Twitter.  Instagram.  Facebook.  Though a massive part of our day-to-day lives, social media has taken on an entirely new meaning in regards to the way we communicate with each other.  This year there have been numerous hashtags referring to feminist issues around the world.  To name a few; #YesAllWomen, #BringBackOurGirls and #HeForShe.  But are these hashtags truly effective?  And are we really achieving anything, or harming the movement?

I would first like to address the negative image encompassing the feminist movement.  By many, feminists are thought to be uptight, man-hating, dominant women.  These negative stereotypes, of course, have been spread and advertised by anti-feminists.  In my opinion, overcoming these negative stereotypes will be one of the most difficult issues that we have to face.  Without respect from everyone, it will be so much more difficult for feminism to accomplish anything. On the internet, women are still totally underrepresented in so many areas!  And while many women are using social media to create a positive change, there are still so many that send empty or negative messages.

On the bright side, the internet is a great place where we can share our thoughts, opinions and ideologies with the world.  In fact, many of us are already doing this, trending hashtags such as #YesAllWomen and #BringBackOurGirls to bring light to these causes.  And in a sense, it has worked.  After Elliot Roger’s shooting rampage, the hashtag #YesAllWomen was created for women to share their stories of male entitlement while encouraging each other to stand up for their rights.  In fact, it reached a whopping 61 500 tweets on May 25, 2014.  This is awesome, as it shows that people really are taking an interest and trying to support women’s rights all over the world.

Similarly, the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls was tweeted over 480 000 times in May alone after Islamist terrorist group, Boko Haram kidnapped 270 Nigerian girls in April 2014.  Prominent figures such as Michelle Obama and Ellen DeGeneres have been attempting to show support through social media by raising awareness for the missing schoolgirls.  However, this movement has been criticized by some who state that hashtags such as these are a form of “slacktivism”; actions performed through the media that are viewed as requiring little time or involvement.  There are also some who say that this hashtag does more harm than good by attempting to involve the American military.  But in my opinion, by raising awareness for these causes, we are in fact supporting the missing girls, though not directly.

The internet has become such a huge part of our lives that it is through blogging, Facebook, Instagram and tweeting, women are creating a new, safer environment for others everywhere.  And we’re doing great so far!  Continuing to create change through these popular outlets is imperative in trying to create a better, more equal, society.  By using social media outlets to raise awareness for women’s rights, we collectively are supporting the women’s rights movement in ways that have been impossible before.