gender inequality

Question 1

Gendered cyberhate

Answer 1

defined as violent and abusive language and threats against females online, targeted at their gender

Question 2

How do feminists argue that digital communications maintain female disadvantage in society

Answer 2

• New digital forms of communication are controlled by men and are designed for men
• Gender stereotypes are reinforced online
• Gendered cyberhate on social media

Question 3

New digital forms of communication are controlled by men and are designed for men

Answer 3

• Large media companies are founded by men eg facebook which could be explained by gender stereotypes linked to IT
• In Perez’s book ‘invisible women’ she argues that as men dominate the IT world, digital communications are designed for men for example, phones are designed for mens hands and they are uncomfortable for female hands. Another example is that a health app called healthKit could do anything but track periods.

Question 4

Gender stereotypes are reinforced online

Answer 4

• Perez shows how women are underrepresented on google images for example if you google CEO she found that only men show up as well as on google translate will say ‘he is a doctor’ and ‘she is a nurse’.
• Green and singleton found that online communities are more popular with women (mumsnet) might reinforce patriarchal notion that women are first and foremost ‘homemakers’ rather than being career oriented

Question 5

Gendered cyberhate on social media

Answer 5

Laura Bates founded everyday sexism project is a victim of gendered cyberhate
It can cause women to leave social media

Question 6

feminists are positive about the power of digital communications to empower women and challenge patriarchy in society

Answer 6

• Digital communications allow women to challenge and expose gender discrimination and misogyny in society
• Gender stereotypes can be challenged online

Question 7

Cochrane

Answer 7

discovered a ‘fourth wave of feminism’ which is fueled by technology and encourages women to build an empowering online feminist movement.

Question 8

Digital communications allow women to challenge and expose gender discrimination and misogyny in society

Answer 8

• Laura Bates’ everyday sexism project
• Wants women to send everyday sexual harassment experiences in
• Chittal (2015)created hashtag feminism
• Other campaigns include hashtag MeToo and hashtag TimesUp

Question 9

Gender stereotypes can be challenged online

Answer 9

• Hashtag ThisGirlCan can challenge gender stereotypes
• Hashtag LikeAGirl changes the term form an insult to a compliment
• Hashtag MeToo can cause awareness to sexual assault- Harvey Weinstein is now in prison
• Boellstorff’s (2008) research into the virtual community ‘second life’ found that users don’t feel limited by their real world gender as they can choose their avatar
• ‘Bumble’ is a feminist dating app where the woman must send the first message