“It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business.”
Michael in “The Godfather” (1972)
If you speak in public, expect criticism. And no matter who you are, man or woman, young or old, rich or poor, you might get really hateful comments. Not to mention nuisances like people downvoting all your comments in a forum or otherwise online-stalking you across discussions.
But yeah, hateful comments and mails are part of online life. I have already written about the reporters of the National Post reading their “favorite feedback”, here’s Dawkins reading his hate mail (via OpenCulture):
Probably the best way to deal with these kinds of comments: Humor — and not taking them too seriously.