Hashtag activism – powerful or pointless?
Like millions of other women across the world I posted a black-and-white picture of myself on social media with #womensupportingwomen and #challengeaccepted. I didn’t give it much thought thinking it was just another hashtag that’s trending and why not? So, I hit post and made a mental note to research what this is all about later.
The B/W photo challenge started as a way for women to stand in solidarity with the women that were lost due to femicide. What brought the spotlight on the challenge again was the recent murder of a 27-year-old Turkish woman, Pinar Gultekin. Her death, the latest in a series of high-profile murders of women in Turkey, has sparked protests against gender-based violence with Turkish women taking to the streets to demand change.
Turkey has one of the highest rates of femicide in the world and people regularly see B/W images of women on their news screen who have been violently murdered. But somewhere amongst the glossy and beautiful celebrity pictures and friends tagging friends, this fundamental message behind the campaign got lost. Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, who both took part in the challenge, count 60m IG followers between them – just imagine the awareness that could have been raised for social justice if the message hadn’t been (unintentionally) drowned out along the way?
Many believe that tweeting or posting information online is effective but does this sort of ‘activism’ really influence positive change in the world?
Activism or ‘slacktivism?’
There is certainly a power behind social media movements. In recent years #NeverAgain, #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements have gained incredible momentum. It’s clear that hashtags can be used as an effective awareness raising tool, if used properly and with a clear message behind them but calling it activism is a step too far.
There is a marked difference between advocacy and action. Advocacy is the act of publicly representing or supporting an individual, organisation, or idea. Activism, on the other hand, is about taking direct action to achieve a political or social goal. It’s critical that we make the distinction between advocacy and activism clear, educating people that sharing a hashtag isn’t making a difference. Just because the whole world knows about a problem doesn’t mean that the problem is fixed. Actions need to be taken to fix the problem. As leaders of campaigns and social movements, let’s ensure the route to tangible action is a core part of our campaign framework and messaging. And as social media users let’s pause before we share to ensure we’re not mindlessly posting and obscuring vital messages.
How to Support Turkish Women
The Istanbul Convention is a human rights treaty designed to offer better protection for survivors and victims of domestic violence, and to enforce appropriate punishments on those that commit it. It was ratified in Turkey in 2012, but is under threat of withdrawal by the current administration. There is now a Change.org petition in support of keeping the convention.
Since 1995, the Purple Roof Women's Shelter Organization has offered legal advice, medical support and counselling to women dealing with domestic violence, and to survivors of sex trafficking. Its 18-bed shelter in Istanbul is currently the only independent women's shelter in Turkey. While temporarily closed due to COVID-19-related precautions, it continues to run several helplines to assist women in danger. Click to donate.