Sunah Lee, a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Communication, recently published her research in the Social Media + Society, a top journal in the communication and media studies field. 

The article, ‘“I Had My Hair Cut Today to Share #Women_Short Cut_Campaign”: Feminist Selfies Protesting Misogyny,’ examines the hashtag activism that South Korean women initiated on Twitter (now X) in 2021 to defend South Korean Olympic gold medalist An San from misogynistic attacks over her short hairstyle.

Lee’s interest in this research stemmed from her fascination with the cross-cultural significance of women’s hair. “It felt very unusual for me that a feminist movement initiated by South Korean women gained so much traction both at home and abroad,” said Lee. “Media working as a tool to challenge social injustice is central to my research. So, the movement happening in my home country was a perfect research topic!”

The findings suggest that the #Women_Short_Cut_Campaign functions as a networked, effective counter-public, where women challenge efforts to control their bodies. Participants practiced media solidarity by encouraging each other to protect themselves from potential sexual violence. Based on these findings, the manuscript explores how women used short hairstyles to challenge societal norms that seek to control and judge their bodies and appearances.

Her research also contributes to discussions on the sustainability of digital activism, highlighting its potential to extend online discussions into offline actions Additionally, it encourages scholars to pay greater attention to the visual aspects of digital feminist activism.

Lee plans to continue exploring various topics of interest, particularly focusing on discourse on social media and its role in how digital media fosters social change.

“Exploring feminist digital activism, women’s hair, and the transformative power of social media for social change is my passion project,” said Lee. “I hope readers find my work both inspiring and engaging!”