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2016 was the year women found solidarity on social media.

There have been times this year when the world felt as if it was going backwards — or had, at the very least, gotten itself stuck in some godawful unending time loop. Especially for women.

The gender pay gap somehow glued itself to 1995, we endured the soon-to-be President of the United States bragging about grabbing us by our ‘pussies’, and a Stanford University student was released from prison after serving just three months for sexual assault.

Now, Twitter is not the most hospitable place for women at times, but when something sexist goes down you can bet social media is first place the sisterhood will find solidarity.

For a decade hashtags have been a rallying point online, but in 2016 — arguably more than ever before— we witnessed their power.

Collective outpourings over the US Election, high profile rape cases, reproductive rights and just good old-fashioned everyday sexism have been at times hilarious, often heart-wrenching, but most importantly, many have had real world consequences.

These are the hashtag movements that made us feel something in 2016.

#LikeALadyDoc

Early this year, British newspaper The Times published an article denouncing female healthcare workers for their lack 'work ethic'.

Basically the author (Nigella Lawson's much-less-successful brother Dominic) alleged women's laziness and love of child-rearing had the system hurtling towards collapse.

Unimpressed female doctors hit back under the hashtag #LikeALadyDoc.

But when Trump interrupted during the the final US Presidential Debate, uttering the words “Such a nasty woman," the so-called 'nasty' women rose up.

They co-opted his gendered insult and made it their catch-cry of empowerment.

Three nasty women chatted about it on Mamamia Out Loud

#BigUndiesOutForSam

And finally, earlier this month The Daily Mail saw fit to label Sunrise presenter Samantha Armytage's under garments "granny panties".

The response from comfy undies loving women Australia-wide was immediate. And it was furious.

Many women — including ourselves — shared photos of their beloved boy legs and beige briefs on social media.

What have we missed? Let us know in the comments.

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Top Comments

Snorks 8 years ago

I know it was only a small point at the beginning of the article, but just in case you were wondering men get harassed online more than women do according to the Pew Research Centre.


Annette 8 years ago

Van Badham is rude and hysterical. Steve Price was on the money and most people including thousands of women know this; but not the luvvies on Twitter obviously.
😐

Annette 8 years ago

Oh and BTW did anyone happen to see her on The Drum when she deliberately talked over the top of Warren Mundine, an extremely nice, polite man, because she did not agree with what he was saying?
And that is the type of rude, ignorant behaviour twitter condones???
Imagine the screaming you would have heard from Badham if a man did that to her!!!
She and twitter would have gone into meltdown; but not to worry she is allowed to do that 'cos she's a woman. 😐

Jane 8 years ago

And here is more rude and hysterical.