Last night's Presidential debate provided seemingly endless quips and quotes from the Presidential nominees, chief among them Mitt Romney's "Binders Full of Women" that has since become a Tumblr blog of enormous popularity. When Mitt Romney uttered "binders full of women," Twitter exploded and a new meme was born.
Coming from his attempts to explain his staffing choices during his run as Governor of Massachusetts, Romney put his proverbial foot in his mouth with his statement that has inspired many references and spin-offs. The Facebook page 'Binders Full of Women' gained an incredible amount of followers in a shockingly short time span post-debate and now hovers at nearly 300,000 'likes.' Romney's policies on women's health and equal pay employment have been in the spotlight recently and this latest fumble will not contribute positively to any attempted spin by the Romney campaign in the near future.
Anti-Feminist Political Memes
The 'Binders Full of Women' Tumblr Satirizes Romney's Debate Misstep
Trend Themes
1. Political Meme Satire - There is an opportunity to develop tools and platforms that make it easy for individuals and groups to create and distribute topical memes that satirize and parody political statements, gaffes, and positions.
2. Social Media Activism - There is an opportunity to harness the power of social media to raise awareness about political and social issues, and to mobilize individuals and groups to advocate for change.
3. Focus on Gender Equality - There is an opportunity for businesses and organizations to prioritize the advancement of gender equality in their policies and practices, and to take a stand against anti-feminist rhetoric and actions.
Industry Implications
1. Social Media Platforms - Social media platforms can capitalize on the trend of political meme satire and provide users with tools and features to create, customize, and distribute memes across different networks.
2. Advocacy Groups - Advocacy groups can leverage the power of social media activism to raise awareness about issues related to gender equality, and to mobilize supporters to pressure policymakers and businesses to take action.
3. HR Recruitment and Management - Companies and organizations can use the focus on gender equality as an opportunity to review and reform their policies, procedures, and culture to promote diversity, inclusion, and equal representation of women in leadership positions.