46 Hate Speech Ignited: Understanding Hate Speech in Myanmar Gendered framing and derogatory attacks Gendered narratives have also fueled the push for Buddhist-Burman dominance in two ways. First, a constructed narrative has portrayed women as vulnerable victims in need of protection. Second, virulent and derogatory language is both gendered and aimed at women. The gendered framing also has intersected with other narratives, such as the one promulgating a threat of Islam. A 2013 sermon by U Wirathu, captures the essence of the “Muslim conspiracy” in Myanmar and its connection to gendered threats: Muslims have a lot of money and no one knows where that money mountain is. They use that money to get our young Buddhist women. They show that money to attract our young women. . . . That money will be used to get a Buddhist-Burmese woman, and she will very soon be coerced or even forced to convert to Islam. . . . And the children born of her will become Bengali Muslims and the ultimate danger to our Buddhist nation, as they will eventually destroy our race and our religion. Once they become overly populous, they will overwhelm us and take over our country and make it an evil Islamic nation.”230 Interviewees observed that when religious leaders want to “create problems, they use women as victims—for example, [by saying], ‘women are being raped.’”231 At the same time, religious teachings espoused by ultranationalists promote an inferior view of women, telling them: “by being yourself, you are a lower being, so know your rightful place.”232 According to CSOs, threats and attacks on Facebook against women HRDs are more severe, de- grading, graphic, and almost always sexual in nature.233 Female interviewees spoke extensively about gendered insults levied against them.234 Although both female and male HRDs are threatened by ultranationalist groups, only women are called whore, slut, bitch, and other terms connoting in inferior status.235 Male interviewees agreed with the above and added that insults aimed at men often allude to their weakness in gendered ways such as femininity.236 Women Rising against Ultranationalists After the violence of the 2012 riots in Rakhine subsided, 969 and Ma Ba Tha turned their attention to passing a series of discriminatory laws known as the four laws to “safeguard nationality and religion.”237 They petitioned USDP President Thein Sein in June 2013, claiming they had more than 1.3 million signatures from Myanmar citizens seeking to protect the most vulnerable among them: women.238 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 Copy of 969 DVD (2013) on file with Burma Monitor. 001-R2-01, 4. 002-R1-01, 3. FGD (December 2019); MS-R1-02, 2-5; MS-R3-01; YGN-R3-03. MS-R3-03, 1-3; YGN-R1-01, 7; FGD (January 2019). YGN-R3-01, 9; YGN-R3-02, 4; See also Crisis Group, “Buddhist and State Power,” 13, 24. MS-R2-02, 2-4; MS-R2-01, 7-8. Crisis Group, “Buddhism and State Power,” 10-17. Ibid.