In case you missed it, recently women have been posting black and white selfies on Instagram when they’ve been nominated by other women using the hashtag “challenge accepted”. In the process of tagging someone in this challenge you were to privately message them with a sentiment of encouragement and admiration. Once tagged, they were challenged to share a black and white selfie with #challenge accepted in the caption. Some also included #womensupportingwomen and #womenempowerment.
I’ve said a few times, and heard it from others, that the trend had strong chain mail vibes and I almost didn’t do it. But then when I looked at the trending hashtag and saw millions participating, and so many incredible women, including who first nominated me, I thought why not?
But there has been some backlash that I’ve been mulling over and I decided to sort of “think out loud” here in this blog post because the more I see it discussed, be it as I scroll on Instagram or via news outlets like NPR, CNN and the New York Times, the more unsettled I become. So here is my break down.
The themes of the fallout surrounding the #challengeaccepted seem to be:
- Concern that it co-opted and took away from Instagram activism in Turkey that had the purpose of raising awareness for the femicide crisis.
- Accusations of performative activism.
- An issue with the application and function of the word “challenge”.
Did we co-opt a Turkish activism trend on Instagram calling for support of the Istanbul Convention?
I’m talking about Turkey first because the femicide crisis needs urgent attention and in no way would I want what I’m sharing here to indicate a misunderstanding of this.
All over Instagram, the news, and in my DMs, are messages in varying tones, ranging from sanctimonious to sincerely alarmed and concerned, asserting that #challangeaccepted was co-opted from activists in Turkey who aimed to connect the black and white selfie component to messaging about the country’s rising rates of femicide, with hopes that the trend serves as a visual reminder that any woman could become just another news story, her face plastered on TV’s in black and white, if Turkey withdraws from the Istanbul Convention. This was an opportunity for me to increase my current events literacy and learn about the European treaty designed to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence . There are ongoing reports that countries like Poland and Turkey for instance are considering withdrawal under similar mal intended political motivations under the guise of “preserving family values.”
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE STAGGERING PREVALANGE OF FEMICIDE AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IS A CRISIS AND AN ESPECIALLY URGENT ONE IN TURKEY. THAT IS NOT UP FOR DEBATE. I read up more on the current state of affairs in Turkey here and took a further look at the recent murder of Pinar Gultekin in this news story.
But the origin of the #challengeaccepted trend was fervently debated.
One journalist from The New York Times, Taylor Lorenz, who wrote this article about the challenge, shared Instagram’ conclusion that the current function we’re seeing of the “challenge accepted” hashtag is unrelated to the version in Turkey. They further discussed the fact that the hashtag has been spreading since 2016. Another New York Times reporter, Tariro Mzezewa, wrote a series of tweets that vary in their claims but started with her sharing that after talking to women in Turkey that the challenge was diluted by women here, “because we are who we are we’ve boiled this down to an empty empowerment by selfie thing”. She later acknowledged that there have been many versions of this #challengeaccepted trend since 2016 and directed those interested back to the Taylor Lorenz article I referenced above. But not before I saw her initial tweets appear to have been used as means to this confirm her angle for other news outlets such as a well regarded California news station that serves the counties in and surrounding San Francisco, Santa Rosa, and Sacramento who shared the story titled, Empowerment Selfies Are Burying A Turkish Women’s Rights Campaign.
I understand the concern and the need for investigation. Because if this were accurate, it would have needed to be rectified immediately. And the “tag, you’re it” nature of this challenge felt suspect so for people whose job it is to investigate cultural phenomena, certainly this warranted inquiry. Plus, we want to avoid doing harm to those who are most vulnerable and that means taking a critical eye before jumping recklessly on any bandwagons. Consider Blackout Tuesday two months ago, when many Instagram users posted a black square in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, often including the movement’s hashtags, they unwittingly clogged up the hashtag that was being used as a means of distributing vital information about protests and other logistics. So that experience raised questions about responsible Instagram usership and fostered legitimate concerns that we avoid similar mistakes in our future. But that isn’t quite what happened here.
Is This Another Case Of Performative Activism
Performative activism is a real concern. Blame it on the ubiquitous yellow bracelets of the 2000s for turning us into skeptics, but it isn’t the worst thing that we are collectively becoming individuals who expect real impact and question the authenticity of activism and charitable endeavors.
Within the framework of this current challenge, there was no part of me that shared my selfie with the notion that in one sepia-toned swoop I’d solved violence against women or gender inequality by posting my photo. Once I got over the chainmail vibes I relished the moment to send messages of encouragement to women I admire. I sent as many messages as I could send before Catherine woke up from her nap. I chose a selfie to post that a friend of mine had once remarked reminded her of my precious grandmother that she’d also known, since we grew up together. And I momentarily paused, challenged by a whisper of insecurity that my double chins were showing and my arms looked too big. But because I’ve been working on my inner voice I hit publish with confidence.
Cut to a few hours later and accusations ran rampant of this trend being an empty gesture that lacks actual advocacy, and that it is a self-serving exercise in vanity for vanity’s sake masquerading as women empowerment.
And the more blowback this trend publicly received, the more I saw knee-jerk reactions from women who were embarrassed and concerned that by participating they’d be seen or interpreted as disingenuous and uninformed, and so they scrambled to prove they’re not anti-feminist. I think overall we’re struggling with the reality that social media, especially Instagram, is a place where the lines of community and commodification are blurry. These blurred lines create an opportunity for what sometimes feels like mean-spirited commentary rooted in misplaced expectations. We do have a responsibility to be mindful of our messaging and we have, what I believe, is a moral obligation to use our platforms responsibly. I also think that obligation looks different depending on how one engages on Instagram – whether they’re a public or private figure. After starting my blog and deliberately sharing publicly on Instagram, I’m constantly evaluating that line between authentic ambassadorship versus virtue signaling. But I think some of these reporters failed to remember that a lot of these squares are of women using this platform as a means to connect and share within their personal circles.
To tie up my thoughts about performative activism within the confines of #challengeaccepted, I think performative activism is a valid concern, that in this instance has been inappropriately placed. I don’t believe this viral trend needed to be anything other than what I, and many others, thought it was at first sight. Now that we realize it is not a result of co-opting an urgent activism endeavor, do we consider it an actual problem if the trend was intended to be little else than an opportunity for a warm and fuzzy moment between women and the encouragement to send messages of support to one another, while also posting a picture of themselves that they feel good about?
My suggestion moving forward is that before we point a finger and denounce each other as ignorant in the name of “holding each other accountable” we use this as an opportunity to assume best intent. To listen and then speak. To trust and verify. I do believe we need to put on our Nancy Drew caps and check into things that are suspect, but I think I’ve seen a rise in moral superiority mudslinging in the past few months and I don’t love it. Jenna M. Gray wrote a relevant piece in a 2018 publication of the Harvard Crimson where she discusses the notion of “performative wokeness” which in this era of concerns over performative activism I think we would do well to consider this other type of conduct.
I think we must also accept and understand that meaningful work and transformation also happens offline. We can use all that we’re learning and seeing on social media as a foundation for continued growth and subsequent action into our offline lives – and individually we must trust each other that this is happening.
What IS a “challenge” exactly?
I read some commentary in this article from The Cut that struck me, probing as to what exactly the “challenging part” of this challenge is, given that by definition, “a challenge indicates a difficult or complex task to be solved or conquered.”
Let’s assume for a second that this was all purely designed to be light-hearted activity intended for women to share messages of admiration and encouragement with other women in their lives, with the end result being the task to select and post a black and white selfie and continue the chain of compliments to more and more women. At face value I can understand the author’s snark filled inquest as to the meaning of “challenge”, but she went so far as to say, “According to the informal tenets of social media, however, the word challenge typically means “posting a photo of yourself in a certain context, oftentimes for an ostensibly good cause, ideally looking attractive.”
So allow me to offer some insight into how this did, in my opinion, manifest as a challenge in an authentic sense of the word for many women.
On my feed I’ve seen women posting selfies who had rarely, if ever, posted selfies before and had instead used their platform to showcase their talents or business. In some cases they admitted they were afraid that by posting a selfie it would undermine their professionalism. They were concerned they’d be perceived as vain and shallow by participating, but were encouraged by women they love and respect and decided to go for it. I saw multiple women who admitted they could not find a recent picture of just themselves because their camera roll is almost entirely of their children and this fact represents their current reality, that they’re throwing their entire soul into motherhood. I saw women who, like me, were suspicious of the trend, wanting to be careful with our credibility before jumping on a bandwagon, but enjoyed the chance to do something positive on Instagram in the name of women supporting women.
What I see as I scroll is that there is indeed an element of challenge in this viral endeavor, and the challenge is tied inherently to the challenges many of us face as women.
Take this scathing excerpt from a CNN article covering the trend,
“It’s reminiscent of the Dolly Parton challenge, which encouraged users to post four different images of themselves that they’d use as hypothetical headshots for different social media sites like LinkedIn and Tinder (a studious photo for LinkedIn; a sultrier shot for Tinder). That mostly functioned as a vehicle for users to post four flattering photos of themselves at once.”
SO WHAT? So what if women wanted to post four flattering photos of themselves?
I remember the Dolly Parton challenge and I wanted to do it but I didn’t. Not only did I stumble with what picture I’d use for the Tinder one, I also came up short on the professional one. I’d been out of the professional world for a while and I didn’t feel like I had a photo that could pass for that part of the grid, and I felt embarrassed because as a woman and a mother of girls I am constantly questioning my decision to step away from working outside of the home. What will this mean for me? For them? What am I teaching them? What value do I really add to my household if I’m not bringing in a paycheck? I struggle with meal planning, I’m way behind on the laundry, I lose my temper, and my commitment to making beds is fickle. And I think we all realize there is a flip side to those questions and concerns from mothers who work outside the home. Or work from home. Or whatever attempt at work-life-home-self-family-marriage-social-spiritual-allllllllthhhhheeeeethinnnngssss “balance”.
In an NPR interview, the NYT reporter Taylor Lorenz asserted that the #challengeaccepted trend was problematic because it doesn’t actually “do any work to support causes”. It doesn’t raise awareness because it isn’t actionable enough. Along with other critics, she seems to feel that because some participants added #womensupportingwomen or #womenempowerment that the resulting product, this sea of millions of black and white selfies, didn’t further any agenda and operated under the facade of activism. This article offered this shockingly demeaning assertion and suggestion: “Yes, there is certainly value in publicly expressing unity with other women. And yes, the #womenempowerment trend has undoubtedly been a bonding moment for thousands of women. But the vast majority of black-and-white posts currently flooding our Instagram feeds could just as easily have been tagged #feelingmyself, #selfcare or #selflove, and accompanied by an appropriately light-hearted phrase like “Pass it on.” Using serious tags for uninformative posts isn’t just misleading, it can act as a barrier to constructive work.”
This is where my head might have actually exploded at the condescending suggestion that this iteration of the selfie trend didn’t deserve a place amongst such a serious hashtag as #womensupportingwomen and I think what I’m driving at is that actually, an intentional dialogue and visual catalogue of women publicly admiring one another is worthy and is meaningful.
I also have to say I enjoyed seeing those in my feed who lovingly put their own twist on the challenge and posted pictures not of themselves but of other women who inspire them. There were those who did raise the issue of the possible conflation and dilution of the initiative in Turkey, but did so in a way that sought to shine a line on the problem rather than demean those who participated differently. Some took this opportunity to remind us that the plague of systemic racism makes black women more vulnerable especially when it comes to healthcare. That in the United States black mothers are 3-4 more times likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth related issues and that the COVID-19 crisis further compounds this issue. Organizations like Every Mother Counts are working hard to fill the gaps and can use financial support. We personally contribute to Black Mamas Matter, a black woman led organization dedicated to advancing black maternal health. And I also appreciated women who used the moment to share on behalf of Breonna Taylor, and if you haven’t yet signed the petition, I’d be thrilled if you immediately left this post and did so here.
What I’m still wrestling with as I take in all of the reporting on this challenge is this opportunistic commentary that practically pounces on the chance to broadstroke paint women as vain, vapid, silly, uninformed, simple minded and ignorant. I felt my chest tighten as I read these assertions written by women and shared by renowned and respected news sources that I trust. The self-righteous opinions felt predatory, with journalists and the public court of Instagram having a field day, and the demoralizing tone is the common thread that I’m taking issue with.
Where Do We Go From Here
This “think-piece” if you will, on my little corner of the internet, is my way of processing. And it may be confusing as this blog evolves to see posts like this nestled between tablescapes and packing lists for kids, but this is a lifestyle blog and a big part of my life is an on-going evaluation of issues that affect me. Between the toxicity of the public narrative surrounding this trend, and the legitimately concerning political developments in Europe, I want to contribute to the discourse. I think by seeking to understand the complex conversation that surrounds #challengeaccepted, we have yet another chance to share ways that we’re exploring our roles as feminists, activists, mothers, daughters, friends and voters.
I’m going to assume that the chorus of criticism I’ve been hearing is motivated by fear that is ultimately rooted in love for humanity. I think many of us are rightfully afraid that with all of this work to be done, with crises both here and abroad, that if we really do fall into the trap of empty activism, that nothing will get done. I don’t want that either. But I don’t think the response that we witnessed is the answer. Wherever your beliefs fall within the conversation I think we can all agree that valuable discourse has risen to the surface and perhaps just in time for one of the biggest forms of activism our country has to offer – voting. Between local and state elections and the Presidential election, we’ve got a lot going on and this website is helpful in understanding mail-in ballot dates and procedures and on this one you can check your voting status.
Bottom line: love one another, empower one another, dig into tough issues and take action. Question and investigate, while leaving space for lightheartedness. Learn how to give, receive and believe compliments. And get ready to vote.
