The #YesAllWomen Twitter discussions have been written about extensively since last weekend. From highlighting the difficulty of seeing misogyny, to the furious reactions that these stories elicit, to even the impact that video games are having in our patriarchal society, #YesAllWomen is undoubtedly having an impact on how people are discussing gender.
What has been less spoken about is the idea behind why #YesAllWomen has been such a catalyst. A basic tenant of communications, whether in mass form (Twitter, blogs, television, or other forms of media) or interpersonal (one on one conversations) is that “I” and “we” statements are much more effective at communicating feelings and experiences than “you” statements. By that we mean – instead of blaming the other party, describe how you personally relate or feel about the situation.
This is something that #YesAllWomen, and inclusive language and concepts in general, do so successfully. By moving away from blaming others, and instead using shared experiences, #YesAllWomen is able to capture the attentions and discussions of all genders, while getting less sidetracked by opposing viewpoints disputing the merits of the conversation. Because while #NotAllMen are the problem, #YesAllWomen have experienced hatred, fear, or attacks due only because of their gender.
Nonprofits face this challenge when crafting their own messages. How to make their cause seem personal to the reader; how to create a feeling of empathy for the individuals that they support; how to get more people to learn and know about the important work that they are doing every day in the community.
It comes back to making it inclusive. How does your cause fit into the larger picture? And how can we call have an impact in helping this community?
Below are some additional reading items for the week. Please follow us on Tumblr for more links throughout the week.
- Citeworld reports on Salesforce1 and the impact that it might have for nonprofits.
- Box announced Box.org, which will provide free cloud networking to nonprofits. NPQ has more details and also considers if this is a promotion dressed as philanthropy.
- If you’re looking for some real-world examples of maximizing data, StayClassy shares a few tips with specific examples.
- Small Business Trends provides a few tips on utilizing photos on Twitter.