Oxfam Novib apologizes to Defense Minister after TikTok post sparks hateful comments
Oxfam Novib has apologized to Dutch Defense Minister Dilan Yesilgoz after one of its TikTok posts invited users to reply with supposed searches from her online history. The post drew dozens of hateful comments.
The post opened with the line, “I’ll start: what is a backbone?" Oxfam Novib later called the post clumsy. The comments stayed online for 19 hours before the organization removed the video.
In a statement to the WNL program Goedenavond Nederland, Oxfam Novib said, "It is important for Oxfam Novib that we provide a safe online environment, and therefore, we moderate our social media channels all day long and remove discriminatory and hateful comments. From the moment the comments under this post — which turned out to be clumsy afterwards — became hateful and we could no longer provide this safe environment, we took the TikTok post offline.”
“We regret that the post has been the occasion for hateful and misogynistic reactions towards one of our democratically elected politicians. We have offered apologies for that to Minister Yesilgoz,” the organization added.
The replies included "How do I fly on a broom?”, “How do I stay ugly?", and “What should I do if my husband doesn’t let me orgasm?” Other comments read: “How do I get rid of my vaginal itch?" and “How can I apply for an Israeli passport if my husband is Jewish?” and “How can I get my mustache waxed?” Some responses also contained racist and antisemitic remarks about Yesilgoz’s husband.
Journalist Elif Isitman, appearing on Goedenavond Nederland, said she watched the post with amazement. “This works quite provocatively on social media. You can also see that when you look at what kind of filth has been posted under it.”
Isitman pointed to the group’s own principles. “If you see that call, you might think it's innocent. But it’s from an NGO that claims to stand for freedom and equality and against racism and sexism. I found this hypocritical.”
She said Yesilgoz “evokes a lot of anger and resistance in these kinds of circles.” Isitman’s theory is that the reaction stems from Yesilgoz being a bicultural woman who does not align closely with the ideology of such organizations, which makes them angry and places her under extra scrutiny.
“If you say, 'I stand for freedom and equality and am against sexism,’ and then you call on your followers to post sexist, antisemitic, and racist filth, then you haven’t done it entirely right,” Isitman said.
