Feminist Online Identity: Analyzing the Presence of Hashtag Feminism

Authors

  • Kitsy Dixon Centenary College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18533/journal.v3i7.509

Keywords:

hashtag feminism, virtual feminism

Abstract

In theory, the concept of hashtag feminism has created a virtual space where victims of inequality can coexist together in a space that acknowledges their pain, narrative, and isolation. As social scientists Susan Herring, Kirk Job-Sluder, Rebecca Scheckles, & Sasha Barab (2002) state, these properties make online forums appeal favorable to vulnerable populations seeking support from ‘disease or abuse, and to members of minority, social and political groups such as homosexuals, racial minorities, and feminists’ (p. 371). However, in identifying online communities such as Twitter and Facebook as safe spaces for expressing feminism views and politics, its ramifications present dire consequences which lead to online harassment, hate speech, disagreements, and a miscommunication in rhetoric. It is with these consequences that the academic discourse becomes lost in transmitting the message of what feminism is and how feminists are identified.

Using the ongoing debate that feminism does not acknowledge real life experience outside of academic terrain, this paper explores how hashtag feminists identify in redefining feminism in their generation. Using the public platform of Twitter and Facebook (less specifically), this paper will explore the online followings of women who identify as hashtag feminists, and how their dialogue has set the tone for the era of internet activism.

Author Biography

  • Kitsy Dixon, Centenary College
    Kitsy Dixon is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Centenary College. Kitsy's areas of research include race and oppressive structures against women of color, alternative healing modalities for women traumatized by sexual victimization through creative movement and expression as forms of healing, and women's issues of advocacy.

References

Altman, I. & Taylor, D. (1973). Social penetration: The development of interpersonal relationships.

New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston

Collins, P. (2000). Black feminist thought: Knowledge, consciousness, and the politics of empowerment.

Routledge: New York & London

Capachi, C. (2013 December 17). Suey Park: Asian American Women are #NotYourAsianSidekick.

The Washington Post Blog. Retrieved from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2013/12/17/suey-park-asian-american-women-are-notyourasiansidekick/

Gilmore, S. (ed). (2008). Feminist coalitions: Historical perspectives on second-wave feminism

in the United States. University of Illinois

Herring, S., Job-Sluder, J., Scheckler, R., Barab, S. (2002). Searching for safety online: Managing

“trolling” in a feminist forum. The Information Society, 18: 371-384

Haslanger, S. & Tuana, N. (2003 February). Topics in Feminism. Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

King, J. (2014 May 9). Is Beyonce a terrorist? Black Feminist scholars debate Bell Hooks. Colorlines

News For Action. Retrieved from: http://colorlines.com/archives/2014/05/black_feminist_scholars_debate_bell_hooks_beyonce_terrorist_remark.html

Litoff, A. (2014 May 6). Bring back our girls’ becomes rallying cry for kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls.

ABC News. Retrieved from: http://abcnews.go.com/International/bring-back-girls-rallying-cry-kidnapped-nigerian-schoolgirls/story?id=23611012

Pan, B. & Crotts, J. (2012). Chapter seven: Theoretical models of social media. Ulrike, G., Christou, E.,

& Sigala, M. (2012). Social media in travel, tourism, and hospitality: Theory, practice, and

cases. Ashgate Publishing: Burlington, Vermont

Regan, P. (2008). The mating game: A primer on love, sex, and marriage. 2nd edition. California State

University Publishing: Los Angeles

Strets, J. & Burke, P. (2000). Identity theory and social identity theory. Social Psychology Quarterly.

(3), 224-237

The Personal Narratives Group. (ed). (1989). Interpreting women’s lives: Feminist theory and personal n arrative. Personal Narratives Group: Indiana University Press

Tobin, A. (4 August 2013). Q&A with #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen creator Mikki Kendall.

Bustle Entertainment. Retrieved from: http://www.bustle.com/articles/3612-qa-with-solidarityisforwhitewomen-creator-mikki-kendall

Twitter, Huffington Post, e-Marketer. (2014 January 1). Twitter Statistics and Users. Retrieved from:

http://www.statisticbrain.com/twitter-statistics/

Zhang, S., Jiang, H., & Carrell. (2010). Social identity in facebook community life. International

Journal of Virtual Communities and Social Networking. 2(4), 66-78

Downloads

Published

2014-08-03

Issue

Section

Article

Similar Articles

1-10 of 22

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.