Intro to Feminism
Case study: Everyday Sexism
1) Why did Laura Bates start the Everyday Sexism project?
She started the project because she received several sexist remarks in one week. Although she did not care that much when she was targeted every so often, the continuity showed her how women everyday are being treated this way.
2) How does the Everyday Sexism project link to the concept of post-feminism? Is feminism still required in western societies?
The project links to post- feminism in the sense that it discusses the impact of the feminism movement already. Bates explains that she once encountered a man (who harassed a woman on the street), and was later asked by another man why he acted the way he did. This scenario therefore suggests that feminism has already had some impact on a much larger demographic, especially men. Furthermore, Bates had set up a website called "Everyday Sexism", in which women could post up their stories from their experiences. This links to the concept of post- feminism as some believe that this stage is mostly internet activism.
3) Why was new technology essential to the success of the Everyday Sexism project?
Since we live in the age of social media, the online platform made it easier for a global demographic to share their experiences with others. Furthermore the availability of a service like this online allowed it to be shared with a large audience in a small amount of time- through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
4) Will there be a point in the future when the Everyday Sexism project is not required? What is YOUR view on the future of feminism?
I believe that we have indeed come a long way in terms of spreading the message of the Feminist movement. Ideas about how to treat both sexes equally have been shared via online campaigns such as the "Everyday Sexism" project, film/tv and art. Therefore it could be argued to a point, where the project is no longer required as more people now have an understanding of the beliefs of the movement and realize that treating people this way is unacceptable in today's society. However I do believe the Feminist movement has received a bad name in the past few years and has been seen as quite radical in terms of its ideals. I think the misunderstanding that the feminism movement is only about females, should still be addressed so that everyone knows that it is just about gender equality. Therefore the need to continuously address the feminism movement is important as we all need to understand how important it is to treat someone equally and fairly, despite their gender.
Media Magazine: The fourth wave?
Read the article: The Fourth Wave? Feminism in the Digital Age in MM55 (p64). You'll find the article in our Media Magazine archive here.
1) Summarise the questions in the first two sub-headings: What is networked feminism? Why is it a problem?
Networked feminism, supposedly the "fourth wave" of the feminist movement is the act of tackling social inequalities using the online platform. This is done through blogs, campaigns and hashtags that tend to provoke conversations about feminism. Social media sites such as Twitter and Youtube play a huge part in spreading feminist ideologies to a large audience. This stage can be considered a problem as "the internet has many denominations, societies and communities" in which various people, both for feminism and against share their views on the movement. The meaning therefore can sometimes get lost, and the term sometimes has to be defined more clearly.
2) What are the four waves of feminism? Do you agree that we are in a fourth wave ‘networked feminism’?
Yes, I would say that we are in the fourth wave of feminism as the movement is constantly being campaigned online on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Recently, twitter hashtags such as #MeToo and #TimesUp contribute to the feminist movement and therefore suggests that the fight for gender equality still exists.
3) Focus on the examples in the article. Write a 100-word summary of EACH of the following: Everyday Sexism, HeForShe, FCKH8 campaign, This Girl Can.
Everyday Sexism was "one of the most high-visibility feminist digital campaigns" due to UGC as it made it more personal and easier to share instantly online. The 'He For She' campaign, led by Emma Watson focuses on "male support for gender equality". She used Twitter to host a Q&A session which allowed many people to join in on the debate. However some people have criticized the campaign as it makes "feminism too reliant on males", and therefore undermining the "strong woman" element. The FCKH8 campaign, focuses on the modern representation of girls and the huge inequalities they face, while swearing. The Youtube video, "Potty Mouth Princess" got over 1.6 million views. However the campaign backfired when people realized that they were actually trying to sell t-shirts- therefore "exploiting feminism as a adverting tool". The "This Girl Can" campaign was the "first fitness campaign for women" which didn't body shame or sexually exploit them.
4) What is your opinion with regards to feminism and new/digital media? Do you agree with the concept of a 'fourth wave' of feminism post-2010 or are recent developments like the Everyday Sexism project merely an extension of the third wave of feminism from the 1990s?
I think that we are in the fourth wave of feminism as most activism nowadays takes place online on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Recently campaigns linked to feminism such as #MeToo or the #TimesUp campaign show that women all over the world are uniting to bring about gender equality. However one of the disadvantages of the fourth wave of feminism is that some opinions and beliefs by some users online may spread inaccurate ideas about feminism, such as the belief that all feminists hate men. These opinions are then spread rapidly amongst a global demographic and the feminist movement gets a bad name.
1) Why did Laura Bates start the Everyday Sexism project?
She started the project because she received several sexist remarks in one week. Although she did not care that much when she was targeted every so often, the continuity showed her how women everyday are being treated this way.
2) How does the Everyday Sexism project link to the concept of post-feminism? Is feminism still required in western societies?
The project links to post- feminism in the sense that it discusses the impact of the feminism movement already. Bates explains that she once encountered a man (who harassed a woman on the street), and was later asked by another man why he acted the way he did. This scenario therefore suggests that feminism has already had some impact on a much larger demographic, especially men. Furthermore, Bates had set up a website called "Everyday Sexism", in which women could post up their stories from their experiences. This links to the concept of post- feminism as some believe that this stage is mostly internet activism.
3) Why was new technology essential to the success of the Everyday Sexism project?
Since we live in the age of social media, the online platform made it easier for a global demographic to share their experiences with others. Furthermore the availability of a service like this online allowed it to be shared with a large audience in a small amount of time- through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
4) Will there be a point in the future when the Everyday Sexism project is not required? What is YOUR view on the future of feminism?
I believe that we have indeed come a long way in terms of spreading the message of the Feminist movement. Ideas about how to treat both sexes equally have been shared via online campaigns such as the "Everyday Sexism" project, film/tv and art. Therefore it could be argued to a point, where the project is no longer required as more people now have an understanding of the beliefs of the movement and realize that treating people this way is unacceptable in today's society. However I do believe the Feminist movement has received a bad name in the past few years and has been seen as quite radical in terms of its ideals. I think the misunderstanding that the feminism movement is only about females, should still be addressed so that everyone knows that it is just about gender equality. Therefore the need to continuously address the feminism movement is important as we all need to understand how important it is to treat someone equally and fairly, despite their gender.
Media Magazine: The fourth wave?
Read the article: The Fourth Wave? Feminism in the Digital Age in MM55 (p64). You'll find the article in our Media Magazine archive here.
1) Summarise the questions in the first two sub-headings: What is networked feminism? Why is it a problem?
Networked feminism, supposedly the "fourth wave" of the feminist movement is the act of tackling social inequalities using the online platform. This is done through blogs, campaigns and hashtags that tend to provoke conversations about feminism. Social media sites such as Twitter and Youtube play a huge part in spreading feminist ideologies to a large audience. This stage can be considered a problem as "the internet has many denominations, societies and communities" in which various people, both for feminism and against share their views on the movement. The meaning therefore can sometimes get lost, and the term sometimes has to be defined more clearly.
2) What are the four waves of feminism? Do you agree that we are in a fourth wave ‘networked feminism’?
Yes, I would say that we are in the fourth wave of feminism as the movement is constantly being campaigned online on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Recently, twitter hashtags such as #MeToo and #TimesUp contribute to the feminist movement and therefore suggests that the fight for gender equality still exists.
3) Focus on the examples in the article. Write a 100-word summary of EACH of the following: Everyday Sexism, HeForShe, FCKH8 campaign, This Girl Can.
Everyday Sexism was "one of the most high-visibility feminist digital campaigns" due to UGC as it made it more personal and easier to share instantly online. The 'He For She' campaign, led by Emma Watson focuses on "male support for gender equality". She used Twitter to host a Q&A session which allowed many people to join in on the debate. However some people have criticized the campaign as it makes "feminism too reliant on males", and therefore undermining the "strong woman" element. The FCKH8 campaign, focuses on the modern representation of girls and the huge inequalities they face, while swearing. The Youtube video, "Potty Mouth Princess" got over 1.6 million views. However the campaign backfired when people realized that they were actually trying to sell t-shirts- therefore "exploiting feminism as a adverting tool". The "This Girl Can" campaign was the "first fitness campaign for women" which didn't body shame or sexually exploit them.
4) What is your opinion with regards to feminism and new/digital media? Do you agree with the concept of a 'fourth wave' of feminism post-2010 or are recent developments like the Everyday Sexism project merely an extension of the third wave of feminism from the 1990s?
I think that we are in the fourth wave of feminism as most activism nowadays takes place online on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Recently campaigns linked to feminism such as #MeToo or the #TimesUp campaign show that women all over the world are uniting to bring about gender equality. However one of the disadvantages of the fourth wave of feminism is that some opinions and beliefs by some users online may spread inaccurate ideas about feminism, such as the belief that all feminists hate men. These opinions are then spread rapidly amongst a global demographic and the feminist movement gets a bad name.
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