Chapter 3: Feminist Mobilization and Digital Feminism: Reading the Role of Digital Spaces as Catalysts for Feminist Action and Social Change

In the dynamic and evolving digital landscape, digital platforms and social media have had a transformative impact on feminist activism, representation, and women’s interactions in digital spaces. These digital technologies provide a space for self-expression, representation, and offer unparalleled opportunities for women’s emancipation and change. However, there is also a rise of online harassment, which presents a counterbalance to these advancements. The study explores the ways in which women explore and engage with, and are affected by, digital platforms, social media, and technology in the spheres of activism, visibility, and online harassment. These digital spaces and online communities make personal experiences more public and create spaces for a variety of voices to coexist which can be seen as promoting gender sustainable perspectives which integrates an ecosystem where women’s emancipation and well-being thrive together. This study seeks to unravel the interplay between digital platforms, feminism, and women’s collective experiences in online spaces, offering a nuanced understanding of the challenges and a source of sustainable opportunities posed by technology in contemporary feminist discourse. In addition, the study aims to highlight the transformative potential of digital technologies for women’s empowerment, visibility, and activism and create communities for change. By examining women’s sustainable engagement with digital platforms in an Indian context through social media such as Instagram, the study contributes to a deeper comprehension of how technology shapes feminist activism, self-representation, and the broader feminist movement in the digital age.