Users of the famous social network TikTok are fighting the misogynistic comments they receive with a new movement against sexism, the phrase "OK Wallet".
The women decided to turn the misogynistic trend on social networks, in particular on the TikTok platform. Users are often victims of comments of a sexist nature, they are notably qualified as "sandwich maker" (sandwich makers) or "dishwasher"(dishwasher) by men. To fight this misogynistic phenomenon, young women are more and more using the hashtag "Ok Wallet"(Ok wallet) to ironically reply to the insulting comments. According to the site Urban Dictionary, in the same way that someone can call women "dishwasher", because their only purpose is to wash the dishes, insult "OK Wallet" East "based on the joke that a man's only interest is his money. "
Sure TikTok, it all started last April after a video of star Haley Sharpe received a lot of sexist comments because it was trying to follow a trend that some considered to be intended only for men. Users who supported it also saw their comments section filled with misogynist insults.
The ironic "OK Wallet " then imposed itself on the application as a new type of underground movement, intended to show men how women feel about these insults and to reverse roles. When young men call young women "dishwasher"or, in some cases, a sex toy, which implies that a woman's place is in the kitchen or the bedroom, young women answer with"OK wallet"to remind them that, in this case, they are only good for their money.
If many say it’s just a joke, it creates a debate about sexism in Generation Z. These sentences, supposed to be humorous, would simply embody misogyny. Some women have noted that American users have even suggested repealing the 19th Amendment, which guarantees women the right to vote.
According to experts, a movement like "OK Wallet" can be an effective tool for changing mindsets, although it is not enough on its own to bring about greater change. "It's effective, but it's never effective as a single strategy, because it fights fire with fire, so you're stuck in the same parameters"said Kyla Schuller, associate professor of women, gender and sexuality studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Men engaged alongside women, however, explained that "OK Wallet"did not have the same toxicity as "dishwasher" and that it wasn’t really an insult. Word "dishwasher"is rooted in an idea of more traditional gender roles.
According to Kyla Schuller, the use of language helps men and women to get an idea of each other and the gender roles in which they have been socialized. It can also help them free themselves from these gender-based roles, even if the conversation is initially hostile. If she says he "social, legal and political changes are needed to support a movement", the conversation, "even if it is offensive, is still only the beginning". She points out in particular that it is only recently that feminists have been allowed to be funny, which is already "a huge change".