5 Feminist Hashtags and All You Need to Know About Them

Are you a feminist? The fact that you have to even think twice before answering this question indicates the glaring misuse of the term nowadays.  Feminism, in layperson’s terms, stands for parity. However, people would argue that if feminism stands for equality of the sexes, why use this term in the first place and not stick with a more gender-neutral term such as ‘equalism.’

 

Here is why! Even though feminism is about equality, who are we advocating it for? What are we addressing with this revolutionary movement?

 

We are advocating it for that section that was discriminated against and was oppressed since centuries. We are trying to rectify the fundamental gender imbalance.

 

Feminism is a social-justice movement that challenges the structural inequalities of the society to liberate women from patriarchy (a patriarchal society is the one in which men dominate almost every position of power and influence, politically and culturally).

 

It is to be noted that feminism is not anti-male; rather it acknowledges our unique and individuals roles in the society. It may refer to the resistance to the glass ceiling in one region of the world to the opposition of domestic abuse and sexual violence in another. Though priorities may vary across the globe, the core of this movement remains the same – equal opportunities and treatment for all.

 

It is in light of these urgencies that feminism has led to different movements in different parts of the world – movements that have splashed over social media in the form of hashtags.

 

Here are 10 feminist hashtags that were in trend over the last decade and all you need to know about them:

 

1. #LondonFeministNetwork: A group in the United Kingdom that started the London Reclaim the Night March against street sexual harassment and abuse. The march regularly draws more than 5000 women, closing the streets of London on November 25^th every year, which is also the United Nations Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

 

2. #InternationalWomen’sDay: Celebrated on March 8^th every year, the day marks the call to action for accelerating gender parity and is a focal point in the movement for woman’s rights.

 

3. #HeforShe: The United Nations Women’s HeforShe Campaign works towards the advancement of gender equality. Its goal is to achieve equality by encouraging both genders to partake as agents of change and take action against negative stereotypes and behaviors.

 

4. #MeToo: The movement that was created by sexual harassment victim and activist Tarana Burke became one of the most viral hashtags of 2017. It involved a large variety of local and international related names who had suffered sexual harassment and assault, especially in the workplace. It followed sexual-abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein.

 

5. #TimesUp: Founded on January 1, 2018 by Hollywood celebrities in response to the Weinstein effect, the movement aims to provide safe, fair and dignified work for women of all kinds.