This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/21/black-twitter-shouldnt-be-dismissed-because-its-not-useful-to-white-activists

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Black Twitter shouldn't be dismissed because it's not useful to white activists Black Twitter shouldn't be dismissed because it's not useful to white activists
(4 months later)
As the northern summer heats up, so does the debate over women’s hijab in Iran. On the Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women Facebook page, women upload photos of themselves flouting the strict law on the headscarf.As the northern summer heats up, so does the debate over women’s hijab in Iran. On the Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women Facebook page, women upload photos of themselves flouting the strict law on the headscarf.
The brainchild of British-Iranian Masih Alinejad, who claims she is not anti-hijab but anti-censorship, the page has garnered more than 312k "likes" in just 17 days. Along with its Twitter counterpart #MyStealthyFreedoms, it is at once a symbol of individual defiance and a political movement, as more and more Iranian women push the hijab law to the limits in the stifling summer.The brainchild of British-Iranian Masih Alinejad, who claims she is not anti-hijab but anti-censorship, the page has garnered more than 312k "likes" in just 17 days. Along with its Twitter counterpart #MyStealthyFreedoms, it is at once a symbol of individual defiance and a political movement, as more and more Iranian women push the hijab law to the limits in the stifling summer.
It’s too soon to say what long-term political impact the movement will have but it has already inspired a backlash, with several hundred morally outraged Iranians taking to the streets of Tehran to demand stricter policing of women’s dress code.It’s too soon to say what long-term political impact the movement will have but it has already inspired a backlash, with several hundred morally outraged Iranians taking to the streets of Tehran to demand stricter policing of women’s dress code.
For Iranian activists, Facebook and Twitter is a way of circumventing the strictly controlled Iranian media. It is interesting to see the power of social media in action, given western commentators have been talking about the "death of Twitter" since at least 2011. The Atlantic has even delivered a recent eulogy, blaming Twitter's demise on its predictability, pettiness and fakery. Even amongst those commentators not quite ready to bury the platform, there is an eagerness to downplay its significance. Writer Helen Razer, for instance, used her review of Everyday Sexism, a book based on the Twitter hashtag of the same name, to rail against the site, lamenting its failure to produce any "great" feminists thinkers in the tradition of De Beauvoir, Greer, Butler, Spivak, and Kristeva. For Iranian activists, Facebook and Twitter is a way of circumventing the strictly controlled Iranian media. It is interesting to see the power of social media in action, given western commentators have been talking about the "death of Twitter" since at least 2011. The Atlantic has even delivered a recent eulogy, blaming Twitter's demise on its predictability, pettiness and fakery. Even amongst those commentators not quite ready to bury the platform, there is an eagerness to downplay its significance. Writer Helen Razer, for instance, used her review of Everyday Sexism, a book based on the Twitter hashtag of the same name, to rail against the site, lamenting its failure to produce any "great" feminists thinkers in the tradition of De Beauvoir, Greer, Butler, Spivak, and Kristeva.
The enthusiastic dismissal of social media by white commentators once again shows just how people of colour continue to be marginalised by the mainstream. Twitter is casually declared dead or otherwise deemed insignificant because it’s not as instrumental to white activism (to be fair, this is not surprising given so much of it tends to be of the "slacktivist" variety – such as the great Kony debacle of 2012, which substituted raising awareness for action).The enthusiastic dismissal of social media by white commentators once again shows just how people of colour continue to be marginalised by the mainstream. Twitter is casually declared dead or otherwise deemed insignificant because it’s not as instrumental to white activism (to be fair, this is not surprising given so much of it tends to be of the "slacktivist" variety – such as the great Kony debacle of 2012, which substituted raising awareness for action).
But the point at which awareness raising and action blend isn't always clear – and just because Twitter isn’t a benchmark for white activism does not mean it isn’t an important tool for others. To deny, for instance, the significance of Black Twitter in the US, is seriously misguided. But the point at which awareness raising and action blend isn't always clear – and just because Twitter isn’t a benchmark for white activism does not mean it isn’t an important tool for others. To deny, for instance, the significance of Black Twitter in the US, is seriously misguided.
Black Twitter refers to a loose collective of mainly African-American Twitter users who are politically aware, engage in real-time conversations, and who use the platform to drive socio-political change.Black Twitter refers to a loose collective of mainly African-American Twitter users who are politically aware, engage in real-time conversations, and who use the platform to drive socio-political change.
In 2012, the #VoteReady Twitter campaign, created as a response to new laws creating confusion over voting rights, held "Twitter Town Hall" meetings to get black people across the US to register to vote. The #VoteReady end of year report claims to have reached up to 1.5m Twitter accounts in the 24 hours after each Twitter event.In 2012, the #VoteReady Twitter campaign, created as a response to new laws creating confusion over voting rights, held "Twitter Town Hall" meetings to get black people across the US to register to vote. The #VoteReady end of year report claims to have reached up to 1.5m Twitter accounts in the 24 hours after each Twitter event.
Also in 2012, black activists organised protests and vigils within 78 hours of the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. When Black Twitter began circulating Martin’s parents petition, which demanded the arrest of George Zimmerman, the petition gathered more than 2m signatures, and ultimately played a part in Zimmerman being charged.Also in 2012, black activists organised protests and vigils within 78 hours of the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. When Black Twitter began circulating Martin’s parents petition, which demanded the arrest of George Zimmerman, the petition gathered more than 2m signatures, and ultimately played a part in Zimmerman being charged.
In the wake of Zimmerman’s acquittal, when Juror B-37 notoriously suggested he had "learned his lesson" before announcing she was writing a book about the trial, Black Twitter responded by directly tweeting her agent. Not only did the agent drop B-37 as a client, but the juror herself announced she would not be going ahead with the book because of "the depth of pain that exists among the general public over every aspect of this case."In the wake of Zimmerman’s acquittal, when Juror B-37 notoriously suggested he had "learned his lesson" before announcing she was writing a book about the trial, Black Twitter responded by directly tweeting her agent. Not only did the agent drop B-37 as a client, but the juror herself announced she would not be going ahead with the book because of "the depth of pain that exists among the general public over every aspect of this case."
Last year, when folk singer and progressive feminist icon Ani DiFranco announced she was holding a feminist retreat at a former slave plantation, black social media users voiced their disappointment and anger directly on the musician’s Twitter and Facebook pages. DiFranco eventually cancelled the event and apologised.Last year, when folk singer and progressive feminist icon Ani DiFranco announced she was holding a feminist retreat at a former slave plantation, black social media users voiced their disappointment and anger directly on the musician’s Twitter and Facebook pages. DiFranco eventually cancelled the event and apologised.
Also last year, following TV chef’s Paula Deen’s tearful admission to using the N word, Black Twitter not only "raised awareness" of the lawsuit some former employees filed against her, but directly tweeted her employer the Food Network, demanding her dismissal. Deen lost at least 12 business deals as a result of the negative publicity.Also last year, following TV chef’s Paula Deen’s tearful admission to using the N word, Black Twitter not only "raised awareness" of the lawsuit some former employees filed against her, but directly tweeted her employer the Food Network, demanding her dismissal. Deen lost at least 12 business deals as a result of the negative publicity.
To be clear, I am not suggesting activists can, or should, rely purely on Twitter to achieve social change. But there is no denying its power to highlight issues which are important to people of colour, but which struggle to gain traction in mainstream outlets. The #BringBackOurGirls hashtag, which began with Nigerians demanding action from their government, could easily have devolved into a Kony-style farce. When Michelle Obama tweeted her support for the cause, however, sharp Twitter users quickly turned it into an opportunity to draw attention to president Obama’s use of predator drones on innocent Muslim civilians.To be clear, I am not suggesting activists can, or should, rely purely on Twitter to achieve social change. But there is no denying its power to highlight issues which are important to people of colour, but which struggle to gain traction in mainstream outlets. The #BringBackOurGirls hashtag, which began with Nigerians demanding action from their government, could easily have devolved into a Kony-style farce. When Michelle Obama tweeted her support for the cause, however, sharp Twitter users quickly turned it into an opportunity to draw attention to president Obama’s use of predator drones on innocent Muslim civilians.
Twitter has also been a way for feminists of colour to address their exclusion by mainstream feminism, as last year’s influential #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen hashtag proved. As Feminista Jones writes, marginalised groups have always had to rely on alternative communication methods to connect and build networks. This is certainly true for the "stealthy" Iranian women. One woman discarding her hijab may not send a strong message, but when thousands of them do it, without ever having to meet in person, then they become a force that cannot be ignored.Twitter has also been a way for feminists of colour to address their exclusion by mainstream feminism, as last year’s influential #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen hashtag proved. As Feminista Jones writes, marginalised groups have always had to rely on alternative communication methods to connect and build networks. This is certainly true for the "stealthy" Iranian women. One woman discarding her hijab may not send a strong message, but when thousands of them do it, without ever having to meet in person, then they become a force that cannot be ignored.
That so many white commentators can readily ignore the importance of Twitter to people of colour smacks of that familiar arrogance peculiar to those who belong to any dominant group: that just because something doesn’t matter to them, then it doesn’t matter at all.That so many white commentators can readily ignore the importance of Twitter to people of colour smacks of that familiar arrogance peculiar to those who belong to any dominant group: that just because something doesn’t matter to them, then it doesn’t matter at all.