68 The Global Impact and Transformative Dynamics of the #MeToo Movement
Bhumika Uppal
Introduction
The #MeToo movement, initiated by activist Tarana Burke in response to pervasive sexual harassment and abuse, has evolved into a global force, challenging systemic norms and empowering survivors. This paper explores the movement’s transformative impact, not only in reshaping societal attitudes but also in fostering legislative changes and exemplifying the power of participatory culture. By drawing parallels between the #MeToo movement and fandoms, this analysis seeks to provide insightful perspectives on how audience participation shapes cultural discourse and cultivates communal bonds, ultimately contributing to a collective push for safer, more equitable spaces.
This paper serves to dissect the evolution and impact of the #MeToo movement, tracing its roots to Tarana Burke’s activism in 2006 and its subsequent momentum in 2017. The central purpose is to illuminate the movement’s multifaceted nature, encompassing its role in empowering victims, challenging societal conventions, and initiating tangible changes in organizational and societal structures. Furthermore, by delving into the expressive nature of the hashtag on social media, the paper aims to shed light on the participatory culture that underpins the movement’s success.
The exploration of parallels between the #MeToo movement and fandoms offers a nuanced understanding of audience participation’s broader implications in shaping cultural discourse and fostering communal bonds. In essence, this analysis strives to offer clear insights into the transformative power of the #MeToo movement and its significance within the broader context of participatory cultures.
The scholarly literature about this movement explores the movement’s participants’ characteristics and demographics, providing insights into the movement’s inner workings by finding the right places for unique healing journeys (Cornaz 17). The campaign has an inclusive audience, including people from many socio-economic demographics and professional backgrounds. Studies conducted by academics like Burke, Parkins, and Payne in 2019 demonstrate that for women who historically faced sexual harassment at a disproportionate rate, the movement is significant. However, the audience is not limited to gender; men actively participate in the campaign and support the change.
According to (Kittredge 47), the movement has transcended national and cultural boundaries to reach a global audience. Online platforms such as Facebook and Twitter (X), make information widely available and foster a sense of Unity across disparate groups. The main movement’s activity is survivors sharing individual experiences with sexual assault. Movement is a type of digital activism that enables the dominant culture of silence and adds a collective narrative (Sullivan 69). In addition, disclosures have sparked more extensive conversations about gender equity and power relations needing structural reformation. The movement has upended established power hierarchies beyond online disclosures, shaping demonstrations, policy advocacy, and legislative changes.
The case of a law professor in 1991 made a watershed in the combat against workplace sexual misconduct when she sued Justice Thomas for misconduct involving asking her out, discussing sex charge conversations, and showing her pornographic items (Perez 19). Henceforth there has been necessary conduct on facts, but it should be noted that sexual misconduct could be visual, verbal, or physical; most victims are assaulted by individuals they know, and rape survivors are more likely to attempt suicide than those who have never been raped, and four out of five rape survivors suffer psychological or chronic physical conditions (Perez 5). Workplace conflict begins with a few individuals and spreads to others if not dealt with. It ranges from various issues such as bias, ethical lapses, harassment, and perceptions of unfairness.
Since the movement’s inception, Burke has given numerous interviews, and she details her ideas and goals. Burke discusses the profound impact of empathy in her 2018 TED Talk, drawing on the experiences of millions of people who have said MeToo. The foundation for constructing a world that people would want to live in has been created by this collective suffering (Comer 7). The movement attempts to destroy the privilege and power that allow sexual violence through collective trauma and healing; a significant cultural shift is necessary in a society that reviews vulnerability as ‘synonymous with permission’ to eradicate sexual violence (Burke 2018). The MeToo movement gained a foothold in the United States of America in 2017 and a year later in many other settings.
Case Study
According to the case of Ibby Caputo, published on November 8th, 2018, sexual harassment is not illegal in Japan, and MeToo makes women targets. The publisher tells the story of a boss, who asks Anna (not her real name), who she socializes with outside of work. The boss asks Anna the kind of sex she likes and asks her out for a drink. Anna thought she needed to endure these questions because she was hired, but eventually, the situation worsened. The boss could shout and yell at her even in an official gathering with other staff as he was jealous, complaining that Anna flirted with everyone. Anna shared with friends what happened but never utilized the MeToo hashtag online.
The face of MeToo in Japan was a journalist named Shiori, who was raped by an older journalist and a biographer of the Prime Minister. Shiori came out publicly in May 2017 in France, claiming that there is less help to the victims of sexual abuse both socially and legally in Japan. Upon reporting her case, prosecutors dropped it, claiming lack of evidence. Shiori received even death threats and moved to the United Kingdom. Eventually, audio of senior bureaucrats at Japan’s Ministry of Finance making lewd remarks to a female reporter surfaced, leading to his resignation.
Shiori empowered the woman who made the recording public. She stated that in Japan, #WeToo works for them, avoiding sexual harassment, which is not illegal. Sato from Japan was also harassed for two and a half years and decided to sue the Japanese government, which could not help her. After the lawsuit, other women came out, including Anna, who publicized what she went through and resigned to find a new job. The norm of saying women should stay at home has gradually ended, and working couples are the norm in Japan today.
Shenoy published the case of Paraguay on July 13th, 2018. The title reads, ‘He likes you; therefore, he will rape you. ‘The point is that Valobra grew up understanding that specific tasks such as cleaning and cooking were required of women but not men. However, in her teens, she saw the true scope of the macho society. Valobra was raped by her first boyfriend, which made her suffer another blow. Her family rationalized it, saying if he likes you, he will rape you, he has to manage your phone because he loves you, and said that this is how men are incapable of self-control.
Valobra had a platform to voice dissatisfaction and debuted on the Rojo Fama Contrafama reality competition show when she was 16. The fact that Valobra lost the competition infuriated the audience. At the same time, her profession flourished, and she decided to take advantage and raise awareness of abuse, where she released a song encouraging harassed women to speak up. Her music was not played or listened to by radio stations because many complained that the song was too radical. However, she received reviews online that her song was encouraging women who were abused, and some came out. Additionally, Valobra argues that there has been a significant change since most cases are now reported and presented in Paraguay.
The third case was entitled ‘The government of South Korea grants harassers greater jail sentence in a victory for the #MeToo movement.’ In South Korea, where gender inequality is pervasive, the government pronounced new initiatives to address sexual assault in the work environment on International Women’s Day. The initiatives addressed include the extension of statutes of limitations and increasing maximum imprisonment. Former South Chungcheong Province governor and well-known politician apologized on Facebook, saying it was his fault that his secretary had accused him of rape.
Ahn was the most well-known person to have been victimized by the #MeToo movement, which gained popularity in the country’s government, entertainment, religious, education, and commercial sectors. The support of marginalized women claims significant growth is witnessed once the community unifies and develops the We Too voice of freedom. The government reported pursuance to criminal cases against managers and CEOs who make no efforts or cover up sexual assaults in their firms. The action of sexual misconduct in South Korea is described as a hidden culture of predatory sexual misconduct in work settings.
The MeToo movement gained momentum in January when a prosecutor, Seo Ji-Hyeon, reported a senior male Ministry of Justice executive who molested her after a funeral while intoxicated. The instance was a big blow for the public to learn that even those in the positions of authority responsible for maintaining national security could be mistreated at work. The MeToo movement led to a national awakening and sparked calls for investigations, penalties, and legal forms (Burke 2018). Also, the campaign brought about other hashtags such as #MeFirst, #WeToo, and #WithYou. Other initiatives to combat the misconduct include public office evaluations for such instances, procedures regarding termination of employees found for sexual misconduct, implementation of online reporting mechanisms, preventive education, and human resource workers.
The fourth case was published on February 9th, 2018, and was named ‘I didn’t know how big problem sexual harassment was in China until -#MeToo.’ The victim claims that she did not know she was being sexually harassed when she experienced long hugs from colleagues and the boss who insisted on travelling with her to her internship and later showed up at her room at midnight. The victim thought that it was just flirting. The male colleagues took advantage of her innocence because she did not understand the workplace guidelines.
However, upon so much coverage in media, such as the hashtags and campaigns from Harvey’s story in Chinese portals and the hashtags such as #MeToo spread overseas, she knew that she was being harassed. The survivor had received an op-ed from China Daily claiming that sexual harassment did not exist in China but only in the West. Upon conducting research with her friend, they realized sexual misconduct covered an extensive range of actions, and the experiences and stories told flooded her mind, which proved the existence of sexual misconduct. Being a co-host of a Wo Men podcast, she told her story, and through that, she was able to reach many, many of whom came out with their cases investigated, raising awareness.
The last case was entitled ‘Haitian comedian revealed her trauma and became a voice for #MeToo.’ The issue was published on May 3rd, 2018, by Aida Alami. Gaëlle Bien, a comedian and vocal feminist, confronted the wound of being raped at the age of 16. Today, Bien offers strong and supportive feminist messages that tackle gender issues. She noted that the opening is not light, but the hashtag encouraged her, and she wants to contribute to the more excellent dialogue. According to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), one in three women aged between 15 and 49 had been victims of violence based on gender.
The government constitution, as written, ensures gender equality and political engagement to protect women against physical and sexual violence, while females experience frequent exclusion and harassment. In Haiti, one lady was in parliament compared to none the previous year. The MeToo movement made much noise in the United States, and many violators were unmasked, which encouraged the Haitians, but it was difficult for them to speak up, for there was no protection for the victims.
Haiti’s government was criticized for not taking seriously the issue of sex violence, and today, violence against women is sensitively received. Gaëlle speculates that the popularity of the MeToo movement made feminist messaging more acceptable outside of traditional social groups. The campaign has, therefore, educated women on their rights and encouraged them to speak up to end the trauma.
Ideally, the MeToo movement has brought about changing policies and culture. For instance, the South Korean president showed support by participating in the conversation to uphold individuals with the courage to tell their stories about the assault. Despite the humiliating and unpleasant issue, he encourages women to uncover the truth and develop comprehensive coverage. He states that combating sexual misconduct not only needs laws but also an altercation of culture and attitudes. The laws in South Korea were revised in November 2019, whereby there were increased fines, such as longer prison sentences and stricter penalties for employers who fail to investigate such cases as reported and the molesters.
According to (Noel and Oppenheimer 100), concerning historical context, black women are more subject to violence, primarily types of masculinity and racism that limit them from social investment, potential development, and mobility achievements. In Brazil, black women faced cons in significant fields, including education, salaries, career opportunities, and labour markets. In California Berkeley, the MeToo movement led to the strength of free speech, where the law of defamation was weaponized to silence those who reported misconduct during the MeToo movement. Free speech protects women who speak up against those in power who abuse the law of defamation to sustain inequality. Thus, the campaign has created free expression and addresses the defamation of laws with the intent of valuing and embracing inclusive culture, because the cost of inaction is intolerable, and the path of seeking justice is clear.
Some of the main strategies that have been taken into place to combat sexual harassment and violence include the publishment of handbooks to extend knowledge on what involves sexual harassment, investigations done at workplaces in different sectors, upholding of severe punishments on the predators, guidelines on carrying out the investigation were reported and timelessness factor where studies take months or even years to ensure that justice is reached (Noel and Oppenheimer 487).
Other strategies given by (Perez 28) include system intervention laws and policies to prevent misconduct that demeans to avoid levels of unlawful harassment, offering training and education sectors whereby unwanted behaviours are identified so that employees can solve low-level instances in case of the occurrence, encouraging and advocating early reports of the cases, developing of two-track systems and implementations of remedial measures. The causes of sexual misconduct mainly include power imbalances, toxic traits from different personalities, and high worth perception accompanied by less accountability. Consequently, the causes can be managed by encouraging equity and inclusion and fostering a culture of continuous learning, courage, and precise communication (Perez 39).
Thus, It touches upon the participatory nature of the #MeToo movement, highlighting the involvement of individuals from various socio-economic demographics and professional backgrounds. It also mentions the use of online platforms like Facebook and Twitter as tools for digital activism.
Conclusion
In essence, the #MeToo movement on Twitter exemplifies active audience participation, extending beyond online interactions into shared social practices. By bravely sharing stories, participants empower survivors and actively challenge societal norms. This dynamic movement, far from passive engagement, fosters a real-world catalyst for change and a sense of community, propelling collective efforts to transform cultural attitudes around harassment.
Social media, epitomized by #MeToo, plays a pivotal role in confronting and ending sexual assault, sparking critical dialogues, and empowering survivors. The digital space emerges as a force for good, efficiently sharing information and fostering a collective call to action against sexual violence.
As these initiatives gain momentum, society actively contributes to creating safer spaces and dismantling harmful systems. The transformative value of being part of a common cultural practice, as seen in #MeToo, shapes and influences society, showcasing the profound impact of active audience engagement.
Works Cited
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