Why are women across the globe boycotting Twitter today?

#WomenBoycottTwitter

Women across the globe are boycotting Twitter today to stand in solidarity with Rose McGowan, whose social media account was suspended following her comments on Harvey Weinstein and Ben Affleck.

The 44-year-old actress is among the women to accuse Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of assault, with the 65-year-old now facing multiple sexual harassment allegations and three accusations of rape.

As more and more women have been coming forward with their own accounts of Weinstein’s unwanted advances, Rose McGowan has been a constant voice of encouragement and empowerment, laying it all bare on her Twitter account.

’TWC You don’t get to change your company name & be done with it. Every man there has the blood of sorrow on their hands. You are dirty,’ the actress tweeted to the Weinstein Company this week. She then went on to condemn Ben Affleck claiming that despite his shocked statement about the producer, he knew about the assaults all along.

‘“GODDAMNIT! I TOLD HIM TO STOP DOING THAT” you said that to my face. The press conf I was made to go to after assault. You lie,’ she tweeted publicly to the 45-year-old actor, before adding, ‘Ben Affleck fuck off.’

Rose later took to her Instagram account to notify her followers that her Twitter account had been disabled, posting, 'Twitter has suspended me. There are powerful forces at work. Be my voice.’

‘Ms McGowan’s account had been temporarily locked because one of her tweets violated its terms of service’, explained Twitter, but social media users were having none of it - feeling like she had been silenced.

Their response? A Twitter boycott to stand in solidarity, with the hashtag #WomenBoycottTwitter now trending on the social media platform.

‘I’m boycotting for many reasons. To stand with the victims of sexual assault, online threats and abuse, and to boycott the fact our demented, pussy grabbing president can tweet nuclear threats of war I can't even see,' tweeted model Chrissy Teigen, before posting some sexually explicit abuse she had received online.

Actress Tara Strong also followed suit, sharing abusive tweets that she had been sent and questioning why Rose’s account had been suspended but his hadn’t. 'They shut down @rosemcgowan but not this dude’ she posted. ‘Not even joking, his account lives.’

Men of Hollywood have also been joining the boycott, wth Mark Ruffalo taking to his account last night to tweet, 'Tomorrow I follow the Women. #WomenBoycottTwitter.’

The boycott has received a mixed reception with some championing the movement, but others questioning whether silence is the best way to bring attention to the cause, encouraging women to speak up about injustices instead.

Where do you stand?