Time launched its annual "What word should be banned?" poll on Wednesday, including run-of-the-mill, mind-numbing Internet phrases like "bae," "turnt" and "yaaaaassssss." But Time also decided to throw "feminist" into the mix because, apparently, there isn't already enough online controversy about feminism.
The poll's author, Katy Steinmetz, defended the inclusion of the word by saying that banning the word does not mean having something against feminism as a concept. Instead, she writes:
When did it become a thing that every celebrity had to state their position on whether this word applies to them, like some politician declaring a party? Let’s stick to the issues and quit throwing this label around like ticker tape at a Susan B. Anthony parade.
@RebeccaSchinsky Please see the blurb for context. The inclusion is responding to trends in the media, not feminism itself.— Katy Steinmetz (@katysteinmetz) November 12, 2014
OK, fine. So what could go wrong?
Enter 4chan.
The site, known for its sadistic trolling ways, jumped at the opportunity to ban the word, creating several threads on the "random board," also referred to as /b/, encouraging people to vote for "feminist."
"Here in western countries we have the most free, and educated women in the world. Too bad women are never satisfied. They have turned feminism into something I cringe at the way I cringe at atheism and genital mutilation," one poster writes.
"Ban the word feminism, for the lulz," another anonymous poster adds.
Several threads have been shut down by 4chan moderators, but others continue to pop up in their place.
At the time of publishing, "feminist" was winning Time's poll with 45% of the vote ("bae" was barely challenging for second, with 13%).
The poll trolling comes after a series of questionable 4chan incidents, including a months-long release of hacked celebrity nudes and another instance of users posting hacked Snapchats.
Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian's naked butt is dominating a magazine cover, so a strong day for feminism in publishing all around.
BONUS: What Is 4chan?
[h/t Jezebel]