Is #MeToo a Movement or a Moment?
#MeToo stories are dominating news headlines on a daily basis. Finally, someone is listening to the voices of women who have been silent too long. Even though the bad behavior has continued — and likely will never completely end — we’ve put the world on alert. Women are no longer taking the bull crap you throw our way. And if you continue, we will expose you for all the world to see. As someone who is a survivor, and has also experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, this makes my face light up with glee.
However, one problem with the movement is that we never established any boundaries. Have we gone from dominating the news cycle with worthy #MeToo stories, to over saturating it with unfounded accusations that could very well be untrue? As a survivor, this personally affects me because there are real stories that need to be told. The trauma is real and changes every fiber of your being for the rest of your life. For many it creates PTSD, anxiety, depression, and a host of other real mental health issues — and for some, the effects are also physical. This is why we cannot dilute the movement with stories that are circulated only for retribution or political gain. The stakes are too high, and we’ve come too far to go back into the closet filled with fear, shame, or self-doubt.
The question we need to seriously ask is, who is controlling the narrative of the #MeToo movement? Have we allowed others to take over and turn our movement into a witch hunt or a way to obtain some sort of financial or political gain? Where are we drawing the line? We need a line, it needs to be drawn, and we need to be the ones to do it. A weird look or comment is not always sexual harassment, sexual harassment is not always sexual assault, and sexual assault needs to always be taken seriously. To ensure the movement survives, we need to define the terms we are using in the #MeToo movement. We also need to take heed on how we are labeling people. A weird nose rub from Joe Biden doesn’t mean that he should be labeled a sexual predator. A nose rub is also not the same as R. Kelly physically assaulting and demeaning young girls, or Harvey Weinstein ruining someone’s career because they wouldn’t sleep with him.
We cannot let others steal the momentum from our stories for their own gain, especially in our current politically divisive environment. Our words matter, and our voice is now stronger than ever — we need to draw the line where necessary and control the narrative so that true traumas are not overshadowed. If our movement is to survive, we also must hold everyone accountable — male and female. We cannot let female predators slip through the cracks, and we have to stand side by side with our fellow male survivors. #MeToo is a movement for survivors, and if we don’t take back our control of the narrative, our movement will be reduced to a mere moment.
Jessica Israel, MBA is a photographer, actress, poet, and writer redefining what it is to be an artist. She is also a marketing communications and creative consultant who advocates for equality, diversity, inclusion, and positive work life balance.
Please visit http://jessicaisraelmba.weebly.com/ to view her portfolio and blog on artistry.
