From Shortcut Stigma to Female Police Officer Controversy... Online Gender Conflicts Reach Dangerous Levels

Online Gender Conflicts Intensify
Feminist Stigma Over Athletes' Hairstyles
Debate on Female Police Officers, Fake Videos Shared
Experts: "Weaker Groups Suffer More Discrimination and Prejudice"
"Structural Issues Must Be Recognized Through Human Rights and Diversity Education"

Gender conflicts are becoming increasingly intense, especially in online spaces. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] Concerns are growing that gender conflicts occurring online have reached a dangerous level. There have been cases where people have labeled others with so-called 'femi stigma' over hair length, and videos have been edited and circulated to provoke negative opinions about female police officers. Experts advise that education is needed to raise awareness that discrimination and violence do not affect all groups equally.

◆Gender disputes flare up even over athletes' 'hairstyles'

Gender conflicts online are not a new phenomenon. The problem is that as conflicts become more intense, even trivial matters become seeds of controversy.

For example, in July, a so-called 'short-cut femi controversy' erupted over an athlete's hairstyle. At that time, some netizens raised suspicions that An San (20, Gwangju Women's University), who represented both countries at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was a feminist because of her short hair. Some even claimed that An had used 'misogynistic expressions' on social media in the past.

Some netizens posted defamatory comments, raising suspicions that Ansan (20, Gwangju Women's University) player’s 'short cut' hairstyle indicated she might be a feminist. / Photo by Internet community, social media capture

Eventually, An's personal Instagram account was flooded with malicious comments such as "Gold Medalist Feminist" and "Explain your misandry suspicions," and on an online community, there was a proposal to file complaints with the Archery Association, arguing that An should return her gold medal.

As the situation worsened, female netizens posted messages defending An and called for solidarity. A personal freedom like hairstyle quickly turned into the starting point of a gender dispute.

◆Fake information spreads, claiming "Female police officer in Yangpyeong also ran away"

Meanwhile, the recent controversy over police mishandling in the 'Incheon inter-floor noise stabbing' case also escalated into gender conflict online.

On the 17th, Incheon Nonhyeon Police Station arrested A (48) on charges of attempted murder and special injury. He is accused of wielding a weapon at around 4:50 p.m. on the 15th in a villa in Namdong-gu, Incheon, attempting to kill a family of three: a couple in their 50s and their daughter in her 20s.

A man in his 40s, accused of injuring three members of a neighboring family with a weapon over noise disputes between floors, entered the Incheon District Court in Michuhol-gu, Incheon City, on the afternoon of the 17th to undergo a pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant hearing). / Photo by Yonhap News

At the scene, Police Sergeant C and Police Officer D from a local precinct of Nonhyeon Police Station were dispatched. However, controversy arose when it was revealed that they either left the scene where A was wielding the weapon or joined late.

In particular, Officer C, who was on the third floor with Mr. B’s wife and daughter, fled to the first floor when A came down wielding the weapon. Once it was revealed that Officer C was female, some argued for the 'female police officer ineffectiveness theory.'

During the ongoing controversy, some netizens revisited a stabbing incident that occurred earlier this month in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province. In that case, on the 4th, police subdued a man in his 40s who was causing a disturbance with a weapon on a street in Yangpyeong. A video capturing the situation was uploaded to YouTube and other platforms.

The video shows several police officers, including one female officer, confronting the suspect. Among the audio is a scream that sounds like someone shouting "Mom." Some netizens claimed that the female officer screamed while fleeing from the suspect, and YouTubers spread the video and photos with titles like "Female police officer in Yangpyeong also ran away," "Female police officer controversy," and "Searching for the female police officer’s mom."

On the 4th, during a stabbing rampage on a street in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, some netizens and YouTubers spread baseless claims that "a female police officer screamed and ran away" based on a video. / Photo by YouTube capture

However, these claims were found to be false. According to multiple media reports, the female officer at the scene was part of the 'control team' and actively responded to the armed suspect. The scream of "Mom" in the video was mixed with the voice of another citizen.

◆Expert: "Violence against vulnerable groups is not recognized as discrimination, intensifying gender conflicts"

Experts suggest that to ease gender conflicts, the structural causes must be accurately understood.

Kim Ji-hak, director of the Korea Diversity Research Institute, pointed out, "Gender-based violence is not properly understood, which is why gender conflicts appear so intense."

He added, "When discrimination is inflicted on relatively vulnerable groups in society, such as women, refugees, and foreigners, greater prejudice and harm occur. Discrimination and violence do not affect all groups equally. For example, these harms do not seem to affect men, who are already the dominant group in society."

He emphasized, "To eliminate prejudice, discrimination, and anger toward socially vulnerable groups, it is important to foster understanding of oneself and others through human rights and diversity education."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.