Workshop by Signe Mortensen, feminist scholar and activist

“Meeting the Other on Social media:
A feminist perspective on digital sexuality”

CONTENT

At this workshop, we will discuss sexuality and sexual practices on digital media from a feminist perspective.

The basic claim is that digital media has become a natural part of most people’s lives. Thus, it is no surprise that many start incorporating digital and social media into their sex lives and their ways of exploring sexuality. While this is often harmless and can even increase sexual freedom and work against existing power structures, it also poses new risks when it comes to sexual assault.

In modern digitalised reality, sexual assault can suddenly happen online making social media distribution and global connectivity relevant to the shaming and exposure of assault victims and survivors.

Through collective writing and reading tasks, participants of this workshop will be encouraged to reflect on their own relation to social media, explore the various ways digital media reshapes sexuality particularly in feminist activism, and discuss recent initiatives to prevent digital sexual assault.

Keywords: Feminism, digital sexuality, online activism, digital sexual assault

ABOUT SIGNE

Signe Mortensen is working with young victims of digital sexual assault and currently writing a dissertation on the subject. Her feminism is rooted in both an academic and a practical activist background.