Factors that Precipitated the Movement
The #MeToo movement started as a response to the pervasiveness of sexual abuse and sexual harassment against women. Started by an African-American woman and an activist Tarana Burke, the hashtag became popular after the actress Alyssa Milano requested her followers to reply with #MeToo if they had ever been sexually abused or harassed. Soon, the campaign took Twitter by storm and exposed the magnitude of the existing problem. A survey by the USA today showed that 94% of women working in the entertainment industry, including writers, editors, and directors, suffered at least some form of sexual abuse (Puente & Kelly, 2018).
Eighty-seven percent reported unwanted sexual comments, 69% were touched inappropriately without their consent, and 21% participated in sexual acts against their will. Though the #MeToo movement became known mainly due to the high-profile celebrity cases, it was highly relevant to women outside Hollywood as well. Every sixth American woman has been sexually assaulted or abused during her lifetime (RAINN, 2020).
Beginnings of the #MeToo Movement
The founder of the #MeToo Movement launched the hashtag #MeToo ten years before women made the first public allegations against some of the most powerful male figures in Hollywood. Back in 2006, Burke was working at Just Be Inc. which she co-founded helping young survivors find their voice and heal. In the founder’s words, the original purpose of the #MeToo campaign was to spread the message to survivors: “you’re heard, you’re understood (Ohlheiser, 2017).”
This is something that she failed to do when she was a counselor at a summer camp organized by Just Be Inc. Burke reminisces that there was a girl who clung to her and at some point, felt trustful enough to tell the counselor the story of her abuse. A survivor herself, Burke rejected the girl and lost an opportunity to use their shared experience to work past trauma. Today, the #MeToo campaign not only takes down men of power who crossed the line but also helps survivors feel connected and not alone.
Evolution and Intersectionality
However, the name Tarana Burke rarely comes up in discussions about women’s rights to safety and freedom from sexual harassment. Some activists and researchers argue that the movement originally started by a woman of color from the Bronx was hijacked by white rich elites (Gill & Rahman-Jones, 2020). The opinion is supported by the fact that it is white actresses and singers who have gained the most attention and caused a stir in the US entertainment industry. Burke herself says that while she was afraid that media attention would lead to a disconnect between her activism and the #MeToo campaign, she grew to appreciate the communication channel.
Achievements
The #MeToo campaign triggered a series of positive changes at many levels. The Harvey Weinstein case has exposed how problematic non-disclosure agreements can be, which is why several states banned clauses regarding sexual harassment and sex discrimination (North, 2019). New York and California expanded the set of business relationships in which employees now had the right to take legal action against sexual harassment (North, 2019). Though accused of co-opting the movement, Hollywood women made a contribution to the cause by starting the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund. It now funds legal proceedings to make sure that the most vulnerable women are served justice.
References
Gill, G. & Rahman-Jones. (2020). Me Too founder Tarana Burke: Movement is not over. BBC News. Web.
North, A. (2019). 7 positive changes that have come from the #MeToo movement. Vice. Web.
Ohlheiser, A. (2019). Meet the woman who coined ‘Me Too’ 10 years ago — to help women of color. Chicago Tribune. Web.
Puente, M. & Kelly, C. (2018). How common is sexual misconduct in Hollywood?. USA Today. Web.
RAINN. (2020). Victims of sexual violence: Statistics. Web.