{"id":40004,"date":"2025-06-03T11:58:07","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T09:58:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/media-and-learning.eu\/?p=40004"},"modified":"2025-06-03T12:03:54","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T10:03:54","slug":"unlearning-anti-feminism-on-tiktok-political-media-education-against-digital-antifeminism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/media-and-learning.eu\/subject\/media-literacy\/unlearning-anti-feminism-on-tiktok-political-media-education-against-digital-antifeminism\/","title":{"rendered":"Unlearning Anti-Feminism on TikTok: Political media education against digital antifeminism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Sophie Leubner<\/strong>, public science communication, medialepfade<\/a>, Germany. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent years, anti-feminist narratives have become increasingly visible across social media platforms \u2013 especially on TikTok. Framed as humour, lifestyle or \u201ccommon sense,\u201d these messages often mask deeply exclusionary worldviews that undermine democratic values and gender equality. For young users, the line between meme and misogyny is not always easy to spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our project Unlearning Anti-Feminism on TikTok<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 abbreviated as UlAT <\/strong>by the project team \u2013 we set out to better understand how anti-feminist content circulates on the platform \u2013 and how media education can respond. Funded by the VolkswagenStiftung<\/em><\/a>, the project brings together mediale pfade e.V.<\/em><\/a>, the Association for Media Education, and researchers from the University of Cologne<\/em><\/a>. Over twelve months, we combined empirical research with method development to co-create strategies that help young people critically engage with online narratives anti-feminism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research-informed method development<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

UlAT was launched as part of a funding programme by the VolkswagenStiftung focusing on democratic transformation in times of multiple crises. For twelve months, a joint task force of researchers and practitioners worked together to explore the impact of strategically spread anti-feminist narratives by anti-democratic actors \u2013 and to develop effective responses within the field of political media education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aim was twofold: to design practical, action-oriented educational formats that empower young people to resist online radicalisation, and to develop concrete recommendations for educators on how to address anti-feminism in youth-oriented settings. To this end, we used a design-based research (DBR) approach that allowed for a dynamic interplay between empirical research and pedagogical method development. Interviews with young people aged 15 to 22, analyses of TikTok content, and literature reviews provided the foundation for a set of open educational resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These insights directly informed our workshop formats, which were tested, refined, and expanded in several cycles. This process ensured that the materials are both theoretically grounded and practically relevant \u2013 tailored to the realities of young people\u2019s digital lives and the challenges educators face today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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About the method set<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TheUnlearning Anti-Feminism on TikTok method set<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>provides a research-based educational framework for critically engaging with anti-feminist narratives on TikTok and similar platforms. It is designed to help young people identify such content, understand how it spreads, and develop their own strategies for action in digital environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The set contains 13 modular activities, which can be used independently or in sequence. Each method explores specific aspects \u2013 from analysing multimodal TikTok posts to understanding algorithmic distribution and developing empowering counter-content. All methods include preparation guides, timing suggestions, target group information, and adaptations for different learning settings. The set follows an intersectional approach, combining media literacy with political education. The aim is to foster both critical reflection and democratic agency by sensitising participants to subtle and emotionally charged anti-feminist messaging \u2013 and offering tools to resist and counteract it creatively and confidently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The full set is available as an open educational resource (OER) under a Creative Commons license. Users are encouraged to adapt and build upon the materials. A structured online overview leads to individual method descriptions and downloadable resources, including worksheets, visual aids, and presentation materials. For copyright reasons, some visual examples used in the workshops (such as TikTok screenshots) are excluded from the open license and are marked accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n