Dear SXSW,

Your decision to cancel a panel on the harassment of women in the gaming community, "Level Up: Overcoming Harassment in Games," sends a worrying message to the thousands of women who experience online harassment every single day. We understand that you have received threats -- as women who use the internet, they are commonplace for us. However, by yielding to threats of violence, you are further exposing us to it. By saying this decision is part of "community management", you are signaling that women are not part of the community worth protecting. When you silence that panel, you are silencing women. You are enabling more harassment, giving those who use violence even more power.

 Sincerely,

Aminatou Sow, Bridget Todd, Rachel Sklar, Liz Plank