Hashtag Feminism: Examining Contemporary Feminist Concerns and Social Justice Activism in a Social Media Age

Abstract

In Western society’s image-saturated, media-driven culture, feminist activists have turned to social media to raise awareness for issues related to social justice and systemic oppression. At a time where social justice campaigns have erupted on social media, as evidenced by the recent #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, an inquiry into the influence of this activism, named as “hashtag feminism” is key to understanding contemporary feminist concerns. This article explores how trends in hashtag feminism correspond to broader political goals, and investigates not only the opportunities for activism provided by social media platforms, but also, the potential limitations.