Twitter’s #SheInspiresMe campaign is an initiative to connect and empower women throughout the world. In this 2017 #SheInspiresMe video, poet Denice Frohman recounts: “I heard a woman becomes herself the first time she speaks without permission… say beautiful, and point to the map of your body. Say brave, and wear your skin like a gown or a suit. Say hero, and cast yourself in the lead role… when a woman tells her own story, she lives forever.” Her words are paired with visuals of women staring defiantly at the camera—bold, authentic, and fearless. The portraits feature prominent women including celebrities Mena Suvari and Alicia Silverstone, as well as former Under Secretary of State Charlotte Beers and filmmaker, Ava DuVernay. The video also served as Twitter’s first ever ad, airing during the Oscars telecast in 2018, in the wake of #MeToo and#TimesUp. The online content delivered 1.2 million views organically.

discussion

What type of women does the video feature? Why is the casting important?

What specific images and ideas about femininity and womanhood does Frohman’s verse conjure?

How does the text on screen help to convey these ideas? Why would Twitter want to use text in this way?

Why does Frohman focus on the importance of voice and storytelling?

How is this video both an expression of empowerment, inclusion, and diversity as well as an ad for an online social media brand?