MIGRAIN: Introduction to feminism

1) Why did Laura Bates start the Everyday Sexism project?
 The Everyday Sexism Project is a site founded on the 16th April 2012 by Laura bates, her aim was to document examples of sexism from all around the world.

2) How does the Everyday Sexism project link to the concept of post-feminism? Is feminism still required in western societies?

3) Why was new technology essential to the success of the Everyday Sexism project?

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?

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 aims to tackle social equality issues found both on and using modern technology, thousands of campaigns, blogs and hashtags have been used to spur on the feminist upheaval. User generated content websites flourish with the words of the feminists, blogs, submission sites and YouTube are all utilised to set up, grow and oppose campaigns. Twitter is a large factor in representing modern feminism as people are able to instantly engage with the ideologies and hashtags, e.g. #WomenAgainstFeminism and #YesAllWomen have trended on multiple occasions highlighting both the significance of feminism and the divisions it has created. Since the 60's feminism has been fighting to recognise the social struggle of women on a number of different levels. Even in 2015 feminists still have to deal with misconceptions and prejudice the idea that rape may be justified if a woman is wearing revealing clothing. 

2) What are the four waves of feminism? Do you agree that we are in a fourth wave ‘networked feminism’? 

• First wave feminism focuses on women's suffrage, property rights and political candidacy
• Second wave feminism focuses on reducing inequalities in sex, family, the workplace, reproductive rights and legal inequalities
• Third wave feminism focuses on embracing individualism and diversity
• Fourth wave feminism focuses on combating sexual harassment, assault and misogyny

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 

The everyday sexism campaign was started by Laura bates back in 2012 as a website which posted examples of sexism that the users faced everyday, Laura set it up after finding feminism a hard topic to talk about, saying 'Again and again, people told me sexism is no longer a problem-that women are equal now'. However, the responses she received proved differently as she received 50,000 entries of sexist experiences made by December 2013, now three years later Everyday sexism is one of the most high-visibility feminist digital campaigns due to its user generated content and its well used #EverydaySexism Twitter feed.

HeForShe

This inclusive idea of feminism is nowhere better summarised than by the He For She campaign led by Emma Watson. In a speech to the UN Watson said: 'Fighting for women's rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating...it is not the word that is important but the idea and the ambition behind it...Men, gender equality is your issue too'. Watson's campaign focuses on male support for gender equality, highlighting the fact that feminism is not all about promoting matriarchy, but solidarity. 

FCKH8 campaign

The FCKH8 campaign is one of the most popular digital campaigns, more specifically the 'Potty Mouth Princess' YouTube video that went viral. The movement focuses on the modern representation of girls and the huge social inequalities they face, whilst showing young girls using the F word to highlight society's imbalance when it comes to offences, the girls confidently shout: 'I'm not some pretty fu*king helpless princess in distress...What is more offensive? A little girl saying fu*k or the fu*king unequal and sexist way society treats girls and women?' This video is a shift in the representation of young girls and a clear representation that audiences enjoyed. FCHK8 is actually a for-profit company and the video is trying to sell its T-shirts and so this exploitation of feminism as an advertising tool created a massive backlash causing it to not play well with a majority in the movement.

This Girl Can 

The This Girl Can campaign which has been described as the first fitness campaign for women which doesn't shame them by sharing media of women without the usual sexual exploitation of a women's fitness advert and body shaming but this campaign too has been heavily criticised by feminist activists themselves. This girl can aims to break the barriers that constantly prevent females from participating in sport and physical activity. The first TV ad was released on the 24th of February 2017. 

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 highly believe that the fourth wave feminism is an extremely good introduction in raising awareness for feminism because it uses modern tech to now raise awareness for females which is an intelligent move in the right direction.