Social Media And Feminism - Kirti Das

From using social media as a break from our daily routines to taking a break from social media itself, we indeed have come a long way. Being a free personal space for anyone, over the years it has shaped an informative outlook as well. Social media really does make us aware of all the "social" conditions around us. From an influencer's amusing content to the overall crisis of the country, the space becomes as encompassing as ever. Taking the crisis of the country into account amidst a pandemic, how do one restrain oneself from not bringing up feminism.

The state of feminism in the 21st century is as real and significant as ever. We might have won a number of battles in making the predicament of women better from time and time again but battles seem to have no ending yet. A number of incidents that took place on social media in the recent past have been a live example of how women can't feel safe either on the internet/the virtual network of people, let alone real life. Our "idea" of safety remains a joke with each passing day. From boys' locker rooms to slut shaming and threateningwomen just on some harmless "comedy" she does, you name it, the list is never ending. Heart wrenching part that remains is that it takes place everyday. Even as I write this article, someone is being objectified/shamed on countless such groups or attacked by someone's widespread "woke misogynistic" content. The revelation of few such groups or videos and shutting it down does not imply that the problem is resolved, rather it should make us realise and acknowledge that such things prevail on an extensive level in our society and combating them becomes the need of the hour. The "woke misogynistic" content mentioned, goes beyond to also include misleading information on feminism stretched across such platforms. From why I'm against today's feminism videos to recurring posts on how feminism is a man hating movement, misogyny never ceases to surprise us. It is the sheer result of improper understanding of such movements and social media then acts as a breeding ground for rabid mob attacks. This is where the terms “pseudo feminists” “against our culture” “stop playing woman card” etc. comes into picture. This nullifies the voices of women who have been survivors of the various kinds of abuse.

On the list of how feminism helped or is helping women, mustering the courage to call out the accused is certainly one of them. Ample number of women have come out and are still coming out with their traumatic experiences on social media, for personal composure and to pass on the courage to their fellow beings. Calling out and being open about your abuser is not a piece of cake and they often end up receiving backlashes. How "Men are trash" instantly triggers men but disclaiming any women's traumatic experience to mere attention seeking seems alright. Nobody wants to seek attention for their trauma but rather find ways to make peace with it. The trending "#NotAllMen" remains the star of social media helping us to know that not all men are bad. But our point of concern focuses on the fact that "Every Man" benefits from the patriarchal system that pertains from personal to social to political level, hence, every sphere of life. Yes agreed that maybe not all men but #AllWomen. Every woman has faced, is facing or is most likely to face some kind of abuse or oppression in her lifetime. Feminism is to give strength to the one who faced it, support to the one facing it, and in developing a society where the future possibility of oppression doesn't exist.

If anything these ongoing events on social media tell us, is that how we lack compassion and empathy on another level. Such social platforms remain a major "escape" for many people till today. A space to feel safe, to feel validated, to vent out and so much more. It's high time we let go of our ever-ready judgemental & privileged selves and forward a step towards understanding the suffering of the not so privileged, more better. As a woman society already considers you to be very emotional, illogical and as a "feminist" always angry. In reality humanity couldn’t really have achieved much in the absence of anger and rage, be it good or bad. If every time someone tried to look through all the possibilities that led to a woman's "rage" rather than just being bothered by it, things would be much simpler than they appear. Where not just a country but the whole world treats you as a second class citizen, it is imperative to fight persistently from any to every possible platform.

Will end on a note by quoting Bell Hooks:

"Simply put, feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression. I liked this definition because it does not imply that men were the enemy." (From Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics)