Why Social media is a powerful tool for online feminism

Introduction:

Rape is one of the least reported crimes.  The nonprofit organization The Women’s Media Center is using social media to help change that.  They are using a live crowd-map to document every incident of sexualized violence in the Syrian civil war.

https://womenundersiegesyria.crowdmap.com/

This is just one example of how the power of social media is being used for online feminist action.

Large numbers of feminists are turning to social media to organize and raise consciousness.  But can online activism bring about change in the ‘real world’?  Some have argued that online activism is actually “slactivism”.   But women who are passionate about their cause are using social media to  effect real change, offline and online.

Thesis:

Why social media is a powerful force in the fight for gender equality

Outline:  3 arguments 

1. Speed

I will discuss why the speed of social media makes it an effective platform for feminist practice.  Because women can use social media on their smartphones, tablets, and computers, women can connect and organize at any time and any place.  For example, when a female transgender woman was denied access to Canada at Toronto Airport, and she was detained in solitary confinement in a male prison, she tweeted live from her prison cell.  A protest was immediately advertised on Facebook to protest for her release.

2.  Semi-anonymity

Because social media allows some anonymity, users can connect and make relationships around a shared interest, such as feminism.  Differences that might cause conflict in ‘offline’ relationships, are less relevant in social media.

3. Multiplicity of voices and inclusiveness

Social media is low in cost and easily accessed, therefore a wider range of women can get involved with online activism.

References

Maalsen, S., & McLean, J. Destroying the Joint and Dying of Shame? A Geography of Revitalised Feminism in Social Media and Beyond. Geographical Research, 51, 243-256. Retrieved June 29, 2014, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1745-5871.12023/full

Martin, C., & Valenti, V. #FemFuture: Online Revolution. The Scholar & Feminist Online, 8. Retrieved June 29, 2014, from http://bcrw.barnard.edu/wp-content/nfs/reports/NFS8-FemFuture-Online-Revolution-Report-April-15-2013.pdf

Plank, E. (2014, February 7). 23 Inspiring Feminist Digital Campaigns That Changed the World. .Retrieved June 29, 2014, from http://mic.com/articles/80229/23-inspiring-feminist-digital-campaigns-that-changed-the-world

Schuster, J. Invisible feminists? Social media and young women's political participation. Political Science, 65, 8-24. Retrieved June 29, 2014, from http://pnz.sagepub.com.ezproxy.kwantlen.ca:2080/content/65/1/8.full.pdf+html

Seawell, S. (2014, February 15). #FreeAvery: Live-Tweeting, Social Justice and Twitter Feminism. . Retrieved June 29, 2014, from http://www.hastac.org/blogs/sseawell/2014/02/15/freeavery-live-tweeting-social-justice-and-twitter-feminism

Women Under Siege: Documenting Sexualized Violence in Syria. (n.d.). . Retrieved June 28, 2014, from https://womenundersiegesyria.crowdmap.com/