Over the past couple of days there has been a media furore surrounding one of my close friends, Angela Gibbins. Real nastiness. She has been subject to death threats and rape threats. She has had the press camped out on her doorstep, imprisoning her and questioning her neighbours. She has an online petition calling for her to be sacked. She has had hate articles written about her, one of them downright vicious. She has been misrepresented as a champagne socialist. She has had her wedding photograph stolen to 'illustrate' this as if carrying flowers and a glass of cava whilst wearing a stunning frock coat is just what she does on tuesdays.If you didn't know Angela you would not know that it was her wedding photo by the way. You would usually expect to see a big white floofy dress right? Angela doesn't do big, white and floofy. She has been called a 'dog faced feminist bitch'. There have been aspersions cast upon her looks, her personality, her reasons for not having children. She has been reported for hate crime. Fucking hate crime. For pointing out a rich white kid has privilege. If those screaming for her blood spent that energy actually fighting racism then, y'know...
Her alleged crime? That she reportedly called HRH Prince George a Fucking Dickhead on Facebook.
Well, let's get that one out of the way straight away. She didn't. The Dub Pistols shared the meme.
And so have at least a thousand other people. OK? Can we get past this crap now please? There is no need to pillory this woman for having an opinion on privilege and comparing the fate and future of George to the lack of future and the fate of another 3 year old child who wasn't lucky enough to be born into the royal family.
Let me tell you about my friend.
She is thoughtful. When I decided I wanted to learn to draw, she sent me some beautiful pencils and a lot of great advice.
She is encouraging. When a member of my family was struggling with confidence over their art, she spoke gently to them, encouraged them, praised them and helped.
She is generous. When a friend of mine was having trouble with University finances, she talked him through it and made sure an autistic man got the chance to study.
She is caring. When she gets libraries re opened she also makes sure that schools are built; when she is getting finance for buildings in the desert, she makes sure that no one suffers by insisting there is not a drop of wasted water. When you are low she sends a message saying 'All will be well.' and you believe her. Because she is Angela and she will move heaven and earth to educate, facilitate and make you feel safe.
She has been shot at three times (hit once, grazed twice) rescuing people from war zones. She doesn't pull the ladder up after herself, she makes sure that she creates opportunities for women.
But it's fun to make things up like she isn't a real person right? We could start a #AngelaMadeUpHeadlines hashtag.
Who Let The Dogs Out? We'll Tell You Who!
'I went to Glastonbury with Angela Gibbins and she stole my Pikachu.'
ANGELA GIBBINS FAKED THE MOON LANDINGS
You get the idea right? It's all fun and games and no one gets hurt.
No. It does hurt people. It hurt Angela and her brilliant husband when they had the memory of their happiest day stolen from them. It hurts her friends and family to see her being pinned down in her own home. It hurts her colleagues at the British Council because they now have to shoulder her considerable workload.
I only hope that it doesn't inspire the same kind of person who ended up killing Jo Cox.
Angela inspires me. I stand by her and restate that there really is no room for an hereditary monarchy in a democratic society.
Got your back Ang x
