Hashtags, Tantrums & Womxn
- SAQWS
- Jul 12, 2018
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 1, 2018
Time's up, #Menaretrash & Why 2018 is the Year of The Womxn
By: Monique Hollis
Time’s up Movement: #metoo
This online campaign originated from the scandal consuming Film Producer Harvey Weinstein, who was arrested in October 2018, and charged with rape, criminal sexual conduct, sexual abuse and sexual misconduct in regards to +two females.
During the subsequent events more than 75 women came out and reported similar charges against Harvey Weinstein. Weinstein went to sex-rehab in Arizona with therapy for “anger, management, nutrition, and several addiction-related behaviours".
Movies Weistein have made, to list a few; Playing for Keeps (1986); Shakespeare in Love (1998); Gangs of New York (2002) and The Nutty Professor (2008).
I hope I have ruined some childhood favorites! If not. It’s good to know a decade ago the director of an innocent kid’s films like The Nutty Professor is getting charged with sexual harassment misconduct.
Time’s Up promoted the #metoo movement to bring to light the amount of harassment that goes unnoticed.
It worked, but died out as quickly as it flared up.
Time's Up collected $21 million for their Legal Defence Fund from the movement.
#metoo urged women to speak out about their experiences and not isolate themselves to deal with their problems. Regardless of whatever anyone says. Or how anyone makes you feel.
South African Movement: #Menaretrash
This movement originated on twitter in 2017 due to a backlash by South Africans to high rates of missing women and children in the country.
The South African community took to social media platforms to protest these atrocious inequalities that women in South Africa know, all too well.
One of the women who went missing, Karabo Mokoena (22 years old) was found, her body burnt past recognition and buried in a shallow grave in a field. Later the truth was revealed; her boyfriend had murdered her before setting her alight, and burying her remains.
This brought about discussions around Rape Culture in South Africa, and the world. The environments women described as dangerous include; universities, workplaces, public transportation, and in the home. Furthermore, the LGBTQIA community used the hashtag to target hate crimes against their womxn.
With all the supporters of the movement, women began to come forward with their own stories of harassment and sexual abuse. The amount of posts overwhelmed Facebook as almost every woman had a story to give, and if this was too painful, they shared the hashtag as a way to show their support against these horrendous inequalities.
Check out current social opinions regarding #menaretrash below;
https://twitter.com/hashtag/menaretrash?lang=en
Adding to the South African movement, was the US who supported the same hashtag, and like that #menaretrash went worldwide.
An important reaction to the movement was the #Notallmen & #Womenaretrash, which were hashtags that protested the #menaretrash movement as hate speech and just a tool for the online-shock factor or as a bad joke.
With this shift in focus the #menaretrash movement fizzled.
This was due to the men who got offended by being called trash. I (quote me) don’t care whether the movement is true or not. The whiplash reaction from men all over the world says more than my words could.
P.S It’s called victim blaming & proves misogyny has many ugly heads. But we are just seeing the tips.
2018: The Year of The Womxn.
"So why does it matter now?" You may ask,
Well after World War I (1918), women won the right to vote. 100 years later we have to reflect and see which women have played the roles in Womxn Empowerment all over the world.
We need to gain inspiration from the women who have changed history, whilst raising our hands out to support the women who are most vulnerable, presently.
Black, white, lesbian or Straight, Rich or poor, as Womxn we can unite and create the change our society is so desperately craving.
We will be the change we want to see.
Let the men continue their tantrums, this is the year of the Womxn.
2018 is our year!
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