Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Me too

#MeToo is all over the social media.  After the bravery of a few women to call out, legally, sexually predatory behaviour by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, many others came forward to reveal that they too, had been assaulted by Weinstein, by others.  #MeToo is shorthand for "I too, have been sexually assaulted, or harassed, or abused,"  and the volume, the every-other-Facebook-post number was  staggering.  And it wasn't.  I am sure I have never met a woman who has not been the object of unwelcome sexual attention.  It's normal.  I don't mean it's acceptable, it isn't.  But it has become part of who we are.  It is an understood plot feature of the female narrative.  I have never shared my stories, not sure if there is value in sharing them, in fact.  I have forgiven, and I think I'll go back to forgetting, too.

My #MeToo stories are mine.  I don't want to share them but that does NOT mean they are any less real than the stories of those who DO choose to share.  Not sharing doesn't make me less of a woman, it doesn't take away my power, and it doesn't make my abusers, my assaulter, or my harassers less culpable.

#MeToo?  Yes, me too.  My stories, my terms.



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