TimmyH
Gen Y and Civil Rights 2.0
July 22nd 2008 03:59
Millennials are on everyone’s lips it seems. Employers have been putting an intense amount of energy into learning how to manage their Gen Y cohorts. Much of the research has focused on how Millennials spend their time, specifically their online time. But cultural studies are beginning to examine whether or not Gen Y’s are socially aware and politically active. More than that, it appears that they exercise their activism differently than past generations.
Millennials are incredibly engaged in their physical communities but are also creating their own definition of the group by spending large amounts of time digitally connecting with one another. Somehow it has been assumed that the two are mutually exclusive and incapable of positive interaction. Apparently, online activism is not compatible with the organisation of rallies and demonstrations.
Erroneous.
Millennials are not confined to one medium for activism. They are online and in the streets simultaneously. Gen Y’s are openly gay and religious, or not. We connect with one another despite cultural, ethnic and linguistic differences. We demand socially conscious government while increasing our personal wealth. With all these advantages, our social activism is also progressive.
The Millennial Generation has grown up on the back of all the fantastic civil rights gains that our Baby Boomer parents fought for. Research studies have revealed conclusively that Gen Y’s are socially active online in increasing and regular numbers. Political interest within Generation Y has been prolific in the past few years and media interest has captured this trend.
The civil rights movements of the 1960’s is often held up as a the most compelling example of successful organisation without the luxuries of internet and mobile communication. Facebook groups are widely criticised for their lack of social relevance. Some say that their existence provides an outlet for useless activism. But these are just tiny examples of the online activism that Generation Y involves itself with.
In the US, thousand hit the streets in 2006 in support of immigrants rights, all of which was organised through MySpace. Protests at the recent World Youth Day and last year’s APEC summit were both organised online and gained popular support and media coverage.
An interesting case where online activism brought significant attention to a social issue concerned the death of Lawrence King. Lawrence was murdered at his American high School shortly after he came out as openly gay and started wearing women’s clothes. Online outrage over his death, and the abhorrent lack of mainstream media coverage led to thousands of blog entries and Facebook declarations. Mainstream media eventually caught on. Sadly, most were concerned with the issue of online activism rather than the death itself.
Millennials have seen a significant deterioration in human rights over the last twenty years. Courts have consistently grown more conservative throughout the Western world. Even though they’re painted as requiring instant gratification, Gen Y’s are prepared to wait for change and effect it through democratic means. As can be seen in the Election of the Rudd government (despite the fact that many see them as far less revolutionary than they would themselves suggest).
Comparing the current social climate of activism with that of the swinging 60’s is somewhat unfair. We have come to a point where we are not just post-civil rights, but are redefining them. Equality is coming back. For a long time it was assumed that with women and Aboriginals achieving equal rights in the workplace and government. Since we’ve acknowledged that equality has yet to be achieved, we’re also looking to involve other groups in the new push. The equality of immigrants, ethnic, social and sexual minorities are increasingly important to Millennials, particularly in terms of access to public services and education.
Back in the US, its election season and has been for some time. The National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights is attempting to give a voice to the “tidal wave” of young voters by using YouTube. Civil Rights 2.0 is a YouTube contest that asks Gen Y’s to redefine: What are you and your generation doing for civil rights today?
Millennials are incredibly engaged in their physical communities but are also creating their own definition of the group by spending large amounts of time digitally connecting with one another. Somehow it has been assumed that the two are mutually exclusive and incapable of positive interaction. Apparently, online activism is not compatible with the organisation of rallies and demonstrations.
Erroneous.
Millennials are not confined to one medium for activism. They are online and in the streets simultaneously. Gen Y’s are openly gay and religious, or not. We connect with one another despite cultural, ethnic and linguistic differences. We demand socially conscious government while increasing our personal wealth. With all these advantages, our social activism is also progressive.
The Millennial Generation has grown up on the back of all the fantastic civil rights gains that our Baby Boomer parents fought for. Research studies have revealed conclusively that Gen Y’s are socially active online in increasing and regular numbers. Political interest within Generation Y has been prolific in the past few years and media interest has captured this trend.
The civil rights movements of the 1960’s is often held up as a the most compelling example of successful organisation without the luxuries of internet and mobile communication. Facebook groups are widely criticised for their lack of social relevance. Some say that their existence provides an outlet for useless activism. But these are just tiny examples of the online activism that Generation Y involves itself with.
In the US, thousand hit the streets in 2006 in support of immigrants rights, all of which was organised through MySpace. Protests at the recent World Youth Day and last year’s APEC summit were both organised online and gained popular support and media coverage.
An interesting case where online activism brought significant attention to a social issue concerned the death of Lawrence King. Lawrence was murdered at his American high School shortly after he came out as openly gay and started wearing women’s clothes. Online outrage over his death, and the abhorrent lack of mainstream media coverage led to thousands of blog entries and Facebook declarations. Mainstream media eventually caught on. Sadly, most were concerned with the issue of online activism rather than the death itself.
Millennials have seen a significant deterioration in human rights over the last twenty years. Courts have consistently grown more conservative throughout the Western world. Even though they’re painted as requiring instant gratification, Gen Y’s are prepared to wait for change and effect it through democratic means. As can be seen in the Election of the Rudd government (despite the fact that many see them as far less revolutionary than they would themselves suggest).
Comparing the current social climate of activism with that of the swinging 60’s is somewhat unfair. We have come to a point where we are not just post-civil rights, but are redefining them. Equality is coming back. For a long time it was assumed that with women and Aboriginals achieving equal rights in the workplace and government. Since we’ve acknowledged that equality has yet to be achieved, we’re also looking to involve other groups in the new push. The equality of immigrants, ethnic, social and sexual minorities are increasingly important to Millennials, particularly in terms of access to public services and education.
Back in the US, its election season and has been for some time. The National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights is attempting to give a voice to the “tidal wave” of young voters by using YouTube. Civil Rights 2.0 is a YouTube contest that asks Gen Y’s to redefine: What are you and your generation doing for civil rights today?
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Comment by Janet Collins
The Social Critic
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