Me Too (But Not You)
Written by Khushboo Gupta, Webmaster
In 2017, a global movement was launched: the #MeToo movement that has raised awareness about the ongoing problem and destruction of sexual violence. As subsequent tales of sexual assault and harassment surfaced throughout the media, many powerful men lost their jobs and the respect behind their names. But the feminism seams underlying one of the biggest modern fights for gender equality were slowly coming apart.
Although the #MeToo movement has ushered in incremental change and attempted to foster a reformatory atmosphere for all, it failed to be inclusive towards very important groups of women, most noticeably being those of color and victims of sexual abuse and violence, who still are struggling to find a space in this still influential movement.
Contrary to popular belief, the credit of the #MeToo movement doesn’t belong to actress Alyssa Milano. African-American sexual violence survivor Tarana Burke introduced this prominent hashtag to the world in 2006 in order to raise sexual abuse awareness, particularly for marginalized groups of women. Burke is an activist who strives to help those whose voices are never heard. As a sexual violence survivor herself, she had been through the experience of feeling like there weren’t enough resources to aid her on her path to recovery (NBC News 2021). There truly is no #MeToo without Black women. If this is the case, then why are they inherently left out of the conversation?
Critics claim that the main faces of the cause have been white and affluent women, bringing the most media attention to places distant from the lives and concerns of ordinary people. The irony is that the majority of unwanted sexual advances happen to black women and female workers at restaurants and other blue-collar jobs. “The MeToo movement … can’t just be for women who have a Twitter account,” stated California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, who has been fighting towards legislation for blue-collared female workers (USA Today, 2018).
Stereotypes surrounding Black women are another factor that hinders them in their fight to let their voices be heard. According to the National Organization for Women, for every 15 black women who are raped, only one reports her abuse. In African-American culture, women feel as if they need to remain strong no matter what they are put through. Zharray Johnson, a high school junior who feels the pressure of this stereotype firsthand explained the repercussions of it in the face of personal tragedy. “As a black woman I’m taught to be strong and not let anything affect me,” she said “If something happens to me I am just supposed to deal with it” (Baltimore Sun, 2015).
Strength is a core attribute for the Black woman, however, it represses the suffering and anger they endure. For some women, the marches and protests were a way to come off as woke, whereas, for others, particularly Black women, they were actually a platform to fight years of systematic oppression.
The #MeToo movement has proved to be a trickle-down victory for the Black Woman as they have continually been left out of the conversation. The plethora of obstacles they faced from the media coverage only focusing on power and status resonates to this day. Tarana Burke, the creator of #MeToo says that long\-term change has been gradual at best, particularly for Black victims. This lead to the emergence of the “We, As Ourselves” movement focuses on groups who were fundamentally excluded from the #MeToo movement.
Despite the mistakes and exclusivity towards certain groups of women, the #MeToo movement was and is still one of the most effective movements in history. The courage and vulnerability behind each and every single woman who came forward is something that created a sense of solidarity, a phenomenon that left the world in awe. Still, in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, propelling the reemergence of the #MeToo movement, Burke said, “Black women just kept saying, ‘Where are WE? Where ARE we? Where do we show up?” (NBC News, 2021). The “We, As Ourselves” initiative is a collaboration between ‘me too.’ international, the National Women’s Law Center, and the TIME’S UP Foundation (NBC News 2021). The groups are allied together to create a safe space for Black survivors filled with adequate resources and tactics that will help them feel heard and supported. It is our job, as a community, to make sure every single person, no matter their race, is included in the support system, especially on campus. Intersectionality within feminism is a necessary pillar of true social equality, helping every woman feel understood in the face of sexual abuse.
Works Cited:
Adams, Allante. “Why Are Black Women Less Likely to Report Rape?” Baltimoresun.com, 9 June 2015, www.baltimoresun.com/citypaper/bcpnews-why-are-black-women-less-likely-to-report-rape-20150609-story.html.
Jones, Charisse. “When Will MeToo Become WeToo? Some Say Voices of Black Women, Working Class Left Out.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 30 Jan. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/10/05/metoo-movement-lacks-diversity-blacks-working-class-sexual-harassment/1443105002/.
Press, The Associated. “Left out of MeToo: New Initiative Focuses on Black Survivors.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 25 Feb. 2021, www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/left-out-metoo-new-initiative-focuses-black-survivors-n1258846.In 2017, a global movement was launched: the #MeToo movement that has raised awareness about the ongoing problem and destruction of sexual violence. As subsequent tales of sexual assault and harassment surfaced throughout the media, many powerful men lost their jobs and the respect behind their names. But the feminism seams underlying one of the biggest modern fights for gender equality were slowly coming apart.
Although the #MeToo movement has ushered in incremental change and attempted to foster a reformatory atmosphere for all, it failed to be inclusive towards very important groups of women, most noticeably being those of color and victims of sexual abuse and violence, who still are struggling to find a space in this still influential movement.
Contrary to popular belief, the credit of the #MeToo movement doesn’t belong to actress Alyssa Milano. African-American sexual violence survivor Tarana Burke introduced this prominent hashtag to the world in 2006 in order to raise sexual abuse awareness, particularly for marginalized groups of women. Burke is an activist who strives to help those whose voices are never heard. As a sexual violence survivor herself, she had been through the experience of feeling like there weren’t enough resources to aid her on her path to recovery (NBC News 2021). There truly is no #MeToo without Black women. If this is the case, then why are they inherently left out of the conversation?
Critics claim that the main faces of the cause have been white and affluent women, bringing the most media attention to places distant from the lives and concerns of ordinary people. The irony is that the majority of unwanted sexual advances happen to black women and female workers at restaurants and other blue-collar jobs. “The MeToo movement … can’t just be for women who have a Twitter account,” stated California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, who has been fighting towards legislation for blue-collared female workers (USA Today, 2018).
Stereotypes surrounding Black women are another factor that hinders them in their fight to let their voices be heard. According to the National Organization for Women, for every 15 black women who are raped, only one reports her abuse. In African-American culture, women feel as if they need to remain strong no matter what they are put through. Zharray Johnson, a high school junior who feels the pressure of this stereotype firsthand explained the repercussions of it in the face of personal tragedy. “As a black woman I’m taught to be strong and not let anything affect me,” she said “If something happens to me I am just supposed to deal with it” (Baltimore Sun, 2015).
Strength is a core attribute for the Black woman, however, it represses the suffering and anger they endure. For some women, the marches and protests were a way to come off as woke, whereas, for others, particularly Black women, they were actually a platform to fight years of systematic oppression.
The #MeToo movement has proved to be a trickle-down victory for the Black Woman as they have continually been left out of the conversation. The plethora of obstacles they faced from the media coverage only focusing on power and status resonates to this day. Tarana Burke, the creator of #MeToo says that long\-term change has been gradual at best, particularly for Black victims. This lead to the emergence of the “We, As Ourselves” movement focuses on groups who were fundamentally excluded from the #MeToo movement.
Despite the mistakes and exclusivity towards certain groups of women, the #MeToo movement was and is still one of the most effective movements in history. The courage and vulnerability behind each and every single woman who came forward is something that created a sense of solidarity, a phenomenon that left the world in awe. Still, in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, propelling the reemergence of the #MeToo movement, Burke said, “Black women just kept saying, ‘Where are WE? Where ARE we? Where do we show up?” (NBC News, 2021). The “We, As Ourselves” initiative is a collaboration between ‘me too.’ international, the National Women’s Law Center, and the TIME’S UP Foundation (NBC News 2021). The groups are allied together to create a safe space for Black survivors filled with adequate resources and tactics that will help them feel heard and supported. It is our job, as a community, to make sure every single person, no matter their race, is included in the support system, especially on campus. Intersectionality within feminism is a necessary pillar of true social equality, helping every woman feel understood in the face of sexual abuse.
Works Cited:
Adams, Allante. “Why Are Black Women Less Likely to Report Rape?” Baltimoresun.com, 9 June 2015, www.baltimoresun.com/citypaper/bcpnews-why-are-black-women-less-likely-to-report-rape-20150609-story.html.
Jones, Charisse. “When Will MeToo Become WeToo? Some Say Voices of Black Women, Working Class Left Out.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 30 Jan. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/10/05/metoo-movement-lacks-diversity-blacks-working-class-sexual-harassment/1443105002/.
Press, The Associated. “Left out of MeToo: New Initiative Focuses on Black Survivors.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 25 Feb. 2021, www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/left-out-metoo-new-initiative-focuses-black-survivors-n1258846.