What is the Meaning of the Phrase "Hope in a Hashtag"? The Discourse Employed by the Activist Group Overstayed

Abstract

As a significant global tactic in the fight against gender inequality, the use of Twitter hashtags as a tool to organise feminist activism has emerged as an approach that has gained traction. Both the field of feminist media studies and the field of social movement studies have not conducted an in-depth analysis of the significance of this new form of activism or the fundamental components that lead to its efficacy among activists. The purpose of this research is to fill a vacuum in the existing academic literature by conducting an in-depth investigation into the potential and constraints of hashtag feminism. The purpose of this study is to investigate the particular tactics that could be utilised in order for a feminist hashtag to successfully attain global renown as a tool for protest action. Based on this analysis, it appears that the utilisation of the hashtag #WhyIStayed is a significant case study that indicates how hashtag feminism is a contemporary illustration of the communication strategies that are associated with the movement, which have their origins in the past. This problem was brought to light in 2014, following an incident of domestic violence that was played out in the National Football League (NFL) and was widely publicised. Through the use of a narrative framework known as hashtag feminism, a connection is established between the elements that make up an engaging theatrical performance and the efficacy of an online feminist protest. The purpose of this study is to establish the main factors that facilitated the transfer of #WhyIStayed tweets from personal reflection to organised efforts. This study makes use of Twitter as well as other media sources when conducting its research.

Keywords- Hope in a Hashtag, Discourse Employed , Activist Group Overstayed