2021 sees that we are still a part of, what is known as, the fourth wave of feminism. This phase focuses primarily on maintaining the empowerment, strength, and integrity proven by women over the previous century, whether they were a part of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, or members of the radical, materialist, or difference feminist movements, all of which took place between 1960 and 2000. It goes without saying that if it wasn’t for the bravery and the sacrifices made by the women of the past, the fourth wave and all that it stands for would not be as popular and as accessible as it is to us today. I would argue that the intentions of the fourth wave is to celebrate and commemorate the success of those who came before us, and urges us to recognise how fortunate we are to live in a society that is rapidly growing and ever-changing, although it does provoke questioning about the roots of feminism and its relevance today.
If you search Google for the definition of feminism, the answer you’ll receive is;
‘The advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.’
Of course there are so many types of feminism that it is impossible to disuss their roles and to celebrate their successes in this article, but when it comes to their origins I think we can all agree that Google’s definition certainly speaks for them all. However, some could argue that the fourth wave is different to the others, because of how it is executed. Modern feminism and the attention it receives is massively reliant on the use of social media, indicating that this global movement is developing and is fighting to sustain its relevance in the 21st century. Despite this, it is just as easy to follow the latest updates on social media platforms as it is to dispose of it. Websites like Twitter even let you block specific words, and hashtags as well as people, making it easier to personalise your feed as well as completely disregard what goes on in the world around you. It’s the social media phenomenon that truly makes me wonder what exactly are we getting out of the fourth wave of feminism, because it gives women a place to be vocal and to be heard, but it also leaves room for them to be totally overlooked.
On the 2nd of June 2020, the world came together to collectively act against brutality, and to raise awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement after the tragic murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. My main concern about this ‘online protest’ was that it proceeded to look like a trend, rather than an attempt to join the movement and show support. Yes, while it did succeed to unite the world and show support for those who do wrongly suffer with racism and the effects of discrimination, it also proved how easy it can be hide behind the screens of technology. Instead of turning to activism, joining the protests, and sharing information, many were simply jumping onto this new trend to show initial support, but then to continue it no more. Was the matter simply to be forgotten within a day? This is exactly why the fourth wave feminism movement and its definitive place on social media could be deemed by some to be less active and less urgent than before, despite the inequalities that millions of women still face to this day.
On the other hand, one could look at the positivity and the awareness social media can spread in such a short amount of time. The movement’s online presence has given so many women the confidence, as well as a space to confront inequality and share their own experiences with feminism in society. In 2014, the Free The Nipple campaign fought through both protests and online platforms, for women to have the right to show their breasts in public, and condemned the gender conventions where men are allowed to to be shirtless in public. As well as this, over the last 9 years, hashtags like #YesAllWomen, #BeenRapedNeverReported, and #MeToo allowed women (and men!) from all over the world to raise awareness of the serious damages that follow sexual harassment and abuse, through the use of social media. On top of all of this, the fourth wave of feminism has empowered women to speak out and to face the struggles of their past, with allegations of sexual assault from men like Jimmy Saville, Jeffrey Epstein, and Harvey Weinstein all coming into light and permitting women to unmask themselves and seek the justice through experiences they’d been repressing for so long.
To sum things up, the role of women in history is one that has been heavily concealed for the most part of our existence. This leads me to wonder whether we will truly achieve equality between genders in every way, some day, and if so, will we have the fourth wave’s new ideals and forms of protest to thank? Will we thank this generation just as much as we thank those who risked their lives for the independence and rights of women in the 20th century?
Finally, I’d want all readers to consider the following questions; How will you participate in today’s movement, and how would you like to be remembered?
Thank you to Alexa for sharing her thoughts on such an important and highly relevant global topic given we are currently living in an era where social media is prevalent, and feminism is now needed more than ever.
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