It’s tough being a woman on social media. From unwanted messages requesting friendships to blatant abuses – women on Twitter and other such platforms face it all.
One such woman is a cruise captain, Kate McCue. She runs a ship named Celebrity Cruises; a luxury cruise ship owned by Royal Caribbean Group. It is a position of power and authority. Any person, especially men, would be respected and honoured for having such a position.
While McCue has her admirers, she also has her fair share of trolls. As she maintains a regular presence on Tik-Tok, she frequently gets comments that target her gender and her position. In one such instance, she picked a troll and decided to tear him a new post in a very public and intelligent way.
The comment asked her, “How can you be a captain? Your only a woman. (sic)” Grammar nerds might have already noticed something very wrong with this undeniably misogynistic comment.
She decided to make a video to address this very wrong sentiment. Dressed in her captain’s garb, she starts the video by stating that as she scrolls through social media, she usually avoids the sexist comments directed at her. She simply scrolls ahead and moves on with her life. However, this one comment made her realise “it was high time” she finally addressed this.
Then a screenshot of the troll’s comment is highlighted. Her body language and an urge to address it may have some viewers thinking she’s going to immediately acknowledge the misogyny behind the words. But the cruise caption is also a captain of sarcasm it seems.
She goes on to say that she is simply “shocked” that even in 2020, even in today’s day and age, people do not understand the difference between “your” and You’re”.
Then she finally admits the sexism with a grammar lesson. She explicitly teaches the troll, and various others, what’s wrong with the sentence. She sais, “You’re, as in you are, like you are sexist and your is something possessive as in your ignorance.”
Watch the full video here:
BRILLIANT. Did not expect that... ❤️ pic.twitter.com/cx4dJBNmTY
— Jay Arnold (@jadedcreative) October 4, 2020
The original video has over 4 million likes. The re-upload on Twitter has over 355,000 likes and over 100,000 replies.
I'm equally annoying on the other side in that every time I see a female pilot, I get so excited I ask to take a picture with them pic.twitter.com/eewZnf2l8O
— (((Beth Balsam))) (@bbalsam) October 5, 2020
Dang didn't expect that. I was wondering why she said sailor epilets. But honestly why do people say it's "insert year here" like that's supposed to make a difference in could never get it
— Chad (@thechader) October 5, 2020
Meanwhile the guy who asked the question be like: pic.twitter.com/hH6x2jAeZt
— Thomas Joseph (@thomasjoseph_tj) October 5, 2020
An absolute masterclass in sarcasm and takedowns!! She’s a queen! pic.twitter.com/iZ8xGn5Vyn
— Angiee (@always_angiee) October 5, 2020
I was once on a British Airways flight to Riyadh. Upon landing the Captain welcomed us, advising she was very proud to be the 1st female captain to have flown a 747 into the Saudi capital, "especially proud," she said, "as I'm the last woman who'll be allowed to drive you today!"
— Daniel Ralston (@DanielRalston10) October 6, 2020
There are so many great people on tiktok. This was the first I saw of hers and instantly followed. Perfectly executed reply, informative, the captain and she respects the crew
— Bryan Jenkins (@BryanJe60591105) October 7, 2020
We sure are proud of how McCue managed to shut down the misogynistic comment!