DOCSLIB.ORG

Master's Thesis Anonymous and Pseudonymous

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Master's Thesis Anonymous and Pseudonymous University of Amsterdam Graduate School of Communication: Corporate Communication Science Master’s Thesis Anonymous and Pseudonymous Brand-Related Communications on Social Media: The Effects on Toxicity, Transparency and Self-Disclosure Zygimantas Valiulis (12268895) Supervisor: Dr. S.C. (Suzanne) de Bakker Date of Submission: 28/06/2019 1 Abstract Online Disinhibition theory suggest that computer-mediated communications (CMC) allow users to be more toxic and self-disclosing. However, a huge number of overall online communications are made by anonymous and pseudonymous users, which can have an even bigger effect on users’ online disinhibition. The current research applied grounded theory approach and qualitative content analysis to conduct an in-depth examination of how varying levels of user' identification (anonymous, pseudonymous & identified) might be influencing their CMC patterns in relation to toxicity and self-disclosure. The samples are drawn from Youtube.com, Facebook.com and 4Chan.org comments on the controversial advertisement video from Gillette called "The Best Man Can Be". During the analysis, we observed a pattern, where users became more toxic in their communications when the levels of their identification were lower. Moreover, former literature suggests that CMC and social anonymity should increase users' self-disclosure. However, the current research could only partially support such a notion. Instead, we observed that users with a low level of identification (e.g. anonymous) were more transparent in their controversial and toxic attitudes and opinions during brand-related communications, rather than being generally more self- disclosing. This led us to suggest an expanded and updated definition of CMC self-disclosure and user transparency. Whereas self-disclosure focuses on user revelation of private information, such as family status, age, occupation and etc., the user transparency describes revealing deep-seated attitudes, opinions, feelings, and beliefs, that can often be perceived as controversial, toxic or sensitive. 2 Table of Contents Introduction 4 Research Question 6 Academic Relevance 7 Practical Relevance 8 Theoretical Framework 9 Toxicity of Anonymous CMC: Interpersonal Distance and Disinhibition Effect 10 Self-Disclosure of Anonymous CMC: Hyperpersonal Interactions 14 Methodology 16 Sample 16 Operationalization 20 Codebook 24 Results 26 Toxicity 26 Self-disclosure 30 Discussion 32 Redefining the Self-Disclosure and Transparency 33 Identified Users CMC 36 Anonymous Users CMC 37 Pseudonymous Users CMC 38 Conclusions 39 Study Limitation 41 Future Recommendations 43 Sources 44 Appendix A 49 Appendix B: Memos 70 3 Introduction The ongoing digital world has given many people a mouth without a face – the unique ability to anonymously or pseudonymously express their opinions and participate in various online discussions. To put the scale of online user identification in the broader context of social media: around ¼ of Twitters' 326 million monthly users are pseudonymous, meaning that their real identities are unknown. They represent that approximately 89 million people on Twitter are possibly exhibiting altered communications patterns, both positive and negative, that anonymity and pseudonymity might afford them. Moreover, 86% of internet users reported taking steps to hide their identities online (Rainie et al., 2013). This might have significant ramifications for the overall characteristics and climate of social media sites (SMS) environments, computer-mediated communication (CMC) and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) circulation (Reichelt, Sievert & Jacob, 2014). While the term anonymity stems from the Greek word anonymia, which literally means “without a name”, many Web 2.0 consumers adopt certain pseudonyms, called nicknames or usernames, to protect their real identity. Some social media platforms, such as Facebook.com, encourages people to profile their real names, most likely to increase user accountability for their communicative actions (Van der Nagel & Frith, 2015). However, people still choose to hide their real identities. Other SM platforms such as 4Chan.org encourage anonymous user contributions. Meanwhile, most of the Youtube.com users engage in CMC under pseudonymous identities. In the past, YouTube has unsuccessfully encouraged users to adopt real names to increase accountability for toxic comments (Tate, 2012). 4 But why do people want to be unidentified while engaging in CMC? Kang, Brown and Kiesler’s (2013) research shows that users adopt anonymous (or pseudonymous) identities for various reasons, including engaging in illegal activities and expressing hate speech or other unpopular opinions. Apart from legally/morally dubious reasons, anonymity affordances are valuable to users in some cases, as they allow them to be open in socially delicate or even shunned discussions, such as pornography, drugs, islamophobia, homosexuality, etc. (Leavitt, 2015; Peddinti, Ross & Cappos, 2017; Van der Nagel & Frith 2015). However, the normative and ethical aspects of online anonymity are still debated (Bodle, 2014; Turculet, 2014). Positive socio-psychological facets of anonymity and computer-mediated communication (CMC) have been a topic of interest for a number of decades now (Kiesler et al., 1984) (Walther, 1996). From a social psychology and communication science perspective, anonymity changes the way people form their identities online and express themselves on the web. Some studies do affirm that anonymous (or pseudonymous) online communication seems to be bringing both functional advantages and disadvantages to the people involved. Anonymous CMC can be either positive and socially acceptable or negative and socially undesirable effects on online communication when compared to real-life or identified interactions (Lapidot-Lefler & Barak, 2012; Walther, 1996). Anonymous CMC seems to allow the amplification of one's social behavior or levels of self-disclosure and engagement. Such positive elements of anonymous CMC usage allow, in some cases, higher levels of self- disclosure (Kiesler et al., 1984; Suler, 2004), lowered social anxiety and desirability (Joinson, 1999) and higher sense of privacy (Bodle, 2014) which leads to more engagement of users in online discussions (Lapidot-Lefler & Barak, 2012). Walther (1996) argued that CMC surpasses face-to-face communication in self-disclosure (Walther, 1996). Other researchers 5 support such conclusions, having observed that the participants reached higher levels of self- disclosure by using CMC, when compared to real-life conversations (Joinson, 1999, 2001; Kim & Dindia, 2011). Joinson (2001) found that visual anonymity, mediated by lowered public self-awareness, empowered CMC users to self-disclose about their lives even further. Meanwhile, the negative and undesirable effects of CMC elevate toxicity, griefing, aggressiveness (Joinson, 1999; Suler, 2004; Van der Nagel & Frith, 2015), lack of accountability, invoked digital incivility (Lefler & Barak, 2014), and accelerated rumoring and dissemination of disinformation, distortion of facts and topics (Cho & Kim, 2012). Such toxic effects hinder online communications, making it unproductive and inhospitable environment for beneficial discussions, which, logically, should also hinder CMC users’ ability to self-disclose. Research Question The aim of this study is to examine whether different levels of users’ identification (anonymous, pseudonymous, and identified) have an effect on users’ self-disclosure and toxicity patterns. The starting point of the research is to analyze negative brand-related communications of identified users, and to compare them with anonymous and pseudonymous users’ CMC. Current study aims to answer whether anonymous, pseudonymous or identified users display most toxic communications or how do they differ in communicating toxicity. Moreover, which of the groups display highest self-disclosures and if they differ in what type of self-disclosure they communicate? A grounded theory approach is used to examine such trends and come up with new theories regarding toxicity and self-disclosure in brand-related CMC. 6 RQ: 1. How do users with varying levels of identification (anonymous, pseudonymous & identified) communicate their brand-related CMC with regards to toxicity and self- disclosure? To better understand the ramifications of varying degrees of identification on user's self- disclosure and toxicity facets, this research will conduct an in-depth qualitative content analysis of users’ comments on Gillette’s new controversial advertisement video “We Believe: The Best Men Can Be" (Gillette, 2019) with grounded theory approach. More specifically, the samples are drawn from Facebook.com (identified), Youtube.com (pseudonymous) and 4Chan.org (anonymous). The comments are analyzed and compared based on varying levels of online identification. Moreover, the current research is not focusing on the specifics of different social media platforms, but rather concentrates on the anonymity and pseudonymity CMC affordances it offers the users based on the affordance theory (Gibson, 1974, 2014). Academic Relevance Lack of research makes the current study academically relevant. Anonymous and pseudonymous toxicity and self-disclosing communication characteristics have been overlooked in academic research and brand-related communication context. As a result, the current research aims to bring light to the topic and expand the academic knowledge on anonymous and pseudonymous online consumer
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Best a Brand Can Be? P&G's Femvertising Meeting Hegemonic
    Course: SKOM12 Term: Spring 2020 Supervisor: Scott Burnett Examiner: Cecilia Cassinger The best a brand can be? P&G’s femvertising meeting hegemonic masculinity PATRICIA AGUDELO Lund University Department of strategic communication Master’s thesis 1 Abstract The best a brand can be? P&G’s femvertising meeting hegemonic masculinity This thesis uses Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis and Multimodal Discourse Analysis to study how a house of brands, like Procter & Gamble (P&G), handles femvertising, that it is produced by its own brands. The paper analyses the phenomenon using examples from commercials that belong to P&G’s #WeSeeEqual campaign and the controversial commercial video from Gillette The best men can be. One research questions served as a guideline for this project: What characterizes the femvertising pieces targeting women and/or men, produced by the house of brands P&G for their brands Gillette, Fairy, Ariel and Always? In order to be able to study this phenomenon, the empirical materials that will be analysed are: 1) #ShareTheLoad by Ariel, 2) #MakeItFair by Fairy, 3) #LikeAGirl by Always, and 4) The best men can be by Gillette. As theoretical framework this paper uses Foucault’s theory of power and the theory of hegemonic masculinity by Connell & Messerschmidt. What was identified after analysing the data was that the different commercials always include hegemonic masculinity somehow in their content, in some it is attacked directly, in others in a subtle and implicit way and in others just excused or justified. Keyword: Femvertising, Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis, Hegemonic masculinity, Multimodal Discourse Analysis, P&G, Power, Foucault.
    [Show full text]
  • Ensuring Brand Activism in Integrated Marketing Communications Campaigns Resonates with Millennial Consumers
    University of Mississippi eGrove Honors College (Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors Theses Honors College) Spring 5-9-2020 Ensuring Brand Activism in Integrated Marketing Communications Campaigns Resonates with Millennial Consumers Anna Hermann Follow this and additional works at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis Part of the Advertising and Promotion Management Commons, Business and Corporate Communications Commons, and the Marketing Commons Recommended Citation Hermann, Anna, "Ensuring Brand Activism in Integrated Marketing Communications Campaigns Resonates with Millennial Consumers" (2020). Honors Theses. 1571. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1571 This Undergraduate Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Honors College (Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College) at eGrove. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of eGrove. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ENSURING BRAND ACTIVISM IN INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGNS RESONATES WITH MILLENNIAL CONSUMERS by Anna Hermann A thesis submitted to the faculty of The University of Mississippi in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. Oxford May 2020 Approved by ___________________________________ Advisor: Professor Christina Sparks ___________________________________ Reader: Professor Robin Street ___________________________________ Reader: Dr. Robert Magee © 2020 Anna Hermann ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Firstly, I need to express my immense gratitude to my advisor, Professor Christina Sparks. She provided me with much guidance, expertise, and encouragement throughout this process. I greatly appreciate her time and patience with me throughout the past year; I could not have completed this project without her. I would also like to thank the two members of my committee, Professor Robin Street and Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Effect of Brand Function If an Advertisement Fails
    The effect of brand function if an advertisement fails: One minute and 49 seconds that cost $8 billion Anne Liikanen Master’sFörnamn Efternamn Thesis Media Management 2021 DEGREE THESIS Arcada Degree Programme: Media Management Identification number: 8034 Author: Anne Liikanen Title: The Effect of Brand Function when an Advertisement fails: One minute and 49 seconds that cost $8 billion Supervisor (Arcada): Maria Bäck Comissioned by: This research investigates the effect of brand functions as defined by Jean-Noël Kapferer on advertising, focusing on a poorly received advertising campaign. The material was sourced from YouTube for the advertisement: “The Best a Man Can Be” by Gillette. The negative reactions of the public regarding the campaign are explored through three different research questions by using content analysis as a research method. Comments are categorized by using Kapferer’s functions as an classification frame. The intention is to understand the relationship of Kapferer’s brand functions to consumers‘ reactions in this particular case. The companies’ pursuit of commercial gain and at the same time the pursuit of authenticity and ethics is universal phenomenon and it extends beyond the business world. The study examines consumers' reactions to a particular type of advertisement, so the results say nothing about the general reactions of consumers. Given this limitation into account it can be said that this research brings new insights into how the consumer reacts to seemingly ill-fitting advertisement campaign. Through analyzing the comments, it can be observed that the brand functions, as stated by Jean-Noël Kapferer, seem to be working both for and against the companies ideals in equal measures.
    [Show full text]
  • How Selected Texts of Popular Culture Engaged with Sexual Assault in the Context of the Me Too Movement in 2019
    Pobrane z czasopisma New Horizons in English Studies http://newhorizons.umcs.pl Data: 27/09/2021 19:15:16 New Horizons in English Studies 5/2020 CULTURE & MEDIA • Anna Oleszczuk Maria Curie-SkłodowSka univerSity (uMCS) in LubLin [email protected] httpS://orCid.org/0000-0003-1219-882X #Hashtag: How Selected Texts of Popular Culture Engaged With Sexual Assault In the Context of the Me Too Movement in 2019 Abstract. The paper seeks to explore recent shifts within the popular culture with regard to oppression involving gender, class, race, and ethnicity that can be traced back to the #MeToo movement which was revived as a social media hashtag in October 2017 and has since spread all over the world. The paper starts with a brief overview of Western popular culture that “has recently been seen as a champion for feminism… with many high-profile female musicians and actresses visibly promoting the movement in their work” (Woodacre 2018,UMCS 21). Next, the paper discusses the origins of the Me Too Movement and the way it approaches the meaning of gendered oppressions as well as individualized and collective experiences of survivors of sexual abuse. This is later explored in the examination of the impact of the hashtag-led movement on three works of popular culture: Amazon’s TV series Lorena (2019), Nancy Schwartzman’s documentary Roll Red Roll (2019), and We Believe: the Best Men Can Be (2019) adver- tisement by Gillette. The entire case study is informed primarily by feminist theory understood as in- separable from feminist activism, following bell hooks’ Feminist theory from margin to center (1984).
    [Show full text]
  • Redefining Gender As Corporate Social Responsibility: Examining Millennial Perspectives
    Redefining Gender as Corporate Social Responsibility: Examining Millennial Perspectives Student Name: Nada Khaled Ahmed Noeman Ramadan Student Number: 466986 Supervisor: Dr. Vidhi Chaudhri Master of Arts in Media Studies – Media & Business Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication Erasmus University Rotterdam Master’s Thesis June 2019 1 Redefining Gender as Corporate Social Responsibility: Examining Millennial Perspectives ABSTRACT With the rise of brand activism, a new trend is emerging where businesses are no longer only interested in selling products, but also taking a stance on social issues. As these efforts become more commonplace, consumer perceptions of CSR research explores the way consumers make sense of CSR initiatives and how this influences the way they behave towards the business and the supported cause. Compared to any other consumer group, millennial consumers have shown prime interest for socially active businesses. Although businesses advocate for various causes, one social cause that has garnered corporate attention is gender, the portrayals of which can shape the discourse around gender equality in a given society. To explore this topic further, a qualitative study was conducted to investigate millennial consumer perceptions of business efforts to redefine stereotypical gender roles via CSR campaigns. With five focus groups conducted with a total of 29 millennial participants, the findings suggest that consumers perceived that gender was a unique, ubiquitous and untarnishable cause compared to other CSR causes. The respondents processed CSR causes differently, identifying some that are riskier to advocate for than others. This perceived level of risk was associated with whether the participants attributed altruistic motives to CSR efforts or were more skeptical of the underlying motives.
    [Show full text]
  • Gillette's Controversial Advertisement: a Content Analysis on Commercializing Social Issues by Emily Ohlhoff
    Gillette's Controversial Advertisement: A Content Analysis on Commercializing Social Issues By Emily Ohlhoff April 2019 1 Introduction th On January 13 ​ , 2019 Gillette released an advertising campaign highlighting the ​ responsibility men have to stand up against bullying, sexual harassment, and sexism. The campaign aligns with the #MeTooMovement, by exposing the toxic masculinity present in their previous advertisements as well as in other media. Gillette currently dominates the male personal-care product industry, holding over half of the global market share for razors (Tiffany, 2018). Is Gillette recognizing their social responsibility or are they catering to Millennials to stay competitive? Gillette is a 117-year-old brand that was created by King C. Gillette. King’s patent was granted for the ‘safety razor’ in 1904. He opened The Gillette Safety Razor Company in South Boston, and although his sales started off steady, they peaked in WWI after the US Government ordered 3.5 million razors to issue to soldiers (Mulreany, n.d.). After the troops returned home, the ex-service men became loyal customers and continued to buy Gillette products. The brand went through a lot after the passing of King Gillette in 1932, including diversifying products in 1936 with the introduction of Gillette shaving cream, purchasing Paper Mate Co. in 1955, having a rivalry with Bic, paying $188.5 million for Oral-B Laboratories in 1984, and much more history. Gillette remained competitive by evolving their products as consumer demand changed (Mulreany, n.d.). Although their past financial decisions deemed successful, their taste in advertisements have not always been the most progressive.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 2 Historical Contexts and Today's Practices
    HISTORICAL CONTEXTS AND TODAY’S PRACTICES LEARNING OBJECTIVES distribute • Understand the history of public relations and its major figures. • Distinguish among the four traditional models of publicor relations. • Analyze the main theoretical perspectives of public relations. • Understand the current state of PR research, theory, and practice. CHAPTER 2 Introduction post, The historical foundation of public relations is not just a collection of dates and theories. Our field’s history is full of character, drama, and perspectives that span generations. In this chapter, these elements come together to form a neat package for you to enjoy and learn from. Understanding the roots of public relations allows us to predict where our field is going and copy,what we need to do to move it forward. As we look back in time, some ideas and incidents will raise a few eyebrows as we view them through the lens of today’s ethical codes of conduct. However, our history has much to teach us. While we cannot undo past missteps, we can apply the lessons learned and shape the future. notPublic relations is a relatively “new” field that came into being centuries ago. Since then, it has evolved significantly, especially in the last several decades, thanks to com- munication advances, inventions, and case studies that have shaped the field to what it is today. As we look at past stories, actions, and campaigns, the significant impact Do of public relations on society becomes clear. For starters, as a hub discipline, public relations connects with other disciplines for inspiration and collaboration. It is also, to an extent, based on family relations.
    [Show full text]
  • Gillette's 'The Best Men Can Be' and the War on Toxic
    GILLETTE’S ‘THE BEST MEN CAN BE’ AND THE WAR ON TOXIC MASCULINITY Despite backlash from conservative critics, P&G’s shaving brand doubles down on progressive campaign By Jack Nef Since its founding 118 years ago, Gillette has grown brand awareness among that group was low, [as The battle lingers to become the dominant men’s shaving brand, were] afnity and equity. We know this group of Compared with most social-media firestorms, fueled by ever-pricier new razor systems, regular consumers expects brands to stand for more than Gillette’s has lingered far longer. That’s in part price increases and, since the 1989 Super Bowl, the delivery of their functional benefit. They expect because the brand and company held their ground, “The Best a Man Can Get” ad tagline from BBDO. But these brands to have a point of view that resonates never apologized for any ofense taken and contin- given its relatively high prices, the brand ran into positively with their point of view on social or envi- ued with the campaign. trouble starting with the Great Recession of 2008 ronmental causes.” and particularly since the 2012 launch of Dollar The results Shave Club (now owned by Unilever) and Harry’s a The campaign Perhaps because the controversy persisted, the year later. Thus was born the “We Believe” ad that broke in initial ad seemed to incite several weeks of negative Gillette still holds a commanding lead among mid-January. “Men need to hold other men account- brand perception. Initial Morning Consult tracking older men but has a weaker hold on millennials and able,” says actor Terry Crews—a sexual assault data in January showed relatively little awareness Generation Z.
    [Show full text]
  • FINAL CASE STUDY Gillette #Thebestamancanbe
    FINAL CASE STUDY Gillette #thebestamancanbe Abstract My final case study will be reviewing the Gillette campaign launched in January of 2019, challenging the issues men in our society face today related to toxic masculinity and sexism. Grace Renner [email protected] The case I am examining is the Gillette Razor: The Best a Man Can Be Campaign. This case examines the movement in America that is taking on toxic masculinity and the #MeToo movement that has swept our nation in recent years. On January 13th, 2019 Gillette released a short film related to the campaign featuring men engaging in catcalls, sexism and bullying with narration in the background asking, “is this the best a man can get?”. The video goes on to show male actors calling out other men for bad behavior, sticking up for others who are being bullied and being good role models for the youth of our nation, because “the boys watching today will be the men of tomorrow.” The video also has a snippet of Terry Crews stating during congress testimony that men “need to hold other men accountable.” The campaign includes a website and a pledge made by Gillette to donate $1 million per- year over the next three years to non-profit organizations executing the most interesting and impactful programs designed to help men of all ages achieve their personal best. According to the Gillette.com website, “30 years ago we launched our tagline “The Best A Man Can Get. As a brand that encourages men to be their best, we are committed to driving change that matters and promoting #TheBestMenCanBe.
    [Show full text]
  • Normative Masculine Ideology As a Generative Rhetorical Construct A
    Reaching Critical Mas/culinities: Normative Masculine Ideology as a Generative Rhetorical Construct A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Michael D. Johnson August 2019 © 2019 Michael D. Johnson. All Rights Reserved. 2 This dissertation titled Reaching Critical Mas/culinities: Normative Masculine Ideology as a Generative Rhetorical Construct by MICHAEL D. JOHNSON has been approved for the Department of English and the College of Arts and Sciences by Mara Holt Associate Professor of English Joseph Shields Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences 3 ABSTRACT Johnson, Michael D., Ph.D., August 2019, English Reaching Critical Mas/culinities: Normative Masculine Ideology as a Generative Rhetorical Construct Director of Dissertation: Mara Holt In this project, I propose and develop normative masculine ideology as a generative rhetorical construct in order to reinvigorate Rhetoric and Composition’s engagement with issues of masculinities and to contribute to the field’s emerging scholarship on rhetorical embodiment from a gendered lens. This research addresses our field’s lack of functional/critical frameworks required to adequately address and challenge traditionalist ideologies that still influence our cultural understanding and practices of modern masculinity. As an (orienting) construct, normative masculine ideology provides scholars of Rhetoric and Composition with a functional term that complements their critical/cultural frameworks. As a rhetorical construct, normative masculine ideology incorporates social-epistemic rhetorics, gendered rhetorical embodiment, and Discourse to expand its utility into critical and liberatory work. As a generative construct, normative masculine ideology provides new inroads for inquiries into masculinities as a rhetorical project.
    [Show full text]
  • He Said, She Said: the Impact of Language in Advertising on the Development of a Feminist Identity
    Johnson & Wales University ScholarsArchive@JWU Honors Theses - Providence Campus College of Arts & Sciences Fall 11-2019 He Said, She Said: the Impact of Language in Advertising on the Development of a Feminist Identity Alicia Fletcher Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/student_scholarship Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons He Said, She Said: the Impact of Language in Advertising on the Development of a Feminist Identity By Alicia C. Fletcher Advisor: Johanna Church Date: November 18, 2019 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the University Honors Scholar designation at Johnson & Wales University Table of Contents Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………2 Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………..3 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………..4 Chapter One …………………………………………………………………………….8 Chapter Two …………………………………………………………………………...17 Chapter Three ………………………………………………………………………….38 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………..63 Works Cited ……………………………………………………………………………65 Abstract Little kids are often told they can be anything they want to be. Firefighter, princess, football player, and dragon are among the more popular answers. One of the less popular answers is “Feminist.” Very rarely, if ever, do young children declare that when they grow up, they want to be Feminists. So, how did so many people grow up to be Feminists? At what point do people realize that they can be both firefighter and Feminist, orthodontist and Feminist, or seamstress and Feminist? Though there is no set timeline, it begins when people start to develop identities and fundamental beliefs that exist in alignment with the core ideals of the Feminist sociopolitical movement. This often happens subconsciously. The messages sent to a person that lead them to develop a Feminist or anti-Feminist identity are often subliminal and typically come in the form of popular culture that caters to those who assume gender is binary.
    [Show full text]
  • Hashtag: How Selected Texts of Popular Culture Engaged with Sexual Assault in the Context of the Me Too Movement in 2019
    Pobrane z czasopisma New Horizons in English Studies http://newhorizons.umcs.pl Data: 28/07/2021 12:52:06 New Horizons in English Studies 5/2020 CULTURE & MEDIA • Anna Oleszczuk Maria Curie-SkłodowSka univerSity (uMCS) in LubLin [email protected] httpS://orCid.org/0000-0003-1219-882X #Hashtag: How Selected Texts of Popular Culture Engaged With Sexual Assault In the Context of the Me Too Movement in 2019 Abstract. The paper seeks to explore recent shifts within the popular culture with regard to oppression involving gender, class, race, and ethnicity that can be traced back to the #MeToo movement which was revived as a social media hashtag in October 2017 and has since spread all over the world. The paper starts with a brief overview of Western popular culture that “has recently been seen as a champion for feminism… with many high-profile female musicians and actresses visibly promoting the movement in their work” (Woodacre 2018,UMCS 21). Next, the paper discusses the origins of the Me Too Movement and the way it approaches the meaning of gendered oppressions as well as individualized and collective experiences of survivors of sexual abuse. This is later explored in the examination of the impact of the hashtag-led movement on three works of popular culture: Amazon’s TV series Lorena (2019), Nancy Schwartzman’s documentary Roll Red Roll (2019), and We Believe: the Best Men Can Be (2019) adver- tisement by Gillette. The entire case study is informed primarily by feminist theory understood as in- separable from feminist activism, following bell hooks’ Feminist theory from margin to center (1984).
    [Show full text]