Although some may look at hashtags as these irrelevant little things, some hold quite a lot of power.
Living in the era of the internet hashtags are just more than #likeforlike or #food; hashtags now stand for movements and statements. Especially the #MeToo hashtag which stands for women who have experienced sexual assault, abuse, and harassment. This movement has pushed women from everywhere to speak up and share their stories that they have held back for years and years.
Of course, not everyone owes someone their stories because not everyone is ready to tell it and that is perfectly fine. If you are not ready then it is okay, take your time and build your strength. I am also trying to build my strength as well so this is another step for me.
Only two people know my full story and those are people I trust with my entire life. It took time to find someone that I can tell. There was something in me that kept telling me that my voice needed to be heard even if it’s just by one person. It was hard to say those words, it was hard to describe how I was feeling all these years, but I also felt free. It felt as if years of anger and confusion has been lifted from my body and mind. To me, I didn’t have to run to my family to tell them my experience, I ran to who I felt most comfortable with. It’s hard to tell my family in the first place because there are different mindsets and people that sadly will invalidate my experience and create excuses. But that’s my reason, you can choose whoever you want, choose someone who loves and cares for you immensely and trusts you back.
Now seeing #MeToo all over Twitter and the media I feel stronger to stand up for myself because that is what my younger-self needed. I became my own hero and #MeToo helped me clearly face my past and destroy any excuse that would try to tell me that my experience wasn’t true. I know what happened, I know it was not a lie and I owe it to my younger self to free her from this pain. I’m tired of seeing the news and hearing about who did what to who in Hollywood and reading these awful and sad stories from women on Twitter, this needs to stop. We are in 2018 already, people need to learn, people need to become more aware. I am so proud of everyone out there who have taken their voices to a higher volume.
But please, for yourself, take your time, be comfortable, feel strong and whenever you’re ready go ahead and let it out.