In
the era of social media where disseminating information has outstripped any
other medium, women seem to have found the best platform to vent their problems
as well as drive awareness on various issues through hashtag activism,
particularly those relating to social, physical and sexual injustices. The
recent posting on Facebook where a young woman was assaulted by a rickshaw
driver in Bangalore and another where one was being hassled on board a flight
is a point in case. Sharing via social media has not only helped to spread the
news instantaneously and widely, but also, in many instances, got immediate
action.
“One
message reaches everyone and the response is immediate, especially from younger
people. Women raise and share issues on social media and in turn it is a tool
to reach out to people who have the means to do something about it. It’s a
chain reaction which gets immediate attention and action. Today everybody is an
activist on social media, with more people contributing and creating
awareness,” affirms activist-Bailancho Saad, Dr Sabina Martins.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
As
the postings go viral on Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat in
that order, with just about every issue being highlighted, social media is
proving to be the right platform to get the word out. “We have this immediate
power today. We do not have to wait for a story to be written or aired on some
TV channel or even the authorities to launch an investigation. Today we have
social media in our hands to put it forth and reach thousands of people in the
process,” avers Kanchi Mehta, curator and Founder, Chameleon Art Project. A
strong advocate for women’s rights, she has been making her presence felt on
social media, particularly in the Nirbhaya case and the recent issue featuring
Deepika Padukone in ‘My Choice’.
While
social media has become a powerful tool which women can exercise with the tap
of their phone, not every woman has the means to it or is tech savvy. “There
are two levels, those who are educated and those who are illiterate and the
latter are unable to use social media to their advantage. But what is
heartening to know is that their children, who have an education, are not only
helping their parents get this information, but also giving them suggestions on
what can be done,” explains Dr Martins.
What
can be the downside, however, as journalist Gauri Vij points out, is that one
tends to indulge in armchair activism instead of actual action. “All claims
need to be backed up by action, or else there is a chance of the authorities
slacking off thinking that their work is being taken care of by social media
exchanges. If you want to effect change there should be actual activism as
well,” she maintains.
As
women continue to vent their issues, there may be a feeling that it’s being
overdone, but there is no denying the fact that social media has proved to be
an effective tool to bring these issues to light.
