History of Feminism
Related: About this forumCould the Facebook Win Be Feminism’s Tipping Point?
The success of the action is not just more proof that online activism is increasingly becoming feminisms strong suitfrom Facebook to Komen to transvaginal ultrasoundsbut it also gives some hope that the culture is starting to shift around violence against women. Jaclyn Friedman, executive director of WAM,* says the win left her cautiously optimistic. Friedman points to the outrage over the social media-documented rape in Steubenville, gang rapes in India and the suicides of several young rape victims as indications that Americans may have had enough of the consequences of rape culture. While shes still unsure that the country is ready for widespread change, she believes theres a critical mass right now; it could be a tipping point moment.
Like Friedman, Im hopeful but warythe fact that such a campaign needed to be launched at all is a depressing indicator of where American culture is on sexual assault and violence against women. That someone could think to post a picture of a dead woman who appears to be shot in the head with the tagline, I like her for her brains, or a woman lying at the bottom of the stairs with the line, Next time, dont get pregnant, is enough to give any optimist pause. Even worse is that such hateful misogyny could be considered humor. And the fact that up until now Facebook didnt classify this as hate speech means that the people behind these images and pages had their sexism validated and accepted.
But this glaring, in-your-face misogyny may be the spark that pushes culture forwardtheres no arguing with these images, these court cases, these stories. Maybe it needed to get a lot worseor more visiblefor it to get better. For years, the most common anti-feminist talking point has been that American women dont have it all that bad. That we should stop complaining and focus on women in other countries who are really oppressed. (Sound familiar?)
But today, telling women that sexism doesnt exist anymore is a really hard sell. Thanks to the Internet and the speed at which stories movenot to mention the vile sexism in most online spacesany American woman who spends more than five minutes onlines hears about or experiences misogyny every day. And the absolute deluge of sexismfrom legitimate rape and birth control controversies to rape jokes and high-profile domestic violence murdersmakes it impossible for anti-feminists to call these stories anomalies in an otherwise equal society. What they really are is proof of systemic political inequity and cultural disdain for women.
Read more: http://www.thenation.com/blog/174583/could-facebook-win-be-feminisms-tipping-point#ixzz2V8enzcH1
Squinch
(51,025 posts)I don't think it is a tipping point in the attitudes. It might be a tipping point in the availability of places to express the attitudes, which is a big improvement.
But frankly, I think the attitude has been there since the beginning of time, and originates in the fear some men have always felt towards women, and we are a long way away from the end of that.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Rather, just thousands of small victories that nudge progress forward inch by inch.
Misogyny is, in my opinion, easily the most enduring, widespread, and difficult to displace bigotry in society. It's exercised against women by women as well as men, has adherents tacit as well as open in people of all ideological stripes, and still does not draw the social disapproval that racism and nowadays homophobia do.
BainsBane
(53,074 posts)The tipping point thing is overblown. It's the author's argument and title, not mine. I do find it interesting that she says people have been shamed into not saying the kind of crap we hear from so-called progressives on DU everyday,
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)in a work or academic environment. DU has a level of discourse more closely resembling talk radio and a locker room.
redqueen
(115,103 posts)This is simply too deeply entrenched in almost every aspect of society.
This one area - violence against women promoted and portrayed as 'humor' on facebook - is such a tiny manifestation of misogyny. Rape culture is a larger aspect but still it is just one symptom. It is a very significant aspect, but treating symptoms won't help in the long run. We need much more awareness of the myriad ways that women are portrayed as less than.
It is a step in the right direction, and an encouraging sign. It is noteworthy to consider though, how long it went on with people making excuses for it, saying women needed to accept it and ignore it, told they were being annoying for pointing it out, etc.
This is far from a tipping point. It's barely a chip off of an enormous, systemic problem... one that most people still don't even recognize as even being a problem.