Women Are Changing Their PFPs To Purple Because Of A South African Activism Group

8 months ago 48

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About

Purple PFP (TikTok Trend) refers to a November 2025 TikTok trend of users switching their profile pictures (PFPs) to a purple-toned image to show solidarity with women who have been abused in some way based on their gender. The campaign started as part of the G20 Women's Shutdown, launched by South African women demanding that gender-based violence and femicide be declared a national disaster in the country at the 2025 G20 Summit. The movement's participation guidelines suggested that supporters change their profile pictures to purple to spread awareness of the shutdown.

The trend was co-opted by the larger internet in the following weeks, heading into late November 2025, as the Purple PFP's original context became obscure. In turn, some TikTokers called the trend "performative activism." Some men on TikTok started a counter-trend of Green PFPs to show support for men abused by gender-based violence. The Green PFP trend was criticized by many for being tone-deaf and corny.

Origin

On October 30th, 2025, the South African activism group Women for Change shared a photo slideshow to their TikTok account, @womenforchange.sa, announcing the G20 Women's Shutdown. The goal, according to the group's website, was for all women and members of the LGBTQ+ community across South Africa to "refrain from all paid and unpaid work in workplaces, universities and homes, and to spend no money for the entire day to demonstrate the economic and social impact of their absence." The shutdown was to occur on November 21st, 2025.

On the Women for Change website, a bullet point list titled, "How Can I Participate?" listed guidelines for the G20 Women's Shutdown, including, "Change your profile picture to purple to make the Shutdown visible online."

The original photo slideshow shared by the @womenforchange.sa TikTok received over 9,300 likes in three weeks.

On November 8th, the @womenforchange.sa shared a TikTok video that specifically called out the movement's Purple PFP guideline, gaining over 13,800 likes in nine days.

@womenforchange.sa G20 Women’s Shutdown 📢 On Friday, 21 November, South African women will silence the nation. We call on all women and members of the LGBTQI+ community across South Africa to refrain from all paid and unpaid work in workplaces, universities, and homes, and to spend NO money for the entire day to demonstrate the economic and social impact of their absence. 👩‍🏭 Don’t work. No paid or unpaid labour. 💶 Don’t spend money and withdraw from the economy for one day. ⏰️ Join the 15-Minute Standstill by lying down for 15 minutes at 12 pm to honour the 15 women murdered every day and bring South Africa to a complete standstill. 🖤 Wear black to stand in mourning and resistance. 💜 Change your profile picture to purple to make the Shutdown visible online. 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏿 Share. Share. Share. Make the Shutdown impossible to ignore. Talk about it, share our posters using #WomenShutdown #WomenForChange #unburythetruth #g20 #gbvsouthafrica ♬ original sound – Franklin Saint

Spread

On November 12th, 2025, TikToker @elizabet_gherta shared a video about the Purple PFP trend as it related to the G20 Women's Shutdown, gaining over 72,500 likes in five days.

On November 13th, TikToker @mymelodyy53 shared a video of a female Roblox avatar dancing with a text caption urging people to change their profile pictures to purple "to support all the women who have been silenced." Over four days, the video received over 117,200 likes.

@mymelodyy53 #videoviral #purplepfp #fyp #support #videoviral ♬ original sound – random_stuff

On November 15th, 2025, TikToker @aestheticxv1bes shared a similar video, showing a girl in a purple filter with a text caption reiterating the same Purple PFP objective. Over two days, it gained over 1.6 million likes.

@aestheticxv1bes 💜 #spreadawareness #womanpower #purplepfp ♬ original sound – nia

As the trend furthered from its original context, some TikTokers began criticizing it. For instance, on November 15th, TikToker @divinecherubium shared a video of herself with a text caption reading, "The concept of purple PFPs but it just feels like performative activism." Over two days, her post gained over 55,100 likes.

@divinecherubium This video is aimed at people using this as an excuse to trend hop, like they did with BLM Palestine and Ukraine. If this doesn’t apply to you then you should not be offended by my statement #sa #southafrica #fyp #foryoupage❤️❤️ #purplepfp ♬ suono originale – random.acc

Green PFP Trend

On November 12th, 2025, TikToker @yosime3 shared a video of himself walking with a text caption reading, "A green PFP for all the lonely men who have been falsely accused of [grape] and for the men who are suffering from sewerside. Spread for more awareness." His video gained over 197,200 likes in five days.

@yosime3 Green and purple for equality || #purple #somalitiktok #trending #viral #Fyp ♬ original sound – avdloss

On November 15th, TikToker @p1nkiemiso shared a video caption meme, showing a slideshow of disgusted reaction images and a caption reading, "Me when someone has a green PFP." Over two days, the video received over 31,500 likes.

@p1nkiemiso 💜💜💜 #purplepfp #greenpfp🤮 #pmo #fyp #viral ♬ original sound – 🫧darkestbloodrain🌪️🧧🏮🩸🏀⛈