What do you do if someone asks for your number and you don’t want to give them a real one?
There’s a new fake phone number for that: (669) 221-6251. When you text the number, it automatically texts back a quote from none other than bell hooks. Call the number and a computerized voice reads the a bell hooks quote aloud.
I tried it out myself this morning and received this quote in exchange:
A Tumblr promoting the “feminist phone intervention” launched yesterday, explaining that some anonymous individuals set up the phone line to help people protect their privacy while deterring unwanted calls.
The short post announcing the phone number says:
because we’re raised to know it’s safer to give a fake phone number than to directly reject an aggressive guy.
because we’re raised to know that evasion or rejection can be met with violence.
because women are still threatened and punished for rejecting advances.
because (669) UGH-ASIF, WTF-DUDE, and MAJR-SHADE were taken.
because why give any old fake number, when you can have bell hooks screen your calls?
As far as I can tell in my very thorough experiment of repeatedly texting the number emjoi, there are only two bell hooks quotes in rotation. Maybe the anonymous creators will add more if the phone line catches on?
Thanks to @elle_mccann and @mosarah for the heads up on this! Photo of bell hooks is via Creative Commons.
Sarah Mirk is Bitch Media’s online editor. She also edits Wikipedia for fun.
6 Comments Have Been Posted
I found three so far
Anonymous replied on
I found three so far
Are folks accepting donations
Nikki replied on
Are folks accepting donations to keep this line functioning? I want it for always and see it as a benefit to the wider community.
here is the right link and
ana replied on
here is the right link and includes a donation link on the bottom:
http://feminist-phone-intervention.tumblr.com
Donation page
Amit replied on
Actually, the tumblr post about donations has been merged into the original post:
http://feminist-phone-intervention.tumblr.com/post/88518084309/669-221-6251
The donation URL can be found here:
http://bit.ly/FeministPhonelineDonations
Thanks!
Just an FYI, the number does
Sarah Hull replied on
Just an FYI, the number does not work in Canada. Tried a few times but no response. :(
Didn't last long
neil from ohio replied on
I just tried it, and got a recording saying that the number was changed or disconnected.
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