The Handmaid’s Tale
In Margaret Atwood’s novel “The Handmaid’s Tale”, the Republic of Gilead, a strict Christian theocracy, has overthrown the American government. One of the first acts of the regime was to take away any means women had of supporting themselves; fired from their jobs, bank accounts suspended, all rights given to their immediate next male of kin. As it gains more power, Gilead denies women the right to read and all access to technology, beyond the occasional biased news program, is forbidden. With the lack of access to technology the women in “The Handmaid 's Tale” are greatly oppressed by the government which causes the women to have a lack of identity and an unconscious change of morals, while in today’s society technological …show more content…
Many have taken advantage of this opportunity, such as the feminist movement. Before social media had such a large impact on society, the word ‘feminist’ had more a of a negative connotation in normal media, like movies and the news. Due in large part to social media, women have been able to increase their voice on the internet, and in return the number of people who identify as a feminist has increased as well. According to Ayelet Baron, “women spend about eight percent more time online [than men]. In 2010, 76 percent of women visited a social networking site, compared to 70 percent of men” (Crane). Social media has become a feminist tool, the amount of women visiting these social media sites has allowed a broader access for feminist debates. Not only that, but it has given women a voice to speak up about their experiences and express their views. One of the largest platforms for feminists around the world is the website Tumblr, a microblogging site that has become a significant location for social activism online. In recent years, highly involved feminist dialogue has been risen on the site because of easy access and ability for like-minded users to discuss, interact, and share feminist content and issues (Valenti). Tumblr has become a catalyst for young women to explore, not only feminism, but politics, sexuality, and overall becoming more informed on world events. The Tumblr community has “created a culture that celebrates the non-essential, individual female identity” (Connelly). Many social media platforms have followed Tumblr in forging communities based on tolerance in which
In Margaret Atwood’s novel “The Handmaid’s Tale”, the Republic of Gilead, a strict Christian theocracy, has overthrown the American government. One of the first acts of the regime was to take away any means women had of supporting themselves; fired from their jobs, bank accounts suspended, all rights given to their immediate next male of kin. As it gains more power, Gilead denies women the right to read and all access to technology, beyond the occasional biased news program, is forbidden. With the lack of access to technology the women in “The Handmaid 's Tale” are greatly oppressed by the government which causes the women to have a lack of identity and an unconscious change of morals, while in today’s society technological …show more content…
Many have taken advantage of this opportunity, such as the feminist movement. Before social media had such a large impact on society, the word ‘feminist’ had more a of a negative connotation in normal media, like movies and the news. Due in large part to social media, women have been able to increase their voice on the internet, and in return the number of people who identify as a feminist has increased as well. According to Ayelet Baron, “women spend about eight percent more time online [than men]. In 2010, 76 percent of women visited a social networking site, compared to 70 percent of men” (Crane). Social media has become a feminist tool, the amount of women visiting these social media sites has allowed a broader access for feminist debates. Not only that, but it has given women a voice to speak up about their experiences and express their views. One of the largest platforms for feminists around the world is the website Tumblr, a microblogging site that has become a significant location for social activism online. In recent years, highly involved feminist dialogue has been risen on the site because of easy access and ability for like-minded users to discuss, interact, and share feminist content and issues (Valenti). Tumblr has become a catalyst for young women to explore, not only feminism, but politics, sexuality, and overall becoming more informed on world events. The Tumblr community has “created a culture that celebrates the non-essential, individual female identity” (Connelly). Many social media platforms have followed Tumblr in forging communities based on tolerance in which