How a hashtag can propel a movement - Lessons from an Emerging Media class
Not just any hashtag can propel a movement that drives change.
Quote that reads: Black people, I love you. I love us. We matter. Our lives matter.” - Alicia Garza
On a Saturday evening on July 13, shortly after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, Alicia Garza wrote these powerful, poetic and galvanizing words on Facebook:
“We don’t deserve to be killed with impunity. We need to love ourselves and fight for a world where black lives matter. Black people, I love you. I love us. We matter. Our lives matter.” - Alicia Garza
Fellow activist Patrisse Khan-Cullors recalls putting these words into the (Twitter) hashtag that helped propel a groundbreaking movement:
Most of my work is using words to highlight the impact. So when Alicia said “Black lives matter,” and I put a hashtag on it, I saw it not just as a post or three words, but as an action item that we can rally around, and that we could link people to see those three words and imagine more than just the three words. - Patrisse Khan-Cullors
Though it was slow to grow in usage, part of what made the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag so powerful was its simple language and embodiment of Alicia’s crystal-clear messaging.
But why am I discussing this today on this blog? Well first, it’s timely because I am teaching an Emerging Media graduate class at LSU this semester and we just read the fantastic book “Hashtag Activism.” And second, I think anyone - even my readers interested in science communication - can apply learnings from hashtag activism to their own efforts on social media.
A graphic created in Canva based on takeaways from the book Hashtag Activism.
Based on our reading of this book in class, I asked my students a question: What are some of the key characteristics that make for successful hashtag activism? Below, read some of their responses as well as my own tips extracted from this book.
A graphic that reads: “If you were going to design a guide sheet to hashtag activism, what would it include? What evidence-based tips would you have for practice?”
Tips for Hashtags (or any social media messages) That Can Drive Change
Know the purpose of the hashtag you are using before you post. This seems obvious, but as my students pointed out, far too many people have made a fool of themselves using an existing hashtag for reasons unrelated to those of its creator. Unless you are purposely trying to co-opt a hashtag for good, create your own or research first.
Keep it simple. No difficult-to-spell or difficult-to-understand words. Try typing “#abracadabra” a few times quickly without a typo. The more the hashtag reflects a simple and overarching message or story related to its goal, the better. Avoid acronyms and try to keep the terms short and sweet.
Have a goal. Have a goal in the first place. Of course, your hashtag or message may ultimately be used for different reasons by different people. But it’s better for impact to have a clear goal, a plan for how you hope people will use it, or a single call to action associated with the hashtag.
Invite people to tell their stories. There’s nothing more powerful than an invitation to share one’s story. This is particularly true in cases where the hashtag invites marginalized voices to express themselves and tell their own stories that counter a prevailing narrative or stereotype.
We’ve seen this in various popular hashtags used by the scientific community. #DistractinglySexy posts pushed back against the age-old narrative of women being too “emotional” for serious work in STEM - and also victim blaming around sexual harassment. The hashtag invited women to tell their own stories of experiencing sexism at work - but also to show off their awesome STEM work garb. A similar hashtag was #DressLikeAWoman.
What are some clear calls to action you could think of that matter to you in your science communication? Vaccine selfies, anyone?
Get support and feedback from peers and intended audiences first. Before you try to launch a movement with a hashtag or any other public message and call to action, make sure the message actually resonates with both your community and other potential audiences or people you hope to participate. This could prevent a lot of issues with insensitive or even unintentionally harmful calls to action and language.
Believe me, it’s much easier to get some private feedback first. Social media posts live forever.
Express emotion, vulnerability, transparency. If you want others to tell their own potentially emotional stories, lead by example. Also, be transparent about your role and goals in sharing this message and the context of this hashtag movement.
Think before you argue with hashtag “co-opt-ers”. If this hashtag begins to “trend,” others will inevitably use it for the “wrong” reasons or to push back against your message. Or worse, just to troll or get negative attention. Think carefully before engaging directly with divisive or trolling tweets or replies - doing so may give those tweets more re-tweets or visibility in the network.
Plan and coordinate. Consider you strategy: Who is the audience? Who do you want to participate? Who do you want to just listen? What is the message? When should you launch? Who will help to get it going? To launch a hashtag or other online movement, you likely need collaborators and good timing.
Find key communicators. Find community leaders and organizers who will help to “moderate” or “seed” the hashtag discussions. These key communicators can engage and respond to participants, and remind people what the goals or calls to action are and how to get involved. You can do this even before you launch the hashtag or shortly afterward, once key influencers emerge.
Consider other channels. My students claim that hashtags are dead, at least on Twitter! Today, you can just search for keywords rather than create a hashtag - and hashtags are annoying and ugly. Still, hashtags are still often used for activism and visibility on Twitter and other mediums like TikTok and Instagram. Whether it’s an actual hashtag or just a simple message that you hope others will help amplify, the above tips still apply.
Use visuals. Visuals not only grab attention when people are scrolling, but they can be powerful messages in and of themselves.
Consider the safety and well-being of participants. Consider what you are asking of people who use your hashtag or respond to your message, if anything. What things should you or they consider for their safety and mental health, to avoid risks like doxxing? How can the participating community help to protect each other?
What other tips can you think of for hashtag activism? (That is, if we are indeed still using hashtags and the platform they grew out of in the future).
