#MeWho

As the fourth anniversary of the #MeToo movement passes, I look at the world around me and can’t help but wonder; Has anything changed?

The Me Too movement itself was founded in 2006 the corresponding hashtag didn’t start making waves until the fall of 2017. After going viral the #MeToo was used more than 12 million times within the first 24 hours and over 19 million throughout the following year.

Tarana Burke the founder of the movement was moved to action in response to an encounter she had with a young girl named Heaven that she worked with as a camp counselor. The young girl confided in Burke about sexual abuse that was occurring in her life. Due to past trauma of her own, Burke recommended Heaven seek help from a different councilor. All the while Burke wished that she could voice the only two words that could come into her head, “me too”.

Meant as a way to bring resources and support to those who had experiences sexual harassment or assault the Me Too movement made its way across the internet and started a revolution with celebrities such as Alyssa Milano, Reese Witherspoon, and America Ferrera speaking out to support the cause.

The movement gained even more momentum after stars such as Salma Hayek, Lupita Nyong’o, Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow, Rose McGowan, Angelina Jolie, and many others came forward with allegations of sexual abuse and harassment by popular film producer Harvey Weinstein. After the Weinstein allegations other women and some men felt empowered enough to speak up about their own experiences, bringing to light sexual misconduct throughout all facets of their lives. An overwhelming amount of these complaints originated in the workplace, with some #MeToo sayers feeling like their jobs would be on the line if they filed complaints against the perpetrators.

Though the movement has raised awareness of sexual abuse and harassment, and has even resulted in those who were found guilty of misconduct being removed from their positions of power. Unfortunately as a member of the #MeToo movement, I can say that we still have a long way to go.

In my own experience of sexual harassment in the workplace, myself and several others had filed reports on the misconduct of one individual. Rather than removing or relocating this person, said individual was put into an even greater position of power.

When companies respond in this way they are undermining not only the safety of their staff members but also showing a blatant disregard for anyone who is a survivor of abuse, assault, or harassment. The movement needs to take things a step further and begin exposing companies like this for the power hungry corporations they are who would rather bury these complaints than deal with the larger issue.

Focusing on individuals such as Harvey Weinstein is a big step towards resolution, but when corruption is shown to go deeper into society than just an individual, can we honestly say that we have made any progress at all?

Photo by Shamia Casiano