Media Magazine: The fourth wave?

The Fourth Wave? Feminism in the Digital Age in MM55 (p64)

1) Summarise the questions in the first two sub-headings: What is networked feminism? Why is it a problem?

Networked feminism is often associated with the fourth-wave of feminism. Networked feminism aims to tackle social equality issues through the use of modern technology such as the internet. Social media campaigns, blogs and hashtags have been used to cause feminist upheaval and bring awareness to feminist issues. Networked feminism has also seen the increase of user-generated content websites that encourage feminism such as blogs, submission sites and YouTube. Twitter is another important player in representing modern feminism it allows users to engage with the ideologies of feminism through hashtags such as #WomenAgainstFeminism and #YesAllWomen.

However, networked feminism can be seen as a problem because many people believe in the concept of post feminism, that feminism is no longer needed as women have achieved equality in the eyes of the law. As technology continues to become more advantaged and more people use social networking sites, there is an increase of societies, communities and denominations which all claim to represent feminism or are against it. As a result, the concept of feminism faces various misconceptions due to the true definition of feminism and its ideologies are becoming blurred. Furthermore, many feminists are labelled as "man haters" or often still associated with the suffragettes which highlights the continuing misconceptions of feminism and the fact that it is still needed. 

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

The ‘first wave of feminism’ began in the late 19th to early 20th centuries, with a main focus on suffrage for women in terms of voting. The ‘second wave’ began in the 1960s where women campaigned for the growth of equal rights and leading to the Equal Pay Act of 1970, and other equality laws. The late 1990's are associated with the ‘third wave’ which is often identified as post-feminism. The new fourth wave of feminism is known as networked feminism. I believe that we are in the fourth wave of networked feminism as there has been an increase in social media campaigns and movements which all link back to the concept of feminism. Additionally, more people are identifying themselves as feminists on social media, suggesting that the movement still continues. 

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 project was started by Laura Bates in 2012 as a website, allowing users to submit examples of sexism that they faced every day. Laura set it up after facing sexism herself in public, and also after finding feminism hard to talk about, she claims that ‘Again and again, people told me sexism is no longer a problem – that women are equal now’. The Everyday Sexism website has received 50,000 entries of sexist experiences by December 2013. The websites user-generated content and its popular #EverydaySexism Twitter feed has led to the Everyday Sexism project becoming one of the most effective and well known feminist digital campaigns. 

FCKH8

The FCKH8 campaign focuses on the modern representation of girls and the various social inequalities they face whilst featuring young girls ‘F-Bombing’ to highlight society’s imbalance when it comes to offences. The video has created a shift in the representation of young girls, and could be seen as a representation that audiences enjoyed. After just three months on YouTube the video had gained 1.6 million views. However, the fact that the FCKH8 is actually a for-profit company, and the video is actually trying to sell its t-shirts has caused backlash due to the video acting as a form of exploitation of feminism as an advertising tool. 

HeForShe

The HeforShe campaign is led by Emma Watson. The campaign focuses on male support for gender equality as she believes that feminism should not be promoting matriachy but gender solidarity. In a UN speech she states that "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 has utilised social media to hold Q&A sessions, allow users to help pledge to fight for womens issues. The campaign has been effective in removing the misandry that is commonly associated with feminism, but some feminists argue that the campaign is undermining the "strong women" element of feminism and that it is instead reinforcing the idea that women still need men to achieve their goals. 

This Girl Can

This Girl Can is one of the first fitness campaign for women which doesn’t shame or exclude them. The campaign shares photos, videos and quotes of women without the usual sexual exploitation of a women’s fitness advert and without the body shaming. This campaign has also been heavily criticised by feminist activists on social media.

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 believe that we have indeed entered the fourth wave of feminism as social media feminists and feminists campaigns have been rapidly on the rise. More women and also men are engaging with the concept of feminism to fight inequality which contrasts the third wave form of feminism which promotes post-feminism due to the beliefs held that women's equality has been achieved.