The Most Viral Campaigns on the Internet Right Now
Thanks to the evolution of social media, social causes can go viral in the blink of an eye. On Valentine’s Day, seventeen people were gunned down in a deadly school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Since that event, social media has erupted with celebrities, educators, and politicians demanding stronger gun control laws, mental health checks, debunking mental health stigmas, and the question of arming teachers. This has officially become the first movement of 2018. Some of the Twitter hashtags associated with the shooting are #GunControlNow, #theresistance, #gunviolence, #enoughisenough, #gunreformnow, and #parkland. If a few of these hashtags sound familiar, it is because they are reminiscent of another viral campaign that is ongoing from last year—the Women’s March.
Women’s March
The first Women’s March was held in January 2017 in protest of President Donald Trump. What were we fighting for? You name it! We had a president who openly spoke about grabbing women by the pu$$y and women were fed up with being objectified. Between three and five million participants, including a plethora of celebrities, across the US marched with passion and pussycat hats for women’s rights, reproductive rights, LGBT rights, gender equality, racial equality, workers’ rights, immigration reform, healthcare reform, freedom of religion, and environmental protection. Men also joined in support of their ladies and these marches have continued since then. Because these marches united a generation, it only makes sense that the Parkland students, also accompanied by the famous, headed to Washington, DC, to have their voices heard. #womensrightsarehumanrights
Colin Kaepernick of San Francisco 49ers fame found himself in some hot water when he sat and went on to take a knee during the national anthem. His protest: ending police brutality and racial inequality. It was not until September 2017 that over two hundred NFL players refused to stand for the anthem after President Trump demanded they get fired for their behavior. Soon the #takeaknee revolution was born and we were forced to question the validity of the national anthem and if it was more than a song or just that. Celebrities felt Colin’s passion and also were seen taking a knee, exercising their first amendment right to freedom of speech and expression. This is America . . . or so it was.
MeToo and #TimesUp
How many of you felt completely comfortable adding to the #MeToo trend on both Twitter and Facebook? This was spawned when women (and men) were finally verbalizing that at one time or another they had been victims of some form of sexual assault. Whether it was catcalling or an actual physical and unwanted touch, the world came together to show no one was alone. I am a part of this movement, having been sexually assaulted at twenty-five. It almost happened again when I was thirty-three but I used my Wonder Woman strength to escape the situation. And I know I am not alone. This is where the #TimesUp campaign came into play as some of Hollywoodere revealed as sexual offenders.
Harvey Weinstein, known for producing Shakespeare in Love, Scream, Good Will Hunting, and many more, was accused late last year by over eighty women of sexual misconduct. This ended his career and landed him in rehab with his company filing for bankruptcy. Along with him, Today show anchor Matt Lauer, chef Mario Batali, comedian Louis C.K., Kevin Spacey, Jeffrey Tambor, Charlie Rose, Al Franken; let’s just say, a lot of prominent careers ended. This was when celebrities banded together for both the #MeToo and #TimesUp movement, knowing that now is the time to say that enough is enough. Time’s Up was founded on the first of this year and has raised $20 million for legal fees and amassed two hundred volunteer lawyers. The goal is to assist women who are victims of sexual assault but cannot afford it. The statement was visually made at this year’s Golden Globes, where all the celebrities were asked to wear black and speak openly about sexual harassment. Those who did not abide were criticized.
March for Your Lives
In the wake of the Parkland shooting, students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have taken a stand, a BIG stand. In a goal to prevent this epidemic of school shootings, they are demanding better gun control and asking Congress to take action. On March March 24, the kids and families of will take to the streets of Washington DC to demand that their lives and safety become a priority and that we end gun violence and mass shootings in our schools today. An event worth following.
The causes we are fighting, for now, are so important and my hope is that they are not just a flash in the pan. I hope that we keep the conversations going for all these campaigns because they have validity, they are worthy, and they mean something.
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