Ending Violence

Misogyny, Racism, & Gun Violence: Making the Connection

Blog / March 18, 2021

This week, we mourn the eight lives lost to deadly gun violence in Atlanta. Six of the victims were Asian women. Although the police have yet to officially recognize this as a hate crime, we all know the truth. Stoked by the former president and his allies – who openly blamed Asians for the pandemic – anti-Asian rhetoric has fostered a hostile climate for Asian Americans across the U.S. In fact, Stop AAPI Hate, which tracks reports of violence against the Asian American Pacific Islander community, has reported 3,795 documented hate incidents against the community this year.

In addition to the racist nature of the attack, misogyny clearly played a part. The white man who committed the murders blamed “sex addiction” for his crimes – noting that he needed to “eliminate temptation.” This is disgusting. Blaming and targeting women is the very definition of misogyny. For too long, women have faced deadly consequences because of male anger, disgust, and frustration. It’s no wonder that researchers note that the one common thread connecting a majority of mass shooters is a history of hating women, violence against women, or sharing misogynistic views online.

We must do something. We must stop the hate. We must recognize the role that a culture of sexism and racism plays in cultivating the conditions for targeted violence against women and communities of color. And we must hold perpetrators accountable. Our words and actions have irreversible consequences. Let’s be sure we choose the right ones moving forward.

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Created by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya, an artist-in-residence with the NYC Commission on Human Rights, “I Still Believe in Our City” is a public awareness initiative and testament to the beauty and resilience of API communities.