Melissa Bachman, a Minnesota hunting show host, is causing global controversy, and debate, thanks to picture of herself posing with a lion she killed.
“An incredible day hunting in South Africa! Stalked inside 60-yards on this beautiful male lion,” Bachman tweeted along with the photo below. “What a hunt!”
The response was swift, including Facebook group devoted to “stopping” Melissa Bachman and several petitions, both in the United States and abroad.
“She is an absolute contradiction to the culture of conservation, this country prides itself on,” one petition from South Africa, where the kill took place, reads.
“We demand she no longer be granted access to this country and its resources.”
Although African lions aren’t considered endangered, conservationists are still up in arms over actions they feel are potentially devastating to the ecosystem.
Hunters tend to prefer the older, dominant males, which can disturb the balance and create potentially devastating infighting problems within the pride.
There’s also the fact that even though the big cats aren’t endangered, over-hunting could quickly change that – and boasting about it just makes it worse.
Regardless, upon seeing the photo, many incensed Twitter users lost all civility, some tearing Bachman to shreds in crude, misogynistic fashion:
- @MelissaBachman i would be The first one to shoot at her! You are discusting Melissa praying that God Will make u Pay in THis life
- @MelissaBachman you are going to die a horrible death, I hope a lion rips your fucking head off you sick c–t
- @MelissaBachman is a heartless bitch. Hope a pride of lions get their revenge on the cow.
- @MelissaBachman I would pay money to see a lion tear you apart slowly. Would love to see you suffer.
- @MelissaBachman You are the worst human .. i hope that you kill himself with your own weapons
- @MelissaBachman #f–king bitch needs her head blown off and hung on a wall#
- @MelissaBachman you’re a f–king vile human being who serves no purpose on this planet, and to top it off, you’re ugly too.
- @MelissaBachman “I hope that c–t gets vaginal herpes and dies”
- @MelissaBachman “I want to punch this bi–ch’s teeth out”
- @MelissaBachman “Someone needs to capture her and break every bone in her body”
- @MelissaBachman “I hope she gets breast cancer and dies in pain”
- @MelissaBachman“If I come across her I’ll rip off her f–king face”
Even comedian Ricky Gervais called attention to Bachmann’s tweet:
It begs the question, if Bachman had been a man, surely it would’ve been controversial, but would she have attracted this same outpouring of abuse?
Some call her “a disgusting disgrace to the human race,” “evil,” “a monster” and “a blight to civilization” and other harsh but gender neutral terms.
Much of the backlash seems to be female specific, though, focusing on female anatomy and implied sexual promiscuity, just because of her gender.
Do you agree? And what do you think of the pic in general? Tell us:
What do you think of Melissa Bachman’s lion-killing photo?
Is criticism of Bachman sexist and misogynistic?