Written by Alexandra Gautier
Recently, while swiping through my Instagram feed, I saw a post made by a girl holding a sign saying, “I will listen, I will believe, I support you. #metoo,” at a Trump protest rally, and I was immediately curious by what this new hashtag trend symbolized.
The #metoo movement is one that strives to uplift women who have fallen victim to sexual assault and harassment by “empowerment through empathy”, according to the movement’s website.
“I think that the #metoo movement is very important, and that this revolution has been coming for a long time…women and men need to see that standing up against people who have assaulted them, especially when those people are more powerful than they are, is very important. Building and providing support for survivors is what it will take to end this disgusting, widespread practice,” said sophomore Katie Webb.
Founder of #metoo Tarana Burke is included in the group of “silence breakers” alongside other noteworthy celebrities. The group is so named because they are prominent figures who are taking a stand against sexual violence, no longer keeping silent about past horrors with hopes to provide support for other victims and raise awareness to the practice, according to Time magazine.
Time’s Up has also become a prevalent social activism movement created by women in the entertainment business. The purpose of the movement is to stand up for women from all backgrounds, targeting workplace inequalities with the help of “advocates for equality and safety to improve laws, employment agreements, and corporate policies,” according to the movement’s website.
The 2018 Golden Globes was the stage for many influential actresses including (but certainly not limited to) Amy Poehler, Meryl Streep, Emma Stone and Shailene Woodley to bring prominent activists as their guests to take a stand against injustice. Additionally, they wore all black, symbolizing the sobriety of the topics to which they wished to draw attention. Michelle Williams brought Tarana Burke herself, lending her spotlight to an issue they both hold close to their hearts, according to the New York Times.
“This movement is important because a lot of the time when women claim sexual harassment and sexual assault in either a casual or professional setting, they aren’t being believed. When large numbers of women started coming forward with these types of stories, however, the sheer number of people who spoke up and the immediate relationships the public had with some of the victims made the offense feel more personal. My hope for this movement is that it will stick around… it is really important, prevalent and relevant,” said senior Haley Ryan.
