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From a Hashtag to a Movement from Metoo to Being Rightless in 2020’S Sweden

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From a Hashtag to a Movement from Metoo to Being Rightless in 2020’S Sweden ISSN 1653-2244 INSTITUTIONEN FÖR KULTURANTROPOLOGI OCH ETNOLOGI DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY From a hashtag to a movement From MeToo to being rightless in 2020’s Sweden By Klara Fröberg Supervisor: Dr Charlotta Widmark 2021 MASTERUPPSATSER I KULTURANTROPOLOGI Nr 104 Abstract This thesis investigates the continuance of the MeToo movement in the Swedish context via the digital platform Instagram, collective action and feminist organizations that are engaged to end sexual vio- lence. It illuminates how the sisterhood impacted by the practice of challenging the rape script a con- cept used to describe the discourse on how sexual violence should be like, and how victim-survivors should behave, how the engagement is made among the activists that engage to challenge the rape script and lastly, how since the MeToo movement started a discourse of rightlessness have been ex- posed through the sharing of experiences that the MeToo movement initiated. The ethnographic study is based on participant observation of feminist actions in real life and on Instagram as well as interviews with 13 activists from feminist organizations and with background as organisers of collective actions. It is found that the MeToo movement in Sweden is commonly practiced through an engagement in Feminist organizations that serve to keep the movement alive through continuous work to keep sexual violence on the agenda by keeping it visible, and that the engagement is driven by an experience of anger towards the societal discourse that sets the discourse on rape which affects the possibility to be recognized by the legal system. The thesis will overall suggest that there is a sisterhood built on a collective identity, and that the shared identity and oppression between non-men with an aspiration to support one another in the experience of oppression as well as organize safety nets for those who are sentenced for defamation as a consequence of speaking out. Key words: rape script, MeToo, sexual violence, Rättslösa, radical feminism, Sweden, Femi- nism, political engagement, feminist organization, collective action, rightlessness, movement, patriar- chy, collective identity, feminist separatism, discourse theory For victim-surviors Acknowledgments First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisor Dr. Charlotta Widmark, who has offered me guidance and support throughout the journey that this thesis has been. I would also wish to express the deepest gratitude to the participants, the passionate feminists that made this thesis possible through sharing their insights and experiences with me, and to the organizations that allowed me to follow their work and helped me find participants for this study, it would not have been possible without you. And a big thank you to my family that has supported me and never stopped believing in me, and to my friends, Johanna who has been my cheerleader and inspiration throughout this process, and to Bim, Frida, Martin, Sara, Kaitlin and James who have offered me their insights, support and study company. Content Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................................. v 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 Aim and Research Questions .............................................................................................................. 3 Outline ................................................................................................................................................ 4 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 5 The Origins of the MeToo Movement ........................................................................................... 5 MeToo in Sweden .......................................................................................................................... 5 Gender Equality in Sweden ................................................................................................................ 6 Rape, Sexual Abuse and Sexual Harassment ................................................................................. 7 The Women’s Organization Context ............................................................................................. 8 Different “Feminisms” ................................................................................................................... 9 Oppression ..................................................................................................................................... 9 Academic Relevance ........................................................................................................................ 10 2. Theoretical Tools and Terminology ............................................................................................ 14 Discourse .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Rape Script ................................................................................................................................... 15 Vulnerability and Resistance ............................................................................................................ 16 Networked Connectivity and Digital Sisterhood .............................................................................. 17 Reinhabiting the Body ...................................................................................................................... 18 Collective Identity ............................................................................................................................ 18 Cultural Sexism ................................................................................................................................ 19 Non-Men ........................................................................................................................................... 19 Participating in Activism .................................................................................................................. 20 Fieldwork Online ......................................................................................................................... 20 Interviews ......................................................................................................................................... 21 Ethical Considerations ................................................................................................................. 23 Position in the Field ..................................................................................................................... 23 3. #MeToo: Speaking out ................................................................................................................ 25 Making sexual violence visible ........................................................................................................ 25 Identifying Experiences .................................................................................................................... 30 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 36 4. “Somebody has to do something” – Engaging in Feminist Organizations ................................. 38 Feminist Identity ............................................................................................................................... 38 Engaging in the Feminist Movement ................................................................................................ 41 Collective identity – non-men welcome? ......................................................................................... 44 Networked Feminism ....................................................................................................................... 48 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 51 5. #Rättslösa – Without Right to Justice ......................................................................................... 53 Being Rightless ................................................................................................................................. 53 Engaging in a Collective Action ....................................................................................................... 55 Defamation – Speaking out for Redress ........................................................................................... 61 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 65 6. Concluding Discussion ............................................................................................................... 67 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................................... 67 The impact of the MeToo movement ............................................................................................... 68 The Rightless Discourse ............................................................................................................... 69 Further Research
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