Leslie Jones is no stranger to being harassed on social media. In 2016, the SNL comedian's website was hacked and leaked nude photos her, her passport, and a photo of Harambe, the gorilla.
In addition, alt-right blogger Milo Yiannopoulos rallied his supporters to bash Jones, which inevitably led to his online demise after being banned from the Internet.
But Jones refuses to be a victim. And she offered words of wisdom to Star Wars: The Last Jedi actress Kelly Marie Tran, an Asian-American actress, who is facing familiar online abuse.
Tran's portrayal of Resistance hero Rose Tico from The Last Jedi upset a parochial group of Star Wars diehards, and she became a verbal punching bag for those opposed to the franchise's directive of inclusion.
It was all too much to bear. So Tran silently left her Instagram account after the mounting harassment.
The Hollywood Reporter asked Jones what advice she would impart to Tran in dealing with the incessant bullying.
I would tell her definitely do not take that shit personal. It don't have nothing to do with her. And I wouldn't have turned my damn account off.
Jones shared a proven tactic that worked in her favor.
What I would do is screenshot every one of them [offensive attacks] because when you do, they stop doing that shit. Trust me. And then also make Twitter and Instagram responsible for that shit.
What, you gonna have a public fight club? What the fuck is wrong with people? And this honestly is a result of our society being an unhealthy society.
In 2016, the same year Jones's starred in the Ghostbusters reboot that triggered the online bash-fest directed towards her, she asked Twitter to make improvements to curb the spreading of online hate.
So how did we as a society get to a point where we're conditioned to turning on each other? Jones had a pointed response to an unhealthy society being a symptom.
Let me tell you something: The president is the fucking symptom. This motherfucker came out of all of our fucking hate and anger and frustration. We birthed the president. And we need to realize that. As a society, we need to realize that we're walking around offended.
There's not gonna be a fucking United States of America if we don't stop acting the way that we act, and stop walking around so fucking offended.
There used to be a time where we could talk to each other and laugh with each other. No one's laughing. No one's laughing anymore. I mean the stuff that we use as relief, that's been taken away from us. You know, art, music, comedy — all that shit is a release.
Kelly, there are more, true fans of Star Wars that adore you. Don't let the trolls drag you into the Sarlacc pit.
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