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David Bullard in retrospect: A Feminist’s Dream

Michelle Solomon spoke out about her rape. It was Michelle’s story. Hers to tell. And much like a woman who speaks out against abuse, she was met with more abuse. Shock, horror, surprise. Except this time, it was all three.

Enter David Bullard. His past or his persona is entirely inconsequential to my point, so I will sweep swiftly past it. Bullard rained down textbook abuse in response to Solomon’s tweet, starting what would be a string of personal attacks on her character and her claims. The most important point here, was that it was in front of a Twitter audience.

Many fought the good fight. Those like Haji Mohamed Dawjee and Rebecca Davis, booming journalistic online personas, stepped up against the schoolyard web-bully. Others kept quiet. I watched it all happen, wondering why some had chosen to be vocal while other high profile voices – usually so full of simmering opinions – shied away from confrontation.

However, it is true Bullard has said nothing to Solomon that surpasses the average run of the mill MRA troll. In comparison to some of those specimens, his comments may even read somewhat tame. But those comments did quite the opposite, and set the Twitter realm on fire. Why?

Is it because of his past as a non-journalist? Or his whopping influence on the South African population? Not likely.

Bullard’s contribution won’t even be remembered as an oily pockmark in The Great History Of Things That Pissed Me Off On The Internet, let alone in the history of Twitter. His comments wouldn’t have gained half the traction it did if it weren’t for the colossal dialogue it started on this social platform. Through his comments, he managed to single-handedly rip off the soft flannel gauze that covers the truth behind rape, and showed people what the reality of its consequences look like. He is an overblown caricature of resistance against an outspoken woman – “Shutup you lying drunk whore!”

In a few decades, men like Bullard will be waved to the side, dismissed as nothing more than a witch-hunting madman – “Burn her, burn the witch, the adulterous harlot!”

But today, we should celebrate him for what he represents: He is the tiny bacterial fungus that has simply aggravated an already inflamed problem. A real problem that many choose to deny exists – rape culture, victim blaming. We seem to live in a country that asks that you first be disembowelled and murdered before your rape can be seen as legitimate.

But this man has started a dialogue on this. This man has done more to create a very specific conversation about rape than many activists can dream of. Bullard later claimed he did it all for a bet. Nice one, boet. A large number of people I know, who were ignorant of the backlash of being an outspoken rape survivor, took one look at Bullard’s charade and the arguments against it, and saw -  in real-time clarity - what this reality looks like. And the reality is much greater than the comments of an old man. He has enlightened some fence-sitters; repulsed even a few of the most ignorant of us. Politicsweb was  blown out of the water for their dismal reporting, and an entirely relevant social discourse was instigated.

I don’t know Michelle. I didn’t even know who she really was before this, but that doesn’t matter. Nor does it matter who Bullard is. What matters is that what happened between them, and South Africa’s reaction, is a watered down web-rendition of the life of a vocal rape victim – down to a gruelling T.

Why didn’t she just tell someone?

This is why.

So in retrospect: Thank you, Bullard. You were hired, by some fervid, determined discontent of your own, to play the court jester in this part of the show. In a month, your little display will be buried appropriately among all the graveyard-hashtags. In a few years, your name will be all but forgotten. But Michelle Solomon’s cause will not. Her cause will live past the lifespan of trolling, abuse and injustice. Sincerely, thank you for playing your part so well. We do hope you take a break after your long-overdue curtain call, because in a matter of time your vitriol will hold no greater weight than the idea of an uncolonised Africa. You, the adorably tiny bacterial catalyst, spurned a much needed reveal of why we still need feminism. You sir, are a gem.

So Michelle Solomon did indeed speak out the other day. It’s Michelle’s story. It’s hers to tell. Like countless others, and their stories. See it, and understand. Denounce those who kick the ones who have fallen; not those who struggle to stand up.

Follow Malini Mohana on Twitter.

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