We have written about some of the ways the Twitter ban affects Nigerians. Here’s a list of the ways the ban affects Nigerian women. It will affect their access to:
1. Learning opportunities
Twitter has always been a source of information to many women. In an article published yesterday, some women talked about how they learnt about feminism on Twitter. Twitter also provides a space to unlearn harmful ideas such as toxic relationship ideals.
2. Support from other women
Twitter also provides Nigerian women with support they would otherwise not have access to. For example, women can reach out to non-government organiszations like Stand To End Rape and the Consent Workshop on Twitter for sexual harrassmemnt cases; The Initiative For Equal Rights for queer women. Mental health care organizations like Mentally Aware Nigeria and She Writes Women are also easily accessible on Twitter.
3. Community
Many communities for women were built on Twitter because of its real-time communication feature. The protests against gender-based violence that broke out in June 2020 started and was organised on Twitter.
Many women talk about how they have made friends who have turned into family on Twitter.
4. Some form of justice
Over the past few years, Nigerian women have used Twitter to call out abusers and rapists as the justice system often dismisses cases of violence against women as minor issues or family disputes.
5. Job opportunities
Many Nigerian women have found jobs on Twitter, simply by replying to a tweet or by cold emailing a founder to offer their services. Scholarship opportunities as well as creative workshop opportunities are also easily available on Twitter.
6. A space to raise awareness for women centred causes
Twitter has been a space to raise awareness for causes that concern women such as gender based violence, endometriosis, cervical cancer, postpartum depression and even less known symptoms of pregnancy.
7. Business
Nigerian women like other people around the world sell their products on Twitter. Some women combine Twitter with other social media platforms while others prefer the control using one platform gives them. With the Twitter ban, many of them have stopped tweeting and have had to chase alternative means to generate revenue.
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