Support for Korean archer An San after anti-feminist trolls ask for her medals to be taken away

The Olympic Games are a prestigious global event where athletes represent and compete to bring glory to their nations. As such, any unsavoury remark that comes their way is only viewed as unfortunate and uncalled for.

Which is why when South Korean gold-medalist An San, an archer, faced criticism for her short hair at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, viewers jumped to defend and support her.

The 20-year-old has won two gold medals, and set a new Olympic record, but what a certain section of people in her home country noticed and criticised her for, was her hairstyle.

[RT]
Korean men are attacking An San(안산), a gold medalist in archery, for “being a feminist”. They’ve assumed she’s a feminist from her haircut, etc.
They’re claiming her medal needs to be taken away.
(translations below)#Tokyo2020 #Olympics @Tokyo2020ko pic.twitter.com/NFb2hgf73D

— ????????우엉???????? (@abaisse_burdock) July 28, 2021

A New York Times reporter Kelly Kasulis Cho said on Twitter that targeting her was evidence of an “online anti-feminist movement” in her country. “South Korean Olympic gold medalist in archery, An San, is being criticised by male netizens for her short hair — yet another display of the online anti-feminist movement in a county where haircuts can still be controversial among select groups,” Cho tweeted.

South Korean Olympic gold medalist in archery, An San, is being criticized by male netizens for her short hair — yet another display of the online anti-feminist movement in a county where haircuts can still be controversial among select groups. pic.twitter.com/wmjXPBW6Ce

— Kelly Kasulis Cho (@KasulisK) July 29, 2021

“For context: There is a prominent online anti-feminist movement in S. Korea. Ilbe comes to mind — it’s a site where a lot of men campaign against women, and sometimes their taunts move from the web to the real, physical world. A hair style can launch a hate campaign,” she continued.

For context: There is a prominent online anti-feminist movement in S. Korea. Ilbe comes to mind — it’s a site where a lot of men campaign against women, and sometimes their taunts move from the web to the real, physical world. A hair style can launch a hate campaign.

— Kelly Kasulis Cho (@KasulisK) July 29, 2021

It is sad that the amount of hatred people have for feminists has motivated them to troll San, and even ask for her medals to be taken away.

But, not letting anti-feminists have a field day with their misogynistic rants, some women have been sharing photos of their own short hair in support of San, a Reuters report states.

An Independent report states that Channel News Asia, a local news organisation, has reported that there have been at least 6,000 photographs of women in short hair posted on social media platforms in support of the archer.

Additionally, South Korean politician Sim Sang-jung has also publicly defended San, tweeting: “With that firm look, please shoot through every prejudice in the world. We stand by your short-cut hair and support you.”

안산 선수, 힘내세요!

오늘도 거침없이
활시위를 당겨주세요.

그 단호한 눈빛으로
세상의 모든 편견을 뚫어버리세요.

우리는 안산 선수의 당당한
숏컷라인에 함께 서서 응원할게요. pic.twitter.com/CpzoSyoYGT

— 심상정 (@sangjungsim) July 29, 2021

Per the Independent report, San herself reportedly addressed the controversy on her Instagram stories, where she shared a photo of some of the comments she received, writing: “While you’re sending messages in your room driven by your inferiority complex, I’m winning two gold medals at the Olympics,” according to Korea JoongAng Daily.

She is believed to have previously told a commenter — who had asked her about her hairstyle — that “it is more comfortable”.

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