Much has been written about the harassment against Martha Leivestad after she took part in Rikets Roest by Erik Follestad on VGTV.
VG closed the comment field under her video, due to ugly incitement by her as a person. The other participants, who were men, were not exposed to the same.
Ugly comments for five years
– It can get very dark. A lot depends on my size. A lot of people say that they think I’m fat, ugly and fucking, that I should die, should quit my job, don’t understand why I’m on TV. It’s not pleasant, says Leivestad in an interview on Lindmo on Friday evening.
She says that many people encourage her to stop reading comment sections. Some even recommend her to cut out TikTok.
– I can’t do that. I have been creating YouTube content for four years. I have moderated the comment section. I have been reading nasty comments about myself for five years.
Nevertheless, she thinks it was too obvious misogyny when she was the only one to whom VG had to close the comment section. That’s why she wrote about it on Instagram.
She tells Anne Lindmo that Maria Stavang said on Instagram that she refuses to participate in “Latter Live”, which gives young stand-up comedians the chance to show off on NRK.
– She declined because life after publication is so ugly. Comment field attitudes are so ugly. You can’t stand it. You don’t feel like it. Everyone should be allowed to joke. But what happens when you get so many ugly comments – the most dangerous thing that happens – is that girls don’t dare.
Lindmo asks if Leivestad believes that young girls who try are torn apart.
– They are eaten alive. It’s very, very, terribly boring. To say the least.
Will inspire others
Leivestad herself experiences that one person keeps writing to her that she must not reproduce.
– That’s what he means. He writes it on many videos. He writes it on a video with me and my cousins. It’s heavy.
Leivestad says that her only choice is to read it, block it and move on, if she is to manage to continue working as a humorist.
– I want to be here and inspire more girls to work with humour, make series, make films and work with humour. It is very important. We need more votes.
