With the likes of Harry Potter star Emma Watson, funny man Steve Carell and actor Matt McGorry all backing the brilliant HeForShe campaign and using their personal Social media platforms to boost gender equality, it's becoming increasingly popular for feminists to turn to the likes of Twitter and Facebook in order to raise awareness, express their concerns and celebrate their accomplishments. With Twitter accounts like The Vagenda Team, BitchMedia and The Happy Feminist all reaching an audience of up to ninety-five thousand; is social networking the next best platform for feminism?
Social media has become a part of life that one couldn't have imagined when the dial-up tone was still ringing in all our ears, but now Facebook has over 1 billion accounts and Twitter accounts reach far beyond the millions. With Apple products and smartphones making it easier than ever to check your messages, comments and tweets on the way to work, at the gym and on the go; it's no wonder feminist thinkers, celebrities and the everyday gender equality enthusiast are taking to social media to air their concerns.
When Laura Bates set up the Everyday Sexism project online, she gave women everywhere a voice; allowing them to share their shocking stories of sexism and inequality via social networking, creating a platform of the likes that had never been seen before. The Everyday Sexism Twitter account now has over 190 thousand followers, with women tweeting everyday about their experiences and worries; ranging from misconduct at work, sexism on the streets and the exploitation of women in the media.
Half of the battle within feminism is creating a powerful, honest platform for both women and men to air their concerns and while yes, there is negative backlash from the misogynistic that inhabit the world with us, there has been a wonderful and celebratory platform for feminism to be taught. With young boys and girls all growing up within a generation that's attached to social networking, this has only got to be a positive for the feminist movement. The power of feminism is within the teaching of those unaware and there's no reason why this can't be through the likes of Twitter and Facebook.