#ILookLikeASurgeon: how hashtags can help progress in contemporary gender disparities in surgery.

INTRODUCTION: This paper discusses the main areas of gender disparity affecting current female surgeons by looking at trending hashtags shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). In tandem with contemporary literature, we consider strategies to further drive diversity and inclusivity in surgery. METHODS: Five hashtags used to engage in the gender disparity discourse were reviewed: #ILookLikeASurgeon, #WomenInSurgery, #MedBikini, #HammerItOut and #OperateWithRespect. Thematic analysis of tweets was undertaken to investigate the principal areas of disparity. Hashtag activity was explored to understand how hashtags can promote the movement. RESULTS: Five main themes of gender disparity were highlighted and explored through topical hashtags: culture of sexism, bullying, sexual harassment, patient and public perceptions, and disparity in pay and job opportunities. Female trainees experience microaggressions and bullying based on gender stereotypes, and there remain ongoing incidences of sexual harassment. The curriculum provides limited support for surgeons in training with caring responsibilities, resulting in pay disparity and under-representation. The cyclical nature of hashtag activity suggests that hashtags remain popular after their 'trending' period and this significantly increases the potential outreach of the tweets. CONCLUSIONS: The use of social media and tweets that include viral hashtags can aid in a wider understanding of the main areas of disparity that affect female surgeons. The inclusion of hashtags in tweets discussing gender equality in surgery vastly improved the online exposure of the movement by promoting engagement to new users. It is hoped that this will be influential in inspiring a new generation of inclusive surgeons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]