MeToo is an international social movement which aims at ending sexual violence. Social movements are made up of different groups, each with their own laws. Some have more power than others and can move faster through the society. Levchak discusses how disadvantaged groups lack the privileges and power that advantaged group members enjoy because of their status. I think that’s why people in disadvantaged groups tend to be targeted. They may lack resources, or they might be scared. Due to their status they can also get overlooked.
The movement aims to let survivors know that they’re not alone. It gives them resources that may not have been available to them before that will help them to survive and thrive despite the tragedy. The movement provides many resources including toolkits and healing practices. It also creates local and nationwide dedicated services where survivors can find a safe space. The movement not only provides resources but also empowers survivors by showing them that their past is not who they are and that they do not have to face the world alone. They can find support in a network of other survivors. The Me Too Movement wants to raise awareness and educate others by using survivors as advocates (Burke, 2017: Me Too Movement). Burke (2017) explains that sexual violence is most often perpetrated by someone who is familiar to the victim. Burke believes it’s important to educate people from a young ages about the rights of women to refuse sexual advances from anyone, including their spouses or authorities. The Me Too movement calls for changes to policies and laws. These laws will apply to schools, workplaces and the public. They hold predators accountable. Employees who work with students must submit to fingerprinting and background checks.
Tarana started the movement in 2006, when myspace still had a social media presence. She would post “me too” to share her story as a survivor of sexual harassment and to relate to other women who were going through similar struggles. She wanted to raise awareness about the fact that sexual harassment has become a serious issue and many black women have been targeted. Alyssa milano used Burke’s phrase to hashtag the #metoo movement on Twitter. This increased its media coverage and popularity. Milano used the hashtag to encourage people to spread the message. She later discovered that Tarana had posted the hashtag first. #metoo spread to other countries and was a global voice. Facebook recorded over 12 millions comments and responses within 24 hour (Khomami 2017). The #metoo campaign soon evolved into an organization that contains legislative information, advocacy materials, and tools to help victims of sexual assault or abuse. The organization, which is based online, also holds speaking engagements, sensitivity classes, and other activities to make women feel more secure in their school and workplace environments (Me Too 2017). The organization was founded in response to allegations made against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Alyssa Milano criticised the way Hollywood was handling things and felt she wasn’t alone. Hollywood became known for downplaying female aggression. This expectation has always been that women would tolerate males who were aggressive or offensive. The testimonies that have been given by men such as Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer and Louis CK are used to prove the exploitation of women at every level, including the filmmaking industry.
The #metoo movements has made many advances. For example: states now ban Non-Disclosure Agreements. These agreements can protect aggressors against sexual harassment claims. As a result, women with financial struggles won’t need to consider selling their quietness instead of standing for themselves. In addition, the #metoo campaign has led to the elimination of tipped minimum wages that have been in place since 1966 because of the economic conditions of the United States after the Vietnam War. Tipped Minimum Wage is a Detriment to Working Class because it works only on the premise that the company motto is “the Customer is Always Right”.
This movement is aimed at addressing unwanted and inappropriate advances made to women. Both sexual harassment and violence against women are horrific. The Washington Post’s (Sepulveres 2017) article contrasts the terms sexual violence and harrassment. Sexual violence may take many forms, including dating violence, unwanted sexual touching, rape or attempted rape. Sexual harassment includes unwanted sexual advances and requests for sexual behaviour, as well verbal or physically abusive conduct of a sexual nature. It’s a serious issue that is growing in severity and number. It affects both women and men, and not just children. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC,2019) states that “44% of lesbians and 61% of bisexuals women have experienced rapes or physical assaults by intimate partners…26% of gays and 37% bisexuals men have experienced rapes or physical assaults by intimate partners…47% of all transgenders are sexually abused at least once in their life” (CDC. 2019). Everyday, new information emerges. Not only does this happen locally and nationally but it also happens internationally. People are targeted everywhere. In Nigeria, for example, where more than 300 schoolgirls had been abducted by Boko Haram to be forced into working with them, the #metoo movements was renamed #bringbackourgirls. International Committee of the Red Cross successfully negotiated the release of 100 of the girls.
Predators aren’t shy and will advance wherever they can. Predators can be ordinary people. They don’t need to be criminals. Levchak (2019), a scholar who specializes in intersectionality, discusses how a person’s identities(gender and race) can work together to cause disadvantages. Our identities are interconnected and affect our privilege and oppression. Both terms are closely related because they both refer to a system of oppression and privilege. Privilege is the unearned access that some people have to resources due to their membership in a social group. When things go in their favor they can easily access things. A person who is oppressed is one who is not able to access things. A person’s class, race or gender can determine whether they are oppressed. The main reason women, kids and LGBT people are being targeted at a greater rate is because they’re oppressed. Men, people of higher social classes and those with authority are more likely to be targeted.
Tarana Burke asked her supporters to ask men to report bad behavior and take a look at their actions (Burke: Me Too Movement, 2017). Evans (2019), author of Evans (2019), expresses importance of bystander effects. You should not just stand by and do nothing. Becoming an ally with those who are oppressed: women and children, the LGBQT group, is essential. It doesn’t matter that you haven’t experienced it yourself. Levchak explains collective action as a way for a group to work together towards a goal. Wade Davis, an ex-NFL player who is now a social activist, has stated “It’s not about the women, it is about us.” (Salam 2018). Davis explained that the #metoo is a consequence of women’s indifference to a whole gender and the prerogative of men that they have had to tolerate for an infinitesimal amount of time. The #metoo movements inspired many organizations. Two main ones were #howiwillchange (founded by men) and #Ididthat (founded by women). Both movements were created to bridge the gap that exists between men and woman. These groups want to stand with women as they fight for their rights. Although the issues facing women do not directly impact them, it is important that men and women work together to create a safe environment.
It wouldn’t exist without the activists who are behind the me too movement. These people don’t wait for others to help them or themselves, but instead take action. An activist is someone who takes time from their day to work on a cause they believe in. They put aside their family, their job, and their personal life. These activists’ actions are important because they help others. In order to bring about change, activists must be able to clearly define their goals and know the tools necessary to reach them. They should also organize and plan every aspect of the movement they wish to create (Oliver, 1992). A movement develops in four stages: emergence. First, emergence is when a social change begins. Tarana decided to start a discussion on her Myspace page, then Alyssa made the media aware of this issue. This second stage is known as coalescence. Social movements will encounter roadblocks in this phase and need to figure out ways to get around them. The me-too movement has made it clear what they’re fighting for. They are fighting to end sexual violence and assaults against marginalized groups, such as women, children, and the LGBQT Community. The hashtag is used by supporters to mobilize and spread awareness. The third stage is bureaucratization. This is where a group has settled after successfully overcoming all roadblocks and raising awareness. (Christensen 3). Me too offers survivors resources on their website, such as safe houses and services, tool kits and training. The me too movement holds events at which they travel to colleges and talk about the importance the bystander’s effect, and what services they provide. In April 2019, the group held a tour of historically black universities, including Howard University Spelman College Clark Atlanta University Morehouse College Alabama State University North Carolina Central University Florida A&M University. The survivors who were guest speakers shared their stories. The last stage of a social movement is decline. Although the word implies failure, it can also be a positive thing, when a social group has achieved its goals and has moved on. The movement can fall into four different categories in this final stage. Repression occurs when authorities and other agents take violent measures to end the movement. Examples include rioting by policemen or a gas attack on protesters. Co-optation is when the leaders of a group lose themselves in their movement and their larger cause. A movement is considered successful when it has reached its goals. Finally, a movement can go into decline if it fails to expand or is overwhelmed by external or internal forces. This movement will continue to grow and progress, so it has not reached the declining stage.
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