Social Media and Attitudes Towards Women

Social media and the internet are some of the most important factors that have shaped me into who I am today. I have no doubts that if I were introduced to the internet at a later age, I would be a very different person than I am now. I have experienced so many groups, fandoms, movements, and discussions that I can organize them into mini stages of my life. That said, I’ve been very involved with the gaming community from a young age, ranging from watching Pewdiepie play Happy Wheels in 2012 to crying over Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2020.

Growing up in a way less progressive version of the internet as compared to today, I’ve never picked up on the less than subtle ways that women were treated. In fact, there was a part of my life that was dedicated to making fun of feminists and progressive movements, one that I’ve thankfully moved away from.

It started by randomly stumbling upon a “Feminists Hate Men” video and as YouTube keeps recommending similar videos, I would keep going down the rabbit hole. It’s all a testament to how much social media can influence you, especially at such a young and vulnerable time. 

During quarantine I became very active on Twitch, a live streaming site containing all sorts of entertainment, spanning from gaming to singing. I loved the interactions between the streamer and the viewer and seeing reactions from so many others feels like you are a part of a community.

As I further integrated into the Twitch gaming community, I started noticing more and more attitudes that were increasingly concerning. Women were objectified constantly, put down for wearing revealing clothing, yet harassed when they did not, which seemed to elicit a way more intense reaction compared to their male counterparts. More and more comments and “hot takes” regarding women seem to pop up for the sole purpose of discouraging discussion around sexism, and people who did were regarded as “whiny” or “self-victimizing.” It wasn’t until I was actively aware of these problems that I found them popping up everywhere else.

The epiphany started in a very specific type of community that I already knew wasn’t…the nicest to women, but I quickly realized that it’s a reflection on issues that are prevalent throughout wider society. How often do you see emphasis placed on a woman’s looks over what they advocate for? How often do you see people jump to make conclusions about a woman’s character over what clothes they wear? When it’s the internet, millions of opinions are accessed at once and some are louder than others. 

It’s very easy to develop reactionary points of view, especially on the internet, where every outrageous interaction is documented and easily accessed through a simple Google search. When you aren’t in the group of people directly affected by misogyny, it’s easy to look past it and not pay it any mind. Similarly, it’s hard to extend your sympathy to minority groups, especially when you can’t relate at all to what they’re going through.

This mindset isn’t limited to the most antisocial, bigoted losers on the internet either. I’m sure that many of us have had a fleeting thought of “that seems like an exaggeration” or “who cares” when a certain issue is brought up. Remember that you’ve never experienced what the other party has gone through, and that just a small amount of empathy goes a long way. There will always be blind spots to a person’s privilege, no matter what hardships they’ve faced.  

On a happier note, the shift in what is considered “acceptable” attitude towards women and marginalized groups in general is constantly shifting. Compared to 10 years ago, more and more people have been introduced to gaming and the internet, and people are constantly maturing as a result. They have carved themselves a place in communities where they were previously pushed out of.