EndFathersDay Hashtag Hoax Trends, Twitter, You’ve Been Tricked
Over on Twitter, the hashtag #EndFathersDay is trending, with many people outraged that feminism has taken patriarchy frustration this far — but as far as we can see, it’s a hoax.
In fact, a quick scan reveals essentially all tweets using the #EndFathersDay hashtag are critical, having fully fallen for the Twitter trolling hook, line, and sinker — and are regarding the meme as genuine and indicative of “feminist” perspective.
It appears one and maybe two people have sincerely tweeted to #EndFathersDay after the term picked up steam, but the origins are unclear. Some have suggested 4Chan (a site where prank social media “trends” are often invented) is behind the hoax, but as of now it’s not easy to trace.
[Update: The screenshot below appears to suggest the hashtag is indeed a 4Chan hoax, and many users on Twitter allege the term was actually invented by men’s rights activists looking to drum up outrage.]
#EndFathersDay is 4Chan trolling again #TheMoreYouKnow #PSA pic.twitter.com/C4Z0cOLYuZ
— Young Robert Zimmer (@Pisat3l) June 13, 2014
The term got a boost when rapper Talib Kweli addressed it as authentic, tweeting:
Wait there's an #endfathersday hashtag? Seems like a silly way to make your point about patriarchy.
— Talib Kweli Greene (@TalibKweli) June 13, 2014
Other people decided to get angrier at nothing, attacking women for the joke hashtag:
But if you want to #EndFathersDay b/c U can't keep your legs shut & don't know the father of your baby, that is YOUR problem, not society's.
— Rev. Meghan Gurley (@Beyond_I_Do) June 13, 2014
Ugh, no really, even though this whole thing had nothing to do with feminism, everyone got on their woman-hating pants and began ranting:
Just because your man walked out on you doesn't mean we should end an entire holiday. Don't be selfish, #EndFathersDay supporters
— Keith (@KeithMcC29) June 13, 2014
There were really smart people everywhere, people who are totally clued into societal issues:
See the #EndFathersDay hashtag for *yet another* example of how ridiculous progressive feminism has become.
— Jagged Little Jalen (@GOPMommy) June 13, 2014
Like two people appeared to be serious, but two people do not speak for feminism It appears both of these “supporters” are fake accounts:
#EndFathersDay bc it's a slap in the face to single mothers everywhere.
— NayNay Thompson (@NayNayCantStop) June 13, 2014
#EndFathersDay because men shouldn't even be allowed around children
— Phoebe Kwon (@PhoebeKwon) June 13, 2014
[Update: The second “genuine” EndFathersDay tweeter is a confirmed sock puppet, and the account is a clear fake.]
Other people seemed genuinely hurt by the faked trend:
I don't agree with #EndFathersDay. It sounds a bit radical. Come on, some of us are good fathers and imparted to our children good values.
— Schizo Incognito (@SchizoIncognito) June 13, 2014
And some people just seemed pleased to have a straw man:
So next time screetching mid/up class "oppressed" white lady-idiots get all freaked out a/b a hashtag send them #EndFathersDay & say STFU!
— u??u uo???z?u???o (@org9) June 13, 2014
One user suggested the EndFathersDay hoax came from 4Chan, explaining:
#EndFathersDay is a thing started by 4chan's /pol/ to make feminists look bad. It's not a thing started by feminists.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 13, 2014
Sing it, Trudy!
I think some folks *know* #EndFathersDay is a hoax tag BUT it gives them reason to attack BW, as they want to, so proceed. I see you…
— Trudy (@thetrudz) June 13, 2014
In any event, it does not seem #EndFathersDay is a legitimately presented Twitter trend, and the actual genesis of the hashtag remains unclear — our suspicion? You’ve been trolled, as no evidence of widespread calls to End Father’s Day can be found on Twitter or elsewhere.
