QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF IF YOU’RE EXPERIENCING BACKLASH
We’ve created these questions as a resource to help you think through what’s happening and navigate your next steps.
Wherever possible, we’d recommend going through these with a friend, colleague, or someone you trust either in person or over the phone - experiencing backlash can feel extremely isolating, don’t deal with it alone if you don’t have to.
FIRST THOUGHTS:
Where/who is the backlash coming from? What do we know about the person/organisation? Is this all they do online?
Are there any immediate threats to the physical safety of you, your team, venue, audiences, or anyone else?
Who can see the backlash? Is it public? Is it online? What impact or reach is it having? Does it matter? You’ll probably need to react differently to a few negative comments on Facebook than you would for coverage in a national newspaper.
Does this need a response immediately? The shock of experiencing backlash can often make us feel like we have to react instantly. Often, this is what perpetrators of backlash are seeking out and it feeds them. Ask yourself, do you need to respond today? What happens if you don’t respond now? Could you sleep on this?
CHECKING IN WITH YOURSELF/EACH OTHER:
How are you feeling? What is going on in your body right now? Do you need to do something to calm your system?
What support is readily available to you? Do you already work with a counsellor, mental health support? Could you contact a friend, colleague or family member?
What is actually happening? Remind yourself, and those you are working with, of what is actually happening. It can become very easy to operate in a space of fear for what might/could happen rather than what is currently happening (eg. worrying that this could blow up and then the press might get involved etc.). This is a natural response, but can dramatically impact your wellbeing. Can we focus on what is actually happening before we consider what’s next? It might not get worse.
Which part of yourself is responding to this experience? Is it the artist? The producer? The professional? Or the person behind that? Is it a version of you who has experienced a similar kind of pain before? Take time to consider where the response you’re having is coming from.
In simple terms what is the event/project/announcement/thing that is receiving the backlash? Why were you doing it? Reminding yourself of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it will serve as a compass to guide you through this moment.
Do you want to keep going with the project/event/thing? This will inform your plan.
MAKING A PLAN (ideally with a cup of tea in reach):
Who else is involved? Who do we need to notify? Can we check-in and see if they want/need the full details or just an awareness of what’s going on? Perhaps an individual doesn’t want to know the exact wording of what’s being said about them, give them the ability to make informed choices.
Think about your personal online social media settings. How accessible are you? How visible are you/do you want to be? Would it be helpful to make your accounts private for a bit? Would it be helpful to go offline for a bit?
How secure are your online accounts and data? Have you set up 2-step authentication? Should you change your passwords?
How do you keep the project/work going still? Can you continue working on your project/doing what you need to do? If not, what support do you need to get back to a place where you can continue?
Would it be helpful to mutually decide on a dedicated time to address the backlash you’re experiencing with the company/team/others so that we protect other time to re-focus on doing the work?
How do you want to respond? Are you adding fuel to the fire? Do you need to do any damage control? Remember that choosing not to respond is still a response.
What additional support might you or your team need now to manage this practically?
What additional support might you or your team need now to process this emotionally?
What can you do to make things easier for yourself in the immediate future? Could you get a taxi home? Could you order food or buy something ready to go from the supermarket to give yourself a break?
How can you make time for yourself today? Could you have a bath? Get a massage? Go for a drink with a friend? Go for a run? This isn’t a luxury, it's a necessity - actively do something to look after yourself.
Ask, does this really need to be done? Before you act on any decisions, review what you’ve planned. You might be surprised by which things were less important than you originally thought.
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS:
The most important thing to remember is that backlash is emotive; it will feel shitty. If you experience it, you’re likely to have an emotional response, and you’ll understandably want to act on those feelings. Our instinctive responses might be to ignore it, pretend it isn’t happening, carry on, knuckle down and push ahead, but taking time to review and process the impact and implications of what’s happening is essential.
If you are an individual being targeted with hate speech online, you are absolutely allowed to tap out of your working responsibilities for a while, but be aware that the backlash may impact others around you. Could you find someone else to manage the situation or be a point of contact while you look after yourself?
While we always want to ensure a project/event/activity can continue, it’s important to recognise that the work can stop if it needs to. There will always be implications to pausing or stopping something from happening, and these need thinking through, but the show doesn’t have to go on at all costs.
It’s essential in these moments of crisis that we choose our course of action with clarity and distance and try not to let our emotions be too loud. Take steps to give yourself distance from your immediate reaction and, if need be, get support from someone less directly involved to help you make decisions.