#HowToSpotAFeminist and Reclaim Your Narrative

This post originally appeared on May 6, 2015 written by Shannon Miller.

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On May 5, 2015, feminists managed to learn something new from Conservative radio host Doc Thompson: We are quite easy to spot.

Thompson encouraged his listeners to share their methods of identifying The Feminist under the hashtag #HowToSpotAFeminist. Unsurprisingly, the space was initially occupied by vitriol, false equivalencies, and your basic misogyny.

While sweeping generalizations like these are hurtful, they’re not new. This issue of the distorted narrative is a common problem for the oppressed and stereotyping is simply inevitable. The goals of this particular tag, like any distorted narrative, were clear from the start: to express hatred for the movement, derail productive conversation, and distract from the validity of the cause. In presenting a group as a monolith, you are able to reduce a complex, multi-layered effort to an image that can be easily criticized and dismissed. Nearly anyone who has been pejoratively called a “Social Justice Warrior” of any kind can share an instance dealing with this phenomenon. The problem this time, however, was that the tag gained steamed quickly after Thompson’s request and trended with a vengeance with the help of listeners and non-listeners alike. Feminists were then left with two options: silently process their frustration with this attack or speak up and reclaim their narrative.

Many feminists chose the latter, and the result was astounding.

Some took the opportunity to proudly identify themselves:

Others chose to clarify what feminism was for the benefit of the confused:

#HowToSpotAFeminist when you see someone treating a female as an equal.

— Erica Bettencourt (@RickRockRickie) May 5, 2015

It was clear that abusive misinformation was not going to be accepted quietly.

#HowToSpotAFeminist You don't. They're busy living their lives while you're railing against the "friendzone" w/your MRA buddies on reddit

— Young Gifted & Black (@OHTheMaryD) May 5, 2015

One of the highlights of yesterday’s incredible pushback was the resounding presence of men who made a point to firmly stand on the side of equality, which was especially notable against the barrage of hateful speech that was seemingly towards women only.

The rally of feminist support continued as the tag trended into the evening. While the initial misogyny could not be entirely suffocated, the concept of “spotting” a feminist became a touch more accurate. To see feminists in all forms actively take back their identity was utterly fortifying. The lesson here can be applied to any instance involving the degradation of your narrative, whichever narrative that may be.

It’s important to note that honest, constructive criticism of a movement is a different matter entirely. Some choose to receive it while others would rather soldier on without it. That is simply another choice that we have, and it should be wholly respected.

However, when that criticism becomes acidic and manifests in the form of hatred, we should see it as an opportunity to stand up and tell our stories a little louder.

And while we may not operate as a monolith, we can safely assume that most Feminists had one thing in common, per this fantastic tweet.

Why All of Our Girls Needed #ToTheGirls

This post originally appeared on April 30, 2015 written by Shannon Miller. This was Shannon’s first post for Hashtag Feminism.

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For those of us who had to navigate our preteen/teenage years without today’s wealth of social media, it might be difficult for us to imagine thousands of women from all over the world reaching out to us to show their support. On Tuesday, April 14, author Courtney Summers launched a campaign to achieve that very idea.

Summers published a call-to-action via a blog post, urging her followers to pass along words of encouragement, wisdom and positivity under the hashtag #ToTheGirls. “Take the opportunity to tell the girls you know—and the ones you don’t—that they are seen, heard and loved,” she writes. “Share advice. Be encouraging. Tell us about or thank the girls in your life who have made a difference in yours.” Her request garnered over 70,000 tweets last Tuesday as women (and a few men) offered helpful advice on confidence, body image, sex, friendship or to simply provide words of love and kindness.

This campaign comes at a critical time for the girls of today. In terms of body image, statistics released in December 2013 showed that an alarming 42% of girls between the first and third grade wanted to be thinner. Eighty-one percent of girls ten years of age feared being overweight and more than half of teenage girls were either on diets or thought they should be dieting. Thankfully there was no shortage of wise words for those who needed a quick reminder that they are worth so much more.

As of February 2015, the murders of seven transgender women have been reported in the US alone, nearly doubling the total recorded last year (a disturbing phenomenon that has not been widely covered). As the number continues to climb – and especially in the wake of Leelah Alcorn and other trans girls we’ve lost to suicide – it’s vital that the visibility of the trans/non-binary community is not only encouraged, but emphatically welcomed.

While women of color strive for basic representation in our government (only 33 women of color currently serve in Congress), educational system (see #BlackGirlsMatter), and even our entertainment, we should take the time to uplift our girls of color and assure them that we will continue to honor their significance, beauty, and agency.

And while our journey in the fight against the continued stigmatization of mental illness and disability is a long one, our unwavering advocacy is essential.

#tothegirls with social anxiety & mental illness: you are still strong, have strong beliefs, and are still able to take up space

— YA FAVE MIXED GIRL (@IDontTextBack) April 14, 2015

Courtney Summers’ effort is an example of why the continued cultivation of safe spaces for girls is necessary. As theirs (and ours) livelihoods continue to be challenged and undermined, our love and support need to be not only heard, but amplified. More importantly, that very solidarity should continue to be as inclusive as possible; for all of our girls need and deserve a thriving sisterhood.

The Root Cause of Women in STEM Problem #AddWomen

This post originally appeared on April 21, 2015 written by Aisha Springer.

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Last month, the American Association for University Women (AAUW) released a report, Solving the Equation, which outlines the variables that affect women’s success in computing and engineering. It is the latest in a list of studies identifying bias as the root of the lack of women in STEM and leads to the pipeline issues and “personal choices” of women who opt out. Workplaces and academic environments are made unwelcoming to women due to stereotypes and biases, resulting in isolation, loss of opportunities, and other limitations. Simply recruiting more girls into existing educational programs does not solve the problem; the environments where they learn and work need to be reformed so they can achieve a sense of belonging and purpose in their STEM careers.

AAUW held a Twitter chat to coincide with a Solving the Equation panel on the report’s release, using the hashtag #AddWomen to track the conversation. Other hashtags on the subject include #WomeninSTEM and #STEMinism.

“Lean in” feminism encourages women to break the glass ceiling of leadership in business. There is nothing inherently wrong with this; the problem is that the dominant message that each woman can “lean in” to achieve business success minimizes the role bias plays in the workplace and focuses on middle-to-upper-class white women, leaving out the women most lacking rights and representation.

Dialogue about the lack of women in STEM fields particularly suffers from this problem. While research shows that girls begin to lose interest in STEM subjects in middle school, the fact that gender and racial biases influence students through their parents, teachers, media and the culture at large, is sometimes downplayed as if this loss of interest was biological. The insidious nature of bias is that it persists into adulthood and, if left unchecked, guides our behavior, and so women working in STEM fields are subject to implicit and explicit biases every day in these predominantly white male fields.

A 2014 UC Hastings study also supports the importance of bias in women’s STEM representation. It identifies five biases that push women out of STEM fields and how they affect women differently depending on race. One of the biases, called the “tightrope,” refers to the thin line women must walk between acting in traditionally masculine or feminine ways. If a woman acts too feminine, she is seen as incompetent. If she acts too masculine, she becomes unlikable. Asian American women in particular reported feeling pressure to play a stereotypically feminine role. Black and Latina women were more likely to be seen as angry when they don’t conform to the role, reinforcing the “angry black woman” stereotype. This puts women in the position of having to defer to male colleagues and hold back to avoid being berated by superiors (an experience reported by women in the study) or suffering other consequences that limit their career growth.

The recent loss of a gender discrimination lawsuit brought by Ellen Pao against her venture capitalist former employer highlights the challenge of combating implicit bias. When it results in discrimination, it’s very difficult to prove. Prevention requires us to be constantly aware of internalized biases as they arise, which takes will and persistence. Hopefully, the publicity surrounding these studies and #EllenPao’s case creates a groundswell of support for initiatives to make white male-dominated workplaces and educational programs more welcoming to women of every race.

The Best of #IWD2015

This post originally appeared on March 11, 2015 written by Ijeoma Oluo. This was Ijeoma’s first post for Hashtag Feminism.

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This last Sunday was International Women’s Day (#IWD2015). This day, created to celebrate, empower, and advocate for women can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Here are some of my favorite tweets on #IWD2015

Some people shared inspiring photos of women out in the streets fighting for equality right now:

Because we all stand on the shoulders of giants, many chose this day to recognize some of their favorite feminists.

Some of the most thought provoking tweets were those focused on why we need International Women’s Day in the first place.

Why does #IWD still matter? Because there are more companies owned by a guy named John than that are owned by women. pic.twitter.com/nMs9neDAlZ

— Elizabeth Plank (@feministabulous) March 8, 2015

I believe. In the right of a woman to say no: even after she has said yes; whether the person involved is a lover or husband #IWD2015

— Elnathan John (@elnathan) March 8, 2015

How did I spend International Women’s Day? By focusing on women who are often overlooked in discussions on women’s rights with the hashtag #IWDInvisibleWomen

And, since International Women’s Day fell on Daylight Savings Time, the irony was too much for some to resist.

Thanks to Daylight Saving Time, #InternationalWomensDay is the shortest day of the year, clocking in at just 23 hours. Fitting?

— Parker Marie Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) March 8, 2015

International Women’s Day 2015 was filled with hard truths, inspiring stories and calls to action. I know that taking the time to learn about the current struggles that many “unseen” women in the world are fighting to overcome really opened my eyes to how much broader our feminism really has to be. Intersectional Feminism does not just apply to race and sexual orientation, it also applies to class, disability, trans women, nationality, and faith. The future for women will not be brighter if it does not include all women. Intersectional Feminism is International Feminism. Every day should be International Women’s Day.

#BlackGirlsMatter Too: Ending the Exclusion of Black Girls

This post originally appeared on February 26, 2015 written by Aisha Springer.

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Earlier this month, the African American Policy Forum released a report, Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced, and Underprotected, written by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, a Columbia University law professor. The report provides data from Boston and New York public schools on the ways girls are disciplined depending on race. Not surprisingly, girls of color and especially black girls are exposed to harsher punishment and at a higher frequency. Though more boys are suspended than girls overall, racial and gender disparities are significant. Black males were suspended three times as often as white males, while Black girls were suspended six times more than white female students.

As a result of zero-tolerance policies applied with gender and racial bias, students of color are removed from their learning environments and unnecessarily exposed to the criminal justice system, something referred to as the school-to-prison pipeline. Girls in particular face unique challenges when it comes to zero-tolerance policies that don’t allow for individual discretion by a teacher or counselor. Sexual trauma and harassment, high incidence of interpersonal violence, teen pregnancy, and family responsibilities contribute to emotional, behavioral, and practical challenges that affect a girls’ school life.

Excessive discipline cases have been making the news for years now, bringing the issue to light. Recently, video footage from a Baltimore middle school shows the beating and pepper-spraying of three girls by a school security officer. In 2014, a Detroit honor roll student was suspended during her senior year for accidentally bringing a pocketknife to a football game and in 2007, and a six-year-old Florida girl was arrested for having a tantrum. This report is the first of its kind to bring attention to the fact that girls of color are nowhere near exempt from harsh treatment and it does not make sense to focus policy on boys alone.

News coverage of stories like these helps to inform a wider audience of issues facing Black girls and the AAPF report includes a social media campaign to do the same.

The hashtag #BlackGirlsMatter tracks the conversation on Twitter and has produced thoughtful responses regarding Black girls in the school-to-prison pipeline, the gender and race biases that cause this disparity, and the way Black women and girls have long been left out of conversations on addressing racially biased policies and practices.

An important fact raised in the report is that girls are largely excluded from current efforts to break down the school-to-prison pipeline. It’s generally thought that boys suffer worse consequences than their female counterparts, and unfortunately, this myopic thinking influences policy. While the overall number of Black men who are the direct victims of a racially biased criminal justice system is higher than the number of Black women, this often translates to a complete disregard for Black women and girls. Just as it is possible to address the difficulties officers face in policing while at the same time holding them accountable to the public, it is also possible to tackle the needs of Black men and women at the same time. Outside of the Black feminist community, not enough attention is paid to Black women and girls who suffer the same injustices, but are not acknowledged.

Black feminists have increasingly been pushing back on this type of thinking and their outspokenness has spurred real-world action. Women leaders of #BlackLivesMatter protests have made a conscious effort to include the names of Black female victims in protests to make sure their lives and deaths are not ignored in the process. In 2014, when President Obama announced the My Brother’s Keeper program feminists activists, scholars, and organizations including Alice Walker and Rosario Dawson, signed onto an open letter. The letter made it clear that leaving out Black girls perpetuates the myth that girls are doing just fine and ends up neglecting them to the detriment of the entire community. Also publicized by the AAPF, the letter and its topic were discussed on Twitter using the hashtag #WhyWeCantWait and has become a full campaign to realign MBK.

Stereotypes of Black women contribute to the erasure of Black girls from the conversation about excessive use of force and discipline. Historically, Black women have endured racial and sexual abuse and fought tirelessly for justice, but despite their many contributions have been relegated to the sidelines in public.

Now, in the age of social media activism, Black women activists have an expanded platform to resist these entrenched biases and insist that Black women and girls be considered and involved in policy decisions. Hopefully, this is a continuing trend and we see a greater understanding of and concern for the future of Black girls in this country.