#Metoo May Be In Trouble...A Call to Arms [View all]

This is a plea to all sisters, everywhere. #Metoo is a wonderful movement that is bringing to the forefront an uncomfortable topic, sexual harassment, and its prevalence in the workplace. However, there is a looming problem on the horizon. For some, #Metoo has become too "Hollywood". I know, irony is dead, right? The "thing" that has helped the movement spread and give it the most visibility may also be what is holding back it's progress among new groups.

Take a moment to visit a few right wing sites and search "metoo". You will find a few common, but important themes in criticism of the movement. "It's an attack on OUR men and OUR boys" , "It's an attack on Christian values", and my favorite, "It's an attack on sexual freedom"! Okay, the last one is attributed to French actress Catherine Deneuve, but the other two were featured in several articles on various right wing websites.

These criticisms are heard from my neighbors (the vast majority of whom are white) during my visits back home. Where is home? The deep south, where victims of #metoo are not deciding whether or not to use the casting couch. Instead, these women (my neighbors specifically) are nurses, state workers, and teachers who have personally told my mom and I stories that would absolutely fit into the movement. However, they echo these talking points as if they are less worthy than the men who seek to victimize them.

Full disclosure, I'm a black woman, so I can not provide all the answers. Many of my white sisters find themselves in a peculiar situation.......both a victim and benefactor of white patriarchy. This makes speaking to this issue a very delicate but necessary task. As I've said, I do not have all of the answers. However, I know that in order for the movement to really make a difference, we must include as many people as possible.

I can think of a couple of very human solutions that may seem small, but may lead to big changes. The first, is marketing! #Metoo isn't just about Ashley Judd (but thank you for standing up, Ms. Judd), it's also about "Rose" at Ihop who's manager may take away her extra hours she so badly needs if she rebuffs his/her advances. #Metoo is the church secretary, "Claire", who's senior pastor greets her with a "playful" slap on the rear. We need to lift these stories so that more women, like my neighbors, can see themselves in #metoo.

The next, very human, solution I can offer is to "don't give up". I can't tell you how hard it was for me to get to where I am today with my neighbors. My "welcome" into the neighborhood, at a time when my mom was newly divorced and my only sister was in the hospital, consisted of the cops being called on us 4 times.......by a couple of those same neighbors. It's been a long road, but inspired by the graciousness of my mother and grandmother (along with a few hard conversations that took years of meaningful exchanges), we are here .

Why did I tell that story? What does it mean for you and the advancement of #metoo? As I stated, 'don't give up" . I can not count the number of times that I've read something like, "I don't talk to that part of my family because..." .These statements are often coming from white folks that are not talking to other white folks. Sisters! This can not continue.

Let me be clear, I'm not asking you to take abuse or subject yourself to anything unhealthy. But we must try a bit harder. Think about these glaring facts: (1) Roy Moore received 63% of the white female vote and(2) Donald Trump got 52% of the white female vote. It needs to be stated again, we must try harder.

#Metoo, ultimately, is about our society. It's about what we've tolerated as "normal" and tacitly condoned, collectively. In order to change that dynamic, it's going to take a seismic shift. Such a shift will require as many hands on deck as possible. This is a call to arms. Black, liberal, and minority sisters are mustering. We need help recruiting. Is everyone accounted for? What are you doing to help bring #metoo to your neighbors?



This op was posted at the slight nudging of another DUer. I hope she approves!