Feminism and Social Media

Social media has become the most influential platform around the globe even more than our mainstream media. Because mainstream media is providing feed but social media opens the gate of discussion where you can react to anything instantly.  Why is this happening? The answer lies in the accessibility of social media and breaking boundaries of unfair classification of power, gender discrimination, class, race and ethnicity differences, etc. Social media has created a whole new world for all the unheard voices.

                                             

Feminism is a very controversial issue not only in Pakistan but almost in every country of the world. Social media has given it a gateway. The entrance through which all those people who want to end gender discrimination, sexism, and patriarchy can enter to form a group or a community. Women in Pakistan still have very little representation in the offline world but this online world of social media provides equal opportunities for both genders without any discrimination. The prominent example, in this case, is the whole “Me Too Movement”. This movement gained power when Hollywood actress Alyssa Milao responded against the accusation of sexual harassment against the Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein. She tweeted with the hashtag “Me Too” and asked women to use this tag while sharing their stories if they ever faced sexual harassment. On the very next morning, there were almost more than 30,000 posts that showed up with the “Me Too” hashtag and that’s how this campaign gained power. Accordingly, Pakistani women along with women belong to other countries also started to raise their voices while using this hashtag and thus this movement spread the world. Social media gives women a proper platform where they can share their voices, views, and opinions. Because in our offline world there are very fewer cases that are been reported by women. Why are there very fewer cases? Because there are cases where our guardians or the protectors of human rights himself harassed the victim. In this scenario how can we demand justice from this world and where to report the harassment case?

Through the power of social media, women feel free to share their stories and the other people who are understanding the situation help that women to gain justice. There are many cases, on the top, there is the Kasur Rape case where with the power of social media we succeed in getting justice for that 6 years old innocent victim of that brutal crime. Still, there are some unsolved cases like the motorway case where we are unable to get any suitable justice for that woman who was being forcefully raped in front of her child. We still didn’t get any news worth satisfying about his death penalty. We don’t know if there is a lack in our authorities or they are being pressured by high ups.

Where Feminism is getting positive vibes from social media, it is getting a lot of hate at the same time. People who are against feminism or considering it as a Non-Muslim’s agenda are continuously spreading hate on every post of Feminism on social media. According to my personal experience, I can say that people don’t have patience regarding the word “FEMINISM”. If you are putting anything on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter regarding equal rights of both gender or the basic rights of women, people mostly men (Educated as well as uneducated) started to criticize this concept of feminism without understanding the basic concept of it. They are just arguing by saying that this is haram, women should follow Islam, this is a foreign agenda and women want the freedom that’s why they are using this campaign just to get rid of the noble teachings of Islam. But at the same time Islam guiding us to respect women. Islam is the only religion that provides women with a lot of rights. But this concept is for those who are facing this unequal distribution of power and are crushed by this patriarchal mentality of our young men. On social media in Pakistan mostly men are against feminism just because they misinterpret this basic concept. What is Feminism? Feminism, the belief in social, economic, and political equality of the sexes.

Why some people are misinterpreting Feminism? Because there is a misunderstanding about the campaign of “Mera Jism Meri Marzi”. After this campaign, those who have a patriarchal mindset started to spread false news that women in Pakistan just wanted to get freedom and to break all the boundaries that Islam put on them. This is all wrong. This campaign has a whole different meaning that nobody can touch a woman without her consent. This is very cruel that whenever a woman tried to speak-up and wanted to get her basic rights and tried to demand her rights, our patriarchal society shut her up in the name of Islam. Is this fair? Then why don’t women are getting those rights that Islam assigned to them? What is the excuse? Why the state is not taking the responsibility for providing women her fundamental rights in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. There is no way to put the religion just to shut someone up or to win an argument. Because no one is speaking against his/her religion. But this is manipulation, pure manipulation when you are forcing your views on someone without acknowledging other person’s views or opinions.

We can conclude this in this way that no doubt social media is a place where women get a voice but it is also a place where again patriarchy tried to dominate women. This is a game of words. Where you can destroy someone’s self-esteem through your harsh world. Where people are supporting rape victims on social media, some people are targeting and blaming rape victims by saying harsh words like “Kpry pehnny ki tameez nahi h? khud Mardon ko ishary karti hain” etc. but not only women are being raped, this victim category includes all genders, even the animals are not safe from some wild intentions of men.

There is nothing wrong with the concept of Feminism but the mindset and lack of knowledge in our society. We need proper education on this site. So that people learn not to treat women inferior to men. And there is no way men are superior to women when it comes to basic human rights, social rights, and political rights.