– I think it is hair-raising how much crap we have received, says Linnea Løtvedt. The 22-year-old from Fredrikstad released a new Christmas song on Friday together with her friends Oda Rikheim and Anny Isabella Øvrehus. All three are big profiles on TikTok. The song has placed itself on the top charts on the various streaming services. But the girls have experienced a lot of hardship along the way. – This is proof that you have to work harder against online hate, and become better at letting people know that this is not okay, says Løtvedt. The trio have experienced people shouting “whore” at them in the street, and they have been spat at and pawed at. Last week a situation arose which will soon be reported to the police. – A group of boys followed us, and suddenly I felt a hand from someone trying to tear off the mask I was wearing. He spat at one of the other girls, and threw a soda can at the third, says Oda Rikheim. The girls have also been harassed online: Swipe to see some of the comments the girl group has received. In recent weeks, all three have been hiding behind masks so as not to reveal who is behind the group Baddies. On Friday, they went public. Male-dominated industry Hatred of artists is not an unknown topic. Several have reported discrimination because they look different. But worst of all, it affects women. – There is a climate online now where various groups create toxic cultures that contain very negative attitudes towards women. It is worrying, says Fredrik Langeland. He is a senior researcher at Nordlandsforskning, and works in fields such as gender and equality. Langeland praises the girls for their courage to go against the grain. Senior researcher at Nordlandsforskning, Fredrik Langeland, praises the girls for challenging the established. Photo: Marta Anna Løvberg – It’s cool that this group goes in and plays to challenge norms in pop culture. It’s very tough too, when you see all the bad attention they get. Several male artists, such as Ballinciaga and Beathoven, have made a breakthrough in the past year with hidden identities. They hide their faces behind masks. The researcher believes that it is demanding to be a woman in a male-dominated environment. – Many people feel threatened when women come in and do the same. They somewhat challenge stereotypes that some find unacceptable, he says. Getting comments about body The girl gang, who call themselves the Baddies, have chosen to follow the trend of wearing masks. Linnea Løtvedt has heard from several people that they cannot reach the top because they are women. – I think it’s about the fact that we became known on TikTok. People say we can’t do it because we’re copying guys who do the same thing. From left: Linnea Løtvedt, Anny Isabella Øvretveit and Oda Rikheim. Photo: Privat The girls spend a lot of time on social media and together have hundreds of thousands of followers on the platforms TikTok and Instagram. – A group of boys with masks had never received comments that they were fat or thin. I haven’t seen a single comment on that or how far they can go, says Anny Isabella Øvre. The girls believe there is only one solution to the problem. – I think it is important that we are open about the situations that have occurred and the comments we receive. It has not been easy, says Løtvedt. Are you thinking of something? Hi! Would you like to advise me on a possible case? Feel free to contact us by e-mail.
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