Today, many women and men will boycott Twitter in solidarity with Rose McGowan, who was temporarily blocked yesterday, after calling Ben Affleck out for his complicity in Harvey Weinstein's predatory behavior. Twitter reinstated McGowan yesterday, explaining that the banning wasn't a result of McGowan's statements about Affleck, but rather because she posted a personal phone number, which is against their Terms of Service. Despite this, some on Twitter have seized this moment to protest the silencing of women through a 24-hour boycott of the platform.
#WomenBoycottTwitter seems to have began with this tweet by @racqueldesigns, which was seen and shared by McGowan...
Many other celebrities have followed suit...
Of course, not everyone is so enthusiastic about the #womenboycott Twitter movement. Prominent women of color on the platform are calling attention to the disparity in the outrage and solidarity when WOC voices are routinely silenced. After all, everybody was content to continue tweeting through Jemele Hill's suspension or Leslie Jones' abuse.
There is yet another contingency on Twitter using the #AmplifyWomen who argue that even though boycotting the website may ding their bottom line today, silence only truly benefits abusers.
Splash image via BFA