FHM South Africa writers spark social outrage with FB rape jokes [Updates]

Two writers for the South African version of lad mag FHM have sparked outrage on Twitter for posting jokes on Facebook about correctional rape, drug rape and rape survivors.

The furore started when Max Barashenkov, the features editor at FHM South Africa, posted a status suggesting [trigger warning] “correctional rape and sterilization for any white person who twerks”.

He was joined in his joking by colleague Montle Moroosi, who commented: “i think rape can be quite fun if executed in a romantic manner. like saying ‘i love you’ before slipping a roofie in her earl grey tea” in response to someone expressing objection to the post. Moroosi also writes for Mahala, an alternative publication which also publishes a free quarterly magazine.

The status was apparently prompted by this video:

Some members of the South African Twitter community suggested that FHM suspend the two writers in response to their actions, citing other instances of media workers being suspended for their actions on social media:

.@LaurenH_ZA Honestly, I don't care. If Lance Witten can be suspended from eNews for his Linkin Park crack, these shitheads can be too.

— Michelle Solomon (@mishsolomon) July 16, 2013

.@shaunwewege There is a precedent for this. M&G let an intern go for FB anti-Semitism; eNews suspended sports guy for Twitter death joke.

— Michelle Solomon (@mishsolomon) July 16, 2013

The first instance which Solomon, a reporter with Eastern Cape newspaper The Daily Dispatch refers to, saw news presenter Lance Witten suspended after tweeting out the joke “Linkin Park are so badass people are dying to see them”, following the death of a fan just before the group’s Cape Town performance.

Others were less certain about what punishment the two should face:

For the record, I don't think the idiots should be fired for something they said on their private profile. But some education would be nice

— Kitty (@DiscordianKitty) July 16, 2013

Another Twitter user took the time to remind people that the magazine is no stranger to people associated with it ending up in social media storms.

@barrybateman @mishsolomon @FHMSouthAfrica From the guys that brought you Jessica Leandra Dos Santos…

— Jacqueline Lües (@JacsLues) July 16, 2013

In May last year, FHM Model of the Year, Jessica Leandra dos Santos caused a social media frenzy after tweeting out racist slurs.

For its part, the magazine has promised to take immediate disciplinary action, calling the comments “indefensible”:

The private FB comments made by Max & Montle are indefensible. FHM is taking immediate disciplinary action.

— FHM South Africa (@FHMSouthAfrica) July 16, 2013

Update: Memeburn understands that FHM has suspended the two writers with immediate effect.

FHM editor Brendan Cooper told the City Press: “FHM was horrified to learn of the incredibly offensive comments made by two of our staff members on their private Facebook pages.

“These comments in no way reflect FHM’s values. The opinions expressed are hurtful and deeply offensive and entirely unacceptable to FHM’s management.”

Update: Barashenkov has returned to Facebook after briefly removing his profile yesterday.

Update: Barashenkov and Moroosi have published an open letter to the people of South Africa in response to the outrage over their comments.

Update: Memeburn has received word that Barashenkov has been dismissed. We are currently in the process of confirming this as the latest communication from FHM suggested the two writers still had to face disciplinary action.

Update: FHM has confirmed it has dismissed Max Barashenkov and Montle Moorosi with immediate effect.