Last week actress Alyssa Milano ignited the internet with her challenge to twitter. In response to the Harvey Weinstein scandal, she tweeted this out:
And for a while #MeToo was a viral internet campaign where women could share their stories of harassment and assault. Some gave detailed and haunting accounts while others opted for more general thoughts and empowering messages. But as quickly as the movement went viral, it disappeared, with the twitterverse moving on to new memes, trends and flashy news stories.
So, the question remains, what next? Harvey Weinstein assaulted more than 60 different women, with more coming forward to tell their own chilling experiences every day. More concerning than that, evidence is piling up to suggest that people knew, and not just a few close friends, a large portion of the Hollywood community. Then there’s Bill O’Reilly whose success is uninhibited by his own millions of dollars worth of harassment claims. And the most glaring example of this disturbing trend is the man sitting in the White House. This is clearly a deeply embedded systematic issue that can’t be addressed by simple social media conversations.
#MeToo was well intentioned of course. I think it even had some positive impacts for those able to openly share their experiences with a supportive and understanding audience. And of course I don’t think the intention was to solve sexism or sexualized abuses of power and privilege. But I do think that maybe that’s what we should be talking about. Sharing stories is an important step in addressing the problem, but only if it’s followed by tangible and concrete action.
That change is intimidating of course, and if I had a solution I would be doing more than just writing this article. I think, though, that it can happen on an individual level. We can all start by holding ourselves and our friends and family more accountable. When you hear something that gives you pause, say something. If you see something happening, intervene. Make sure your school and workplace take these issues seriously, and have active programs to educate everyone in these spaces. Talk about your experiences and then turn that talk into action, make #MeToo into #ItStopsHere.