#Metoo Takes Social Media By Storm
Thousands of people have taken to social media in light of disgraced American film producer Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment allegations, showing others through a simple two-worded hash tag how sexual harassment and abuse have affected them personally as well. Unbeknownst to many participants who took part in the campaign this week, the Me Too movement was first conceived by a woman named Tarana Burke back in 2007 as a grassroots effort to reach sexual assault victims from underprivileged communities. Exactly one decade later former Charmed TV star Alyssa Milano took to Twitter and revived the campaign, asking her followers to tweet back if they had been sexually assaulted or harassed in the past to give others a better sense of just how great this problem is.
Many women immediately took to their social media accounts after learning about this movement, either simply stating the hashtag and leaving it as is through a tweet or Facebook post or going in depth under the hashtag into their own personal stories.
Former film producer for WFMZ-TV 69 News Erin Hurley took to Facebook and used the hash tag in order to show others that may not know about the movement what it’s intended uses are, and just exactly whom it effects. “I was definitely surprised by the amount of other women who posted ‘me too!’ and felt impacted by the stories they posted,” recounts Erin. “I felt I could relate to so many [stories], and relate to other women I otherwise would not normally connect with. I think,” she adds, “the posts were a positive thing and really helped highlight the fact that almost every woman has been negatively impacted by sexual harassment, and that story or not we can all stand together.”
Others did not feel the campaign was as cut and dry as others may have interpreted. Erika Weiner, a film production intern living in New Paltz did not take to social media despite having been sexually harassed in the past. “A lot of people tend to forget, especially when talking about sexual abuse, that men can be victims too,” says Weiner, an after thought which did not cross most people’s minds as the hash tag flooded social media streams overnight.
After surveying the massive amounts of stories that were shared under the campaign’s slogan, many people including journalists started to question what part men should take in this movement, and whether or not they should voice their opinions too. Angelina Chapin, contributing editor at Huffington Post, wrote in an article entitled “The Problem With Asking Women To Say ‘Me Too,’” argues that “women can turn the whole internet into a list of “Me toos,” but it won’t make a difference until men ― all men ― acknowledge how they perpetuate misogyny and commit to making a change.” She suggests that “men need to start a “Me too” Facebook campaign that lists a time they caught themselves being sexist, and states how they are committed to changing that attitude going forward.”
Sure enough a new hash tag was born, created by Australian journalist and screenwriter Benjamin Law, who took to twitter and wrote #HowIWillChange to show solidarity with women who have been abused and harassed in the past. Many men started to share the campaign slogan, and what they had done to hurt women in the past, and the various ways in which they would change their behavior for the better.
But the question remains, are men allowed to take part in a campaign that was intended for women by its creators? “I think so,” says Hurley. “I honestly thought the whole point of these movements was to bring people together… not separate them and tear them apart.” She argues that sexual harassment is not exclusive, and can effect anyone regardless of sex or gender. “It’s sad more men don’t speak out about it when it does happen to them, I think they feel more embarrassed by it,” says Hurley. “Regardless, the whole point of the whole thing is to just say you’ve been impacted and stand together so that we don’t let this happen again.”
