The Anti-Gaslight

Digitization is feminist.

Digitization has supplied the world with many anti-gaslighting devices. In this way, it can be considered a feminist development.

Gaslighting, a useful image, if a catchall these days, is a form of psy-op where one personality persuades another that her or his empirical perceptions of the world are unreliable and that she or he is therefore insane.

The idea is less useful when it’s used to describe ordinary disagreement about a person’s experience: “I felt sad seeing that bunny be manhandled.” “Really? You seemed to be having a good time.” That could be annoying or even destabilizing but it’s not gaslighting.

It is commonly done by cheating or alcoholic spouses. “What? That girl? She’s my new colleague! She’s having emotional problems! And I’m not snorting Adderall! I was doing the recycling!” Oh I’m so sorry. I must be bipolar.