Social Media and Activism
This weeks module focuses on how social media can be used as a great resource for online communities to form and understand one another. This is especially important for marginalized groups who have not found the spaces where they feel entirely welcomed. This is especially important to recognize during the current political climate in the United States. This module introduces to us the term intersectionality, which refers to the multiple aspects that make up one’s identity. The importance of understanding intersectionality relates to social media activism because it is those overlapping identities that push forward communities in solidarity with one another. It is also worth noting that intersectionality is a term that can be taught to online audiences to fully understand each other. Social media communities can potentially oversimplify the complexity of multi layered issues within marginalized groups, like cultural appropriation online, hate speech and colorism. “Call out culture” has become an online force to hold those accountable who offend marginalized groups, but it also allows for open conversation and understanding.