Boobquake

Jen McCreight Boobquake 2010 cropped

Boobquake2010dc

Boobquake was a public experiment and social media movement conceived by Jennifer McCreight on April 19, 2010. The event was a response to comments made by Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi, an Iranian cleric, who claimed that women's immodesty and promiscuity were causing earthquakes. McCreight, aiming to challenge this assertion, proposed a humorous experiment: she encouraged women worldwide to dress in revealing clothing on a specific day, April 26, 2010, to see if their collective immodesty would indeed lead to an increase in earthquake activity.

The concept quickly gained popularity on the Internet, particularly through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, where the hashtag #boobquake became a trending topic. Thousands of women participated by wearing revealing outfits and posting their photos online. The event also attracted significant media attention, sparking discussions about feminism, science, and the intersection of religion and natural disasters.

Despite the lighthearted nature of Boobquake, it raised serious questions about gender, religion, and the role of scientific skepticism in challenging unfounded claims. McCreight used the opportunity to advocate for science-based reasoning and to criticize the objectification of women's bodies in the media and religious rhetoric.

Following the event, McCreight reported that there was no significant increase in earthquake activity on April 26, 2010, according to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This outcome was expected, as the premise behind Boobquake was to illustrate the absurdity of linking women's clothing choices to natural disasters. However, the event succeeded in sparking debate and raising awareness about the importance of critical thinking and the need to challenge sexist and unscientific statements.

Boobquake has since been referenced in discussions about social media activism, the power of humor in social movements, and the role of women in science and skepticism. It remains a notable example of how viral internet phenomena can be used to address serious issues in a lighthearted manner.