It Became More Than A Hashtag, So What Happens Now? A Response To The #MeToo Movement

If like me you’ve seen the viral hashtag #MeToo in response to ongoing media surrounding the vile Harvey Weinstein (vomits in mouth) then you’re probably feeling sad, disgusted and a little overwhelmed. 

I mean it’s not like I’m surprised. I honestly don’t think I know a woman who hasn’t been sexually harassed or assaulted, but as this hashtag pops up again and again from friends, colleagues and family, you start to get a sense of this ridiculously large cultural and societal norm that is just accepted behaviour.

It feels so ingrained in our culture that being cat-called, cornered, leered at, followed or assaulted is just kinda part of being a woman.

As women, we are always forced to change our behaviour to be able to manoeuvre through public spaces just to limit the possibility of being harassed or assaulted.

I still tell my mum that I won’t walk alone at night.

We’re told that we need to take every possible pre-caution to make sure we’re not assaulted. What the fuck is with that?

I can recount hundreds of situations where I’ve avoided a certain area after work, walked on a well-lit path, taken my headphones out when it gets dark, changed my route, or rang a friend when I’m walking alone because these practices are literally what we’re told to do to avoid assault.

I’m sure you’ve done the same.

So to have #MeToo shine such a public spotlight on the reality that all women face this crap, it feels empowering and pretty terrifying.

The amount of inspiring, upsetting and personal messages we get from our Be. members sharing how their bangle has given them a little more strength to keep pushing and surviving after sexual assault, is truly astounding and sometimes overwhelming.

The strength of all of you is absolutely incredible.

So there is this greater sense of comfort and inspiration that comes from this hashtag in knowing that so many women feel the exact same way.

Woman have come together publicly to say enough is fucking enough.

So what do we do now – how can we change this?

Well, whilst my thoughts tend to jump to smashing the patriarchy and creating a utopian matriarchal society, the most effective thing that we can do right now is talk to our male allies.

I know a lot of men fall silent in this time because sometimes saying something can “get them in trouble”, or there’s a feeling that being male means they don’t have a right to speak up on these issues – but it’s completely the opposite.

Now more than ever we need our male allies to stand together and call out this behaviour amongst one another.

This is the time to talk to our male partners, pals, family members and colleagues about how to join in on this conversation and stand up against sexual harassment and assault.

Tell the men in your life that we need them to call out their male peers who say something disrespectful about women. Use phases like “Nah that’s not cool” or “That’s pretty shit, don’t say that.”

If collectively, women and men start calling this shit out – it would stop.

In the last two days I've seen some close male friends join this public discussion by stating "I have" on Facebook. By sharing these two words they are acknowledging that they have been complicit in this culture that normalises sexual harassment and assault. 

It's exactly what I want to see - men acknowledging this toxic cultural norm and showing solidarity in wanting to stop it from happening.

So now is the time to reach out to those men in your life who you know feel just as you do, but don’t know how to help.

Tell them they can help.

For a full list of some pretty amazing advice to give your male pals, check this out here.

And remember that all of these public stories and media attention surrounding #MeToo can be a triggering time for many people.

So take the time to check in yourself and with each other.

Remind one another just how fucking fierce we actually are and this hashtag might just be the first step in creating some much-needed change.

If this time has stirred up any unwanted feelings for you, you can reach out to 1800RESPECT.