It is safe to say that the digital era has changed the world as we know it. It has changed the way we connect with each other, the way businesses run, and it has created millions of jobs. The creation of social media has provided us with a new level of interaction. We are now able to achieve more than ever before.
Throughout this blog post I am going to be focusing on how women have made a difference through social media. This includes the use of multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and blogs.
Blog
Speaking of Women’s Health
Speaking of Women’s Health aims to educate women to make informed decisions about health, well-being and personal safety for themselves and their families.
Their blog posts provide up-to-date information from credible experts, including particular health problems, what to look out for, and tips on how to be healthy and what to avoid.
Speaking of Women’s Health was set up in 1996 by Dianne Dunkelman. As well as an influential blog, website, Twitter and Facebook account, Speaking of Women’s Health also host more than 50 conferences and events in more than 40 cities nationwide. These events make women aware of health problems and encourage them to get check-ups.
Speaking of Women’s Health is an example of how women have made a difference through the use of social media. They have used blog posts to inform women of what to look out for to prevent from health problems, which could save women’s lives.
Twitter
One Billion Rising Campaign
One Billion Rising was the biggest mass global action to end violence against women that has ever been carried out.
V-Day, a global activist organisation who aim to end violence against women, created the campaign One Billion Rising. This was a year-long campaign to make people understand that ending violence against women is as important as ending poverty, Aids or global warming.
The process involved inviting one billion women to demand an end to violence by standing up for what they believe in. This was done in a variety of ways, including performances in plays, flash-mobs, balloons being released in London and dancing from Bangladesh to Switzerland.
The message #1billionrising trended worldwide on Twitter and gained tweets in different languages from all over the world. The hash-tag increased the publicity of the campaign and made more people aware of it, which also made people participate in the movement. With the use of social media, women from all over the world were able to unite without even meeting each other.
The One Billion Rising campaign is an example of how women have made a difference through the use of social media. It has bought people together to end violence against women.
Facebook
Destroy the Joint Facebook Page
Destroy the Joint is an anti-sexism Facebook Page which was set up after an Australian broadcaster Alan Jones declared that women were “destroying the joint”, suggesting that women should not be in politics.
After Alan Jones’ comment was aired, a Facebook group was soon set up to stand for gender equality and civil discourse. The Destroy The Joint Facebook group rapidly gained followers, and helped to unify and rally people, proving that social media can put in a serious fight against misogyny.
The Facebook page includes posts about anti-sexism campaigns and events, and is filled with comments where women come together and discuss how to tackle sexist issues. Every ‘like’ that the page receives acts as support of the movement.
The Destroy The Joint Facebook group is an example of how women have made a difference through the use of social media. The page currently has over 25,000 followers supporting anti-sexism, and it has also made an impact on the Change.org petition with more people signing up.
These are just some examples of how women have made a difference through social media. As digital media expands and technology becomes more developed, the possibilities to how else women can make a difference to the world are endless.
Jennifer Collins Marketing 