'Slap dat ho': Sexist attacks on Maple Ridge mayor not part of healthy debate

This spring, Mayor Nicole Read of Maple Ridge, B.C., went into semi-hiding out of fear.

Rattled by the personalized vitriol against her, she blamed a series of online attacks calling her a "ho" for temporarily driving her out of public life.

She's one of a string of female politicians who have reported attacks in Canada slurs that focus on their genderinstead of the issues that some say are making women shy away from politics.

At one point, Read was eating at arestaurant with her family when somebody started a post on Facebook where "haters" piled on urging people to "throw fries" at her, and, in one case, "slap dat ho."

"It's a real challenge," said Read, who was disturbed and concerned for her children. "You don't expect that the city you love and you live in you don't expect to see this kind of hate. Something is obviously seething under the surface for some people."

Threats to Read came from a community embroiled in turmoil over her support for a homeless shelter where people are housed even if they continue using drugs.

But bombardments of online threats aimed at female leaders are all too common, an advocate says.

Female politicians a target

Read is part of a growing list of female politicians from Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne to Alberta member of the legislatureSandra Jansen who face bullying and harassment just for doing their job.

While ugly social media attacks also target male leaders Vancouver's mayor was dubbed "Mayor Moonbeam" abuse watchers say female leaders are hit with rhetoric focused on their gender.

Grace Lore of Equal Voice in Ottawa said a disproportionate number of threats take a "gender tone." Equal Voice describes itself as "a national, bilingual, multi-partisan organization dedicated to electing more women to all levels of political office in Canada."

Lore called Read's case "extreme," because the mayor felt prevented from doing her duties.

"We don't see this very often," she said.

But others are less shocked.

Manitoba NDP member of the legislatureNahanni Fontaine faced everything from profanities to promises she'd "get it," if she kept speaking out about women facing violence.

Fontaine sees the abuseas a logical outgrowth of a culture of misogyny.

"It doesn't surprise me. Women bear the brunt of people's anger," said Fontaine, who often feels singled out.

No shortage of anger

In Maple Ridge, a small vocal groupisfixated on Read, saying she is ruining their city.

Mike Hayner of Protecting Maple Ridgeis the person who posted "slap dat ho" on Facebook, while Read was dining with her family, and she called him out on the "horrible" comment.

"I did say that, and I honestly apologize for it. My emotions had the better of me for a while," he wrote to the mayor, who demanded he cease emailing her.

Hayner insists Read's "glorious vision" for the city made her the focus of fury not the fact she's female.

"We want her gone. She's the worst mayor Maple Ridge has ever had. If you don't agree with her, then you are called 'haters,'" saidHayner, who insists he'd never advocate violence.

"She's not the shiny white goddess she wants to promote herself as being."

Bring attacks into the open

Lore saidmost attackers insist their slurs are about issues,not gender, but the language they use tells another story.

She saidit helps to bring such attacks into the open, making the exchange "become part of that public record of debate."

That's whenanti-female slurs become a problem not just for the individual politician but also for a society forced to look itself in the mirror and define where healthy debate ends and a violent sexist attack begins.