SEWSA 2016 Intersectionality in the New Millennium: An Assessment of Culture, Power, and Society

#Feminism: The Influence of Feminist Social Media on the Millennial College Student

Room 221, DiGiorgio Campus Center (DiGs)

Scholars have examined the role of social media in the dissemination of feminism among college students and have noted the intersection between offline and online feminism. If, however, on college campuses where there are no feminist organizations, does online feminism have the potential to fill the role of consciousness raising groups and other feminist organizations? Through the use of interviews and surveys of students at a small private liberal arts college as well as content analysis of feminist social media sites, this paper will explore the role of feminist social media in the creation of an offline feminist identity and consciousness. Does the influence of social media have the potential to replace interpersonal face to face feminist communities and learning, or does it need to exist in conjunction with offline groups? Using the example of a college campus without a strong exposure to institutional or extracurricular feminism, I suggest that online feminism is not only influential as a source of learning, but may also help facilitate a feminist community in a place where there are not physical groups to do so.