is that it is ok to stereotype certain groups, but not others due to power structures and personal politics. Not that I think this is ok, but that is the answer you are going to get.

&18: Really? How odd, because I certainly don't know any feminist like that outside of the fever dreams of MRAs. Could you be more specific in what you mean by "treated with kid gloves" and "never having to deal with the harshness of reality?" As a fellow second waver I'm genuinely intererested.

Hey, stealing someone's artwork or photos is still theft, and if they lifted it from her Facebook then a simple comparison with the rest of her photos should prove if it is her or not. Remember the artist who made the Obama Change poster who used a published photo as reference? He didn't get permission from the photographer and got charged. This is the same.

Wow. Did we reach a tipping point where Slog commenters are supportive of feminism (or at least hesitantly okay with the idea)?

Good job everyone! HUGS

@12: thank you for that very important reminder of a completely nonexistent problem.

25,

...what happens when you decide to post that picture on the Internet — perhaps on Facebook or Twitter (using Twitpic), or some other social network or photo-sharing site?
You may be shocked to find out that once you post on these sites, that although you still “own” the photograph, you grant the social media sites a license to use your photograph anyway they see fit for free AND you grant them the right to let others use you picture as well! This means that not only can Twitter, Twitpic and Facebook make money from the photograph or video (otherwise, a copyright violation), but these sites are making commercial gain by licensing these images, which contains the likeness of the person in the photo or video (otherwise, a violation of their “rights of publicity”).

http://www.nyccounsel.com/business-blogs…

@28

You don't own the photograph.

But every person owns their "image" or persona.

Should anyone do something that damages or makes profit using that persona, I think an individual has every recourse to extract profit, payment or recompense from the offending party, much as corporations often do.

@24: My favorite example, although by far not the only (see: entire readership of Feministing) is this friend of a friend who calls every interaction with every male that she did not initiate "rape". She thrives on being the crusading victim. I tell her Daniel Tosh is a genius, just to watch her head explode.

Its that magic spot of "rawr, I r woman!" and "omg, he looks intimidating! sexism!"

If you are not being hyperbolic, and your friend of a friend actually thinks that, then your friend of a friend needs professional help. That's not feminism. Yipe!
I disagree with your characterization of the commenters (I assume you meant commenters) of Feministing.

One great thing to come of this, well, really her and her community's response to it, is bringing more relevant context to what was previously just another self-referential photo campaign, such that those of us just now tuning in are actually paying attention tọ - and understanding - the message.

Now that we're thinking about her message, we actually see the human being behind her cause, witness a reason she fights for it, and feel the strength behind the movement.

I've liked to consider myself an advocate for women but this story has broadened my understanding and appreciation for all women.