What is the #MeToo movement?
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By Sherri Gordon
If you use social media, you’ve probably seen the hashtag #MeToo on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other sites. What started out as a way for survivors of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual bullying to bond and share their stories has become a global movement that has sparked significant changes, both social and legal.
What’s more, the movement has allowed survivors to feel supported while simultaneously initiating a national–and worldwide–conversation about the widespread issues surrounding harassment, assault, and the changes that need to be made.
History behind the movement
Tarana Burke, an advocate for women in New York, coined the #MeToo phrase in 2006. She aimed to empower women who had endured sexual violence by letting them know that they were not alone–that other women had suffered the same experience.
Time magazine named Burke as their Person of the Year for 2017, and she’s earned the Ridenhour Prize for Courage. Today, as senior director at...
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