We need to acknowledge the superiority of Twitter
You may know me as Grace Winokur, a random student at the University of Wisconsin, or most importantly, Twitter user @womenifesto.
My life was forever changed when I released my first-ever tweet on November 5th, 2020. In the midst of the contentious 2020 election, I bravely informed all nine of my Twitter followers that, “Las Vegas is taking this ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’ energy a little too seriously.” This groundbreaking tweet received two likes, which went straight to my head. In the following months, I tweeted each and every interesting thought I had. This strategy cultivated quite a following, 66 beloved followers to be exact. Beyond posting my top-notch thoughts, I loved scrolling through and reposting what some of my favorite celebrities and politicians were commenting on. What I love most about Twitter, and why I instantly fell in love with the platform in the first place, is its emphasis on writing and users’ voices.
Like many teenage girls, I have a rocky relationship with social media. Although I use a variety of social media platforms, I find that spending time on these platforms makes me feel worse about myself, and particularly my body. However, I didn’t feel the same overwhelming focus on appearance when using Twitter, which is why I was instantly drawn to the platform. Unlike other social media platforms, which center around a user’s chosen image, Twitter gives more space to a user’s chosen text. Compared to Instagram, which requires users to post photos, Twitter only requires text and leaves images as an optional afterthought. This emphasizes an individual’s voice over their appearance.
This distinction helped me utilize my voice on Twitter’s platform. I’ve always loved writing, and on Twitter, I could authentically express my ideas and my voice as a writer. Even as stupid as my tweets were and continue to be, it feels genuine. I don’t try too hard on Twitter, which is apparent in the ample spelling mistakes I make in every post. I also don’t obsess over the number of followers or likes I have.
I know that my experience on Twitter isn’t universal and that it can still be a problematic platform. However, I do find the emphasis on an individual’s words over their appearance refreshing. Personally, this helps me be more authentic in what I share on Twitter compared to other platforms. My posts center around my words, so I share more of what I’m proud of. I come up with clever ways of saying my opinions and sharing my thoughts on topics I feel are important. The character limit of 140 words makes me think about how to express my thoughts in the best way possible, helping me grow as a writer.
Although Twitter can be extremely controversial at times, it creates a unique space for individuals to express themselves through their own voices, which is why I’ll always love Twitter.