On November 1 2014, I started #TakeDownJulienBlanc, a viral global campaign against a racist and misogynistic pick-up artist. The hashtag #TakeDownJulienBlanc trended globally on Twitter, and was used over 50,000 times the first week I created it.
A self-coined “international leader in dating advice,” Julien Blanc (and his company, Real Social Dynamics)’s advice consisted of gold nuggets such as emotionally abusing and choking women, and forcing their faces into his crotch. He charged men thousands of dollars to attend his pick-up “seminars.” Ironically, the #TakeDownJulienBlanc campaign may have been the most attention the pick-up artist has ever received from such a large amount of women.
You can view my original Change.org petition here. It rapidly inspired dozens of other petitions, started by women in other countries like the UK, Denmark, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and others, to bar Julien Blanc and his pick-up “seminars.” All those petitions (that I know of/ can count) total to 333,519 signatures. One would think that when women organize en masse to keep you from even setting foot on their countries, that you might not be doing the lady-courting business the right way.
Through the #TakeDownJulienBlanc campaign, his was visa revoked and/or denied from Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea. 10 venues and online platforms also pulled from hosting the him and his pick-up company, Real Social Dynamics. I couldn’t have done this without the support of so many people across the world, with allies ranging from Destroy the Joint in Australia, to Jake Adelstein, a reporter from Japan, to hacktivist collective Anonymous. There are too many names to list, but the movement wouldn’t have grown without each and every person that got involved with this campaign.
#TakeDownJulienBlanc was covered by many news outlets. You can read more about it below.
- Is This the Most Hated Man in the World? Nov. 12, 2014
- ‘Pickup Artist’ Accused of Promoting Sexual Assault to Be Barred From U.K. Nov. 19, 2014
- Watch Notorious Pick-Up Artist Julien Blanc Say Sorry Nov. 19, 2014
- Pick-Up Artist Julien Blanc Has Been Banned From Singapore Nov. 26, 2014
- Video: Dating coach under fire for online posts Nov. 17, 2014
- Britain bars controversial ‘pick up’ coach Julien Blanc Nov. 20, 2014
- Julien Blanc is a racist sexual predator teaching men to prey on women – and he must be stopped Nov. 6, 2014
- Julien Blanc exits Australia: ‘Pick-up artist’ has visa cancelled after protests against his ‘abusive’ dating seminars Nov. 7, 2014
- Julien Blanc and Dapper Laughs have learnt about the power of clicktivism the hard way Nov. 14, 2014
- Why this woman wants to ban Julien Blanc from the UK Nov. 14, 2014
- Julien Blanc: Lynne Featherstone urges Home Office to deny ‘pick-up artist’ UK visa Nov. 15, 2014
- Julien Blanc ‘apologises’ in CNN interview: ‘I am the most hated man in the world’ Nov. 18, 2014
- Russell Brand says he would ‘never, never, never endorse’ ‘derogatory’ and ‘insulting’ techniques of pick-up artist Julien Blanc Nov. 19, 2014
- Julien Blanc ‘denied visa to enter UK’: Controversial ‘pick-up artist’ barred after petition signed by thousands Nov. 19, 2014
- Julien Blanc ‘apology’ rejected by campaigner: ‘He’s sorry that he got caught, not because he realizes what he did was wrong’ Nov. 19, 2014
- This Woman Turned the World Against Scuzzy Pickup Artist Julien Blanc Nov. 14, 2014
- Pickup Artist Who Advocates Choking Women Sparks Protests Nov. 4, 2014
- Pickup Artist Julien Blanc Is Not Welcome Anywhere Nov. 10, 2014
- Julien Blanc Pick Up Artist Scandal: Anonymous Calls for Ban of ‘Rape Culture’ Seminars Nov. 7, 2014
- Australia Kicks Out ‘Pick Up Artist’ Julien Blanc Over ‘Dangerous and Abusive’ Seminars Nov. 7, 2014
- Julien Blanc: UK Home Office Urged to Ban Entry for ‘Racist and Sexist Pick Up Artist’ Nov. 11, 2014
- Julien Blanc: ‘Racist and Sexist’ Pick Up Artist to be Blocked from UK Entry Nov. 19, 2014
- Europeans demand pick up artist Julien Blanc is banned for inciting violence against women Jan. 29, 2015
- #BBCtrending: The ‘Pick-up artist’ kicked out of Australia Nov. 7, 2014
- Julien Blanc: petition calls for UK ban on ‘pick-up artist’ Nov. 14, 2014
- Julien Blanc: UK denies visa to ‘pick-up artist’ Nov. 14, 2014
- Julien Blanc: Minister joins calls to block UK visa Nov. 15, 2014
- Julien Blanc, the ‘female attraction’ expert, glorifies sexual violence. The fewer seminars he holds, the better Nov. 4, 2014
- US ‘pick-up artist’ Julien Blanc forced to leave Australia after visa cancelled Nov. 7, 2014
- Julien Blanc: petition urges UK to deny visa to controversial US ‘pick-up artist’ Nov. 10, 2014
- For pick-up artists, women are targets. No wonder we don’t want to share a landmass with Julien Blanc Nov. 11, 2014
- Women, beware this PUA army of sleazebags, saddos and weirdos Nov. 12, 2014
- Labour calls on Theresa May to block Julien Blanc visit to UK Nov. 14, 2014
- Home Office minister calls for ‘pickup artist’ Julien Blanc to be denied UK visa Nov. 14, 2014
- Julien Blanc’s apology leaves critics largely unimpressed Nov. 18, 2014
- Julien Blanc barred from entering UK Nov. 19, 2014
- Jeff Allen and other ‘pickup artists’ advocate rape. It’s right he had his visa cancelled Jan. 21, 2016
- Video: Take down Julien Blanc ‘Pick Up Artist’ Julien Blanc was due to hold several events in Australia this week, until online activist Jennifer Li started the #takedownjulienblanc campaign.
Airdate: Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014 Channel: SBS Two -
#TakeDownJulienBlanc: Melbourne protesters rally against ‘sexist’ pick up artists Nov. 6, 2014
- Can we really ban a sexist from entering the UK? Nov. 16, 2014
- Julien Blanc banned from Britain Nov. 19, 2014
- Julien Blanc, the ‘pick-up artist’, joins long line of controversial figures banned from Britain Nov. 20, 2014
- A Pick-Up Artist Is Roaming the Streets of Tokyo and Forcing Women’s Heads Into His Crotch Nov. 7, 2014
- 9 Biggest Lies Pickup Artists Spread About Women Nov. 12, 2014
- American Pick-Up Artist Who Teaches Manipulative Techniques Faces Australian Boycott Nov. 3, 2014
- Australian Government Deports Notorious “Pick-Up Artist” Julien Blanc Nov. 6, 2014
- International “Pick-Up Artist” Julien Blanc Facing Worldwide Boycott Nov 10, 2014
- Julien Blanc Will Not Be Allowed To Enter The UK Nov. 13, 2014
- Julien Blanc’s CNN Apology Labelled “Full Of Shit” By Campaigners Nov 17, 2014
- Australian Government Revokes Visa Of “Pick-Up Artist” Jeff Allen Jan. 18, 2016
Thousands say pick-up artist ‘sexist and racist’, demand hotel cancel seminar Nov. 3, 2014
- UK officials bar US pick-up artist for sexist remarks Nov. 22, 2014
- Let’s ensure no happy returns to Japan for this vile ‘dating coach’ Nov. 5, 2014
- The campaign to take down pick-up artist Julien Blanc Nov. 6, 2014
- 36,000 don’t want ‘pick-up artist’ Julien Blanc to drop in on Japan Nov. 10, 2014
- Pickup artist Julien Blanc gets dumped — by a hotel Nov. 4, 2014
- Pickup artist culture gets a blunt rejection Nov. 14, 2014
- Pickup Artist Julien Blanc’s Fans Are Awful, Too, and Reddit Has the Proof Nov. 7, 2014
- #TakeDownJulienBlanc Fights Back Against The Most Loathsome Pick-up Artist Yet Nov. 6, 2014
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Ban on International Pick Up Artist Julien Blanc Nov. 13, 2014
- The Most Hated Man In Japan Is Coming Back…He’s not welcome. He’s not sexy Nov. 3, 2014
- Why I Stood Up To A Sexual Predator “Pick-Up Artist” and How We Took Him Down Nov. 14, 2014
- Grab-and-choke pickup artist is too creepy for Oz Nov. 6, 2014
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Disgusting Pickup Artist Kicked Out of Australia for Encouraging Men to Harass Women Nov. 7, 2014
- The petition to stop controversial ‘pick-up artist’ Julien Blanc getting a UK visa has gained some serious momentum Nov. 13, 2014
- Noted Misogynist Julien Blanc Just Got Banned From Another Country Nov. 19, 2014
- ‘Dating Expert’, Julien Blanc, Recommends Using Violence To Have Sex With Women Nov. 10, 2014
- Julien Blanc Protest Spreads To Canada With Petition To Bar ‘Pickup Artist’ From Country Nov. 10, 2014
- RSD Canadian Dates Removed From Website After Julien Blanc Petition Grows Nov. 11, 2014
- Julien Blanc Petition Launched To Urge UK To Deny Visa To ‘Sexist’ Pick-Up Artist Nov. 11, 2014
- Julien Blanc Must Not Be Allowed In Britain, Theresa May Told Nov. 15, 2014
- Russell Brand Urged By Fans To Denounce ‘Pick-Up Artist’ Julien Blanc Nov. 15, 2014
- Internet Petition Hopes To Ban Pickup Artist Julien Blanc From Brazil Nov. 17, 2014
- Russell Brand Speaks Out On Julien Blanc Following Petition By Hundreds Of Fans Nov. 19, 2014
- Julien Blanc Denied Entry To The UK Nov. 19, 2014
American pick-up artist dumped in Australia after using ‘rape’ tactics Nov. 4, 2014
- UK denies controversial pick-up artist Julien Blanc entry Nov. 19, 2014
- Romance or rape? California ‘dating coach’ under fire after video details graphic sexual assault Nov. 13, 2014
- ‘Pick-Up Artist’ to Be Banned from UK Nov. 19, 2014
- The Secret World of Pickup Artist Julien Blanc Dec. 1, 2014
- School Shooters Love This Pickup Artist Website Dec. 5, 2014
- Should an Abusive Pick-Up Artist Be Banned from Canada? Nov. 10 2014
- This Canadian Pick-Up Artist Bragged About Forcing Sex On a “Slut Whore” Nov. 12 2014
- We Compared Dapper Laughs and Julien Blanc’s Public Apologies Nov. 19 2014
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Melbourne hotel cancels event with pick-up artist who “abuses” women in the wake of petition Nov. 3, 2014
- Pick-up artist who encourages ‘choking’ women deported from Australia after protests Nov. 7, 2014
- People are campaigning to ban this pick-up artist from the UK – but he’s coming to Ireland next year Nov. 18, 2014
- Pick-up artist Julien Blanc could be also barred from Ireland after UK visa ban Nov. 19, 2014
- This TD wants a ‘sick and abusive’ pick-up artist banned from Ireland Nov. 25, 2014
- 14 things we’ll be delighted to leave behind in 2014 Dec. 26, 2014
- The shocking ‘checklist’ for picking up women posted online by American ‘dating guru’ who ministers want banned from entering Britain Nov. 15, 2014
- Boss of vile American ‘Pick Up Artist’ Julien Blanc facing UK ban bragged about ‘raping’ stripper who was ‘totally not in the mood’ Nov. 18, 2014
- Sleazy ‘dating coach’ Julien Blanc apologises for his disgraceful tips about choking his conquests… But is anyone buying it? Nov. 18, 2014
- How Twitter took down US pick-up artist Julien Blanc Nov. 9, 2014
- Controversial ‘pick-up artists’ cancel New Zealand event plans Jan. 19 2016
- Grab-and-Choke Pickup Artist Is Too Creepy for Australia Nov. 5, 2014
- Sad, Creepy Pickup Artists Chased Off a Boat by Protesters Nov. 6, 2014
- Slimeball Pickup Artist Julien Blanc Has Been Ejected From Australia Nov. 7, 2014
- U.K. Politely Tells Pickup Artist Julien Blanc to Go Fuck Himself Nov. 19, 2014