AS I read Humza Yousaf’s interview about refusing to be bullied off X/Twitter, I couldn’t help but agree with him. I despise the platform, now awash with extreme misogynists and racists who had previously been banned and yet I still use it. I completely understand why the former first minister continues to engage with it too.

During the pandemic, I used Twitter to network with other teachers amidst the chaos of Covid, and I had a largely positive experience, making many good connections.

Simultaneously, I discovered an account called Back Off Scotland, which was campaigning for buffer zones outside abortion clinics. While I was avoiding my loved ones and taking constant lateral flow tests for the safety of my family and pupils, so-called “pro-life” activists were selfishly flouting the rules to harass women outside hospitals.

Angered, I became a staunch supporter of the Back Off Scotland campaign, sharing their petitions and public consultations across social media platforms.

READ MORE: Subscribe for the top National journalism in our subscriber-only newsletters

I found Twitter particularly useful during this time. The anti-abortion group behind the protests, 40 Days for Life, was openly advertising their “closing vigil”, encouraging as many people as possible to attend.

As there seemed to be little media interest, I headed to the hospital with a couple of friends and discovered that, just like the year before, a large crowd had gathered with anti-abortion placards. We filmed the crowd with our phones, posted the videos on Twitter, and hoped for the best. By the next day, the videos were being featured in the national media, and Humza Yousaf, then first minister, even condemned the protesters.

Being vocally pro-choice online brought an onslaught of abuse. Some of the worst comments suggested that I should be raped, tortured, and set on fire. However, one account grew more sinister.

An anonymous user became obsessed with me and other women who support abortion. This account constantly shared photos of us, our names, and our workplaces – a classic intimidation tactic. I soon blocked the account but realised that I was receiving numerous replies to comments I couldn’t see. This account was commenting on my posts from behind a block.

Even the worst trolls usually move on to another target after being blocked, but not this one. This behaviour persisted for months on end. I reported it to Twitter, only to be told that no rules had been violated.

When the buffer zone bill finally passed, a news thread appeared in my Facebook feed. In the comments, I found a man being abusive towards women, posting very specific comments, memes, and even his trademark blood emoji. I knew immediately that I had discovered my online harasser.

Knowing he monitored my account daily, I thought that dropping hints I knew who he was would make him stop. It didn’t.

So, I decided to do exactly what he had been doing to me for months and posted his name and photo.

Imagine my surprise when I received an email from Twitter informing me that my account had been locked for violating their rules, requiring me to delete the tweet in order to regain access. It seems there is one rule for men who harass women and another for women who fight back.

People ask me, “Why not just leave Twitter?” But that is not the answer. It cannot possibly be right that women and people from minority groups are forced offline and denied the opportunity to participate in a platform that has proven so useful for campaigning for change.

If Elon Musk was genuinely a believer in free speech, he would not allow trolls to intimidate and dox individuals into self-censorship. I am proud to have supported the buffer zone campaign and to have played a small part in this landmark piece of legislation that will be part of Scottish women’s history.

With Musk apparently happy to monetise abusive content, it seems the only solution is for countries to develop legislation that compels social media companies to either abide by the rules of a civilised society or face consequences, much like Brazil recently did by banning Twitter.

It’s time Twitter was held to account – and the result will be more freedom of speech.