I like to think of myself as a meme connoisseur. Many a time I recognise a solid 25% of the memes my friends tag me in and like a fine wine, I appreciate them more every time. So, when tasked with making a few Instagram posts about the glass ceiling for our Instagram page, I took it upon myself to find the most Instagram-worthy meme.
I expected witty responses to ignorant tweets or even some ironic memes that remind us that feminism is basically all about equality. But no, I was met with unexpected levels of misogyny, sexism and objectification leading me to double-check what it was that I typed in that resulted in these responses. I refreshed the page; the misogyny was still there. Genuinely, I was shook and here's what I learnt from the experience...
1. It isn't worth addressing every ignorant comment.
Believe me, I get it. Whenever I hear 'stop running like a girl' or a comment on how I'm 'prettier without makeup', I clear my throat, stick my head into the conversation and proceed to explain why these ideas are not only illogical but actually harmful. We have to correct misconceptions, strengthen individuals and younify our generation. BUT I came across quite cruel memes where someone had clearly chosen to conflate a feminist argument about bridging the gender pay gap with women leisurely living their daily lives as if to imply that they're hypocrites. These memes showed me that there are people that actively decide to be ignorant. These people are not worth your energy. They’ll learn eventually.
2. As a woman, I can still be privileged.
Hold onto your edges, I'm about to expose some of our grievances. Have you ever walked into a room and had people comment on the length of your clothes? Or have you been told to smile by a stranger in the streets because "it suits you"? Or have you been pressured into ordering a 'ladylike' portion of food? Ladies, I can almost hear through the screen shouting 'yes yes and yes' to all three questions... I've said it once and I'll say it again: male privilege exists. *sips tea*
But when flicking through memes, I saw men of colour pointing out the existence of white privilege that they don't benefit from... and they're right to do so. Eugenia Cheng, an incredible mathematician who we stan, gave an amazing talk last year explaining this sentiment (starts at 31:48mins) because crucially, many of us are privileged in some ways and not in others. Whilst grappling with this, I turned to BuzzFeed who, as always, had my back with this quiz about 'how privileged are you'. I scored 66/100, and most of my friends were between 60-70. Quite telling, right? We're generally more privileged than we think and just like male privilege, I have to acknowledge that!
3. Don’t let anyone spoil your craft!
Queen Beyoncé said it first, "I'm not bossy, I'm the boss". She ignored every ignorant comment, reclaimed her narrative and achieved. And the same goes for us: yes, there are trolls that twist feminist messages; yes, people are denying your points; yes, some people are choosing to be ignorant. But, don’t let this stop you from making amazing feminist memes! After all, nothing should stop the creation of memes. I'm serious!
But generally, keep shattering the glass ceiling, supporting others who are surpassing all expectations and slaying in your lane.
And, of course, I got you! Here are some feminist memes... :)
