#Howiwillchange: Engaging Boys and Men in the #Metoo Movement

Background and Purpose

              This study aimed to assess public discourse about dismantling rape culture via qualitative analysis of the Twitter hashtag #HowIWillChange. #HowIWillChange was started in response to the #MeToo movement and was intended to engage males in the ongoing discussion about sexual violence by asking them to evaluate their role in sustaining and confronting rape culture. 

Methods

              We collected 10% of publicly available tweets containing #HowIWillChange from Twitter’s API (n = 18,000) on October 26, 2017 via NCapture software. We eliminated non-English language tweets, news articles, advertisements, re-tweets, and image-only tweets, resulting in 3,182 unique tweets for analysis. Conventional content analysis, a qualitative method for examining data, was employed to allow the data itself to dictate the emerging themes. Researchers met to discuss key themes after analyzing 10% and 25% of the data. The remainder of the data was coded after key themes had been established. Due to limitations regarding the type of information available for analysis through Twitter, demographics of people participating in the conversation were unable to be collected.

Results

              The data revealed two primary themes in the #HowIWillChange discussion: 1) actions for; and 2) barriers to combatting rape culture. Subthemes of actions for combatting rape culture included confronting toxic masculinity, teaching the next generation, speaking out, and working towards egalitarianism/elevating women. Subthemes of barriers to combatting rape culture included attacking men’s perceived weaknesses, personal refusals to change, hostile or benevolently sexist views, and denial of the existence of rape culture. Two extraneous themes emerged as well: a resurgence of the argument #NotAllMen; and users using #HowIWillChange to invoke political statements. Examples of tweets which capture each of the themes and subthemes will be provided, and the implications of these themes in the context of existing violence prevention literature will be discussed.

Conclusions and Implications

              This study provides valuable insight regarding the current perceptions of rape culture following the #MeToo movement, specifically from a platform intended to engage boys and men. The identified actions for and barriers to combatting rape culture provide valuable information to prevention scientists about what holds men back from participating, and what men are willing to do to help. Authors will present suggestions for application of findings and directions for future research.