Virtual News

A social movement
MeToo is a social movement against sexual abuse and sexual harassment where people publicize allegations of sex crimes. The phrase “Me Too” was initially used in this context on social media in 2006, on Myspace, by sexual assault survivor and activist Tarana Burke. Harvard University published a case study on Burke called “Leading with Empathy: Tarana Burke and the Making of the Me Too Movement.”
The purpose of “Me Too,” as initially voiced by Burke as well as those who later adopted the tactic, is to empower sexually assaulted people through empathy and solidarity through strength in numbers, especially young and vulnerable women, by visibly demonstrating how many have experienced sexual assault and harassment, especially in the workplace. Following the exposure of numerous sexual-abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein in October 2017, the movement began to spread virally as a hashtag on social media.
Media coverage
On October 15, 2017, American actress Alyssa Milano posted on Twitter, “If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem,” saying that she got the idea from a friend. Several high-profile posts and responses from American celebrities Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashley Judd, Jennifer Lawrence and Uma Thurman, among others, soon followed. Widespread media coverage and discussion of sexual harassment, particularly in Hollywood, led to high-profile terminations from positions held and criticism and backlash.
After millions of people started using the phrase and hashtag in English, the expression began to spread to dozens of other languages. However, the scope has become somewhat broader with this expansion, and Burke has more recently referred to it as an international movement for justice for marginalized people.
Purpose
The original purpose of “Me Too,” as used by Tarana Burke in 2006, was to empower women through empathy, especially young and vulnerable women. In October 2017, Alyssa Milano encouraged using the phrase as a hashtag to help reveal the extent of sexual harassment and assault problems by showing how many people have experienced these events themselves. It, therefore, encourages women to speak up about their abuses, knowing that they are not alone.
After millions of people started using the phrase, and it spread to dozens of other languages, the purpose changed and expanded. As a result, it has meant different things to different people.