The women’s rights movement of today: how social media is fueling the resurgence of feminism

2019-02-14A new wave of feminism is here, and, for better or worse, it’s being fueled almost entirely by social media. Female public figures are using their platforms to speak up on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram about their own personal grievances with gender inequalities, and it’s influencing women from all over the world to do the same. The media has hailed these “Silence Breakers” as modern-day feminists, and while that may be the case, it’s interesting that there aren’t more communications professionals evaluating the hashtag activism phenomenon to determine whether hashtag activism is, in fact, an effective communications tactic or a fleeting, ego-centric trend. ❧ This thesis, therefore, examines today’s digitally-driven, feminist activism relative to the earnest work of First, Second, and Third Wave feminists from the last 200 years. Led largely by the Internet, social media, and mobile apps, the relatively recent cultural shift towards instant gratification and self-importance has created an impatient and impulsive society that’s quick to react and even quicker to demand results. The author’s analysis of the popular #WomensMarch and #MeToo campaign from 2017 will show that, without long-term commitment and a strategic, definitive plan, hashtag activism is merely a tool for bringing awareness to gender inequality. As such, the conclusion drawn in this white paper is that it takes more than a hashtag to effect lasting social change. But at least it’s a start