seriously, the internet is a big rape threat. are there any smart people that treat random anon trolling seriously? (except opportunists and journalists that by occasion use such crap as a 'proof' of whatever)
Whether you treat it seriously (as in, call the police) depends on the level of implied threat. But are you really just saying ignore it? Think about the spam you get. It's a little annoying. Now think if all of that was threats directed at you.
It's not just about whether you take them all seriously, it's whether this constant drumbeat of abuse gets to you. Would you still love your dream job after a year of that? Would you just want the relief of bowing out of any kind of public life?
Women deserve better. Telling them to toughen up doesn't help, it's blaming the victim. Try speaking out instead.
a few years ago, a member of our national female volleyball team resigned from sport because somebody on the internet, anonymously, wrote she has fat legs (at least that was her official statement). the question is not if a woman has the right to get her feelings hurt, but whether empowering the trolls by admitting publically you very much care what they write is an effective thing to do in fighting this behavior.
btw rape threats that show a slight chance of being 'real' (say, not a frustrated teenager or drunk idiot from the other side of the globe) should be reported, even just for the sake of it. that said, knowing certain aspects of the gaming community, I imagine there is a bigger chance of the latter.
seriously, the internet is a big rape threat. are there any smart people that treat random anon trolling seriously? (except opportunists and journalists that by occasion use such crap as a 'proof' of whatever)