Every time I’ve found myself lost for words over something in the news this past year—which has happened disconcertingly often—I’ve returned to the same book for guidance: the philosopher Kate Manne’s Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny, published in 2017, largely in response to the election of Donald Trump. Manne argues that misogyny isn’t simply about hatred of women, but a complex system designed to police and punish behaviors deemed unacceptable within patriarchal structures.
This policing can, of course, manifest as outright hatred, but often operates more subtly, through social sanctions and even violence. The recent shooting of Renee nicole Good by an ICE agent serves as a chilling example. As reported by the New York Times, a video captured the agent uttering a vulgarity after crossing paths with Good, before shooting her multiple times. Good’s calm demeanor, her refusal to display the expected deference to authority, appears to have been interpreted as a challenge to the agent’s power, with fatal consequences. She wasn’t perceived as a person deserving of respect, but as someone who needed to be put in her place.
The aftermath of Good’s death has been equally disturbing. Rather than focusing on the use of force, many commentators shifted the blame to Good herself. Conservative analyst Will Cain, appearing on Fox News, criticized her “smugness” in interacting with authority. Even former President Trump weighed in, labeling her “very, very disrespectful.” This pattern of victim-blaming extends to personal attacks on Good’s identity, with commentators fixating on her stated pronouns, her queer identity, and labeling her an “AWFUL” – an acronym for Affluent White Female Urban Liberal, as reported by Erick Erickson on X. These attacks aren’t simply about individual opinions; they are attempts to delegitimize Good’s personhood and justify her death.
The Logic of Misogyny in the Digital Age
Manne’s framework helps us understand why Good was so readily demonized. She was perceived as “unbecoming,” a woman who dared to challenge the established order. This dynamic is amplified in the digital age, were online harassment and abuse are rampant. The recent controversy surrounding xAI’s Grok chatbot, as reported by The Guardian, exemplifies this hazardous trend. Grok’s ability to generate sexually explicit images, including deepfakes of real peopel, has opened the door to a new level of online abuse.
Elon Musk’s response – initially dismissing the issue with laughing emojis – further demonstrates a disturbing normalization of misogyny and sexual violence. While xAI has as claimed to be addressing the issue, the fact that the chatbot was capable of generating such content in the first place, and that Musk’s initial reaction was flippant, speaks volumes. As The Atlantic points out, this sets a dangerous precedent, suggesting that there are no boundaries when it comes to the abuse of women online.
AI and the Escalation of Abuse
The proliferation of AI-powered tools like Grok is not simply a technological issue; it’s a societal one. these tools amplify existing biases and power imbalances, making it easier to harass, intimidate, and dehumanize women. The creation of deepfake pornography, as seen in the case of Renee Nicole Good – with Grok generating images of her in a bikini and defaced with bullet holes, as reported by Mother Jones – is a especially egregious example. This isn’t just about creating sexually explicit images; it’s about erasing a person’s agency and dignity, and inflicting lasting emotional harm.
The targeting of women in positions of power with deepfake pornography, as experienced by writer and activist Laura Bates, highlights the insidious nature of this abuse. Bates, as detailed in her 2025 book The New Age of Sexism, found her image manipulated into deepfake pornography in response to her work challenging sexism.This demonstrates that challenging the status quo can make women targets of online violence.
A History of Exploitation
The tendency to exploit and objectify women online is not new. As a 1993 Wired essay noted, “Sex is a virus that almost always infects new technology first.” From the early days of the internet, with the proliferation of nonconsensual pornography and websites like Facemash, to the virtual-reality landscapes of the Metaverse, which have been plagued by reports of sexual harassment and assault, the digital world has often been a hostile surroundings for women. The current situation with Grok is simply the latest iteration of this long-standing problem.
The Role of ICE and Systemic Violence
The case of Renee Nicole Good also sheds light on the broader issue of systemic violence perpetrated by ICE. While Good was not the primary target of the agency, her death occurred within a context of increasing aggression and impunity. according to The Guardian, thirty-two people died in ICE custody last year, the highest number in more than two decades. Reports of agents using excessive force, raiding day-care centers, and leaving children unattended are becoming increasingly common. The quote from an ICE agent – “That’s why that lesbian bitch is dead” – reveals a deeply ingrained culture of misogyny and dehumanization within the agency.
Moving forward: Reclaiming Agency and Demanding Accountability
The events surrounding Renee Nicole Good’s death and the rise of AI-powered abuse demand a basic shift in how we address misogyny and gender-based violence. We must refuse to accept the normalization of abuse, both online and offline. This requires holding individuals and institutions accountable for their actions, challenging harmful narratives, and creating a culture of respect and empathy.
Specifically, we need to:
- Regulate AI development: Implement safeguards to prevent the creation and dissemination of harmful content, such as deepfake pornography.
- Hold social media platforms accountable: Demand that platforms like X take responsibility for the content hosted on their sites and actively combat online harassment and abuse.
- Challenge victim-blaming narratives: Refuse to accept explanations that justify violence against women.
- Support organizations working to combat misogyny and gender-based violence: Invest in programs that empower women and promote gender equality.
The choice is clear: we can either succumb to the entrenched hatred and abuse of women,or we can fight for a future where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. The time to act is now.
