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Sara Farooq Khan 23020481

Salman Ahmed Hayat

1901 SHSS Writing and Communication

20th November 2019

“The #MeToo Movement has been one of the Most Important Movements in Recent Times”

Over two years ago, the revelation of Harvey Weinstein as a sexual offender sparked off

the #MeToo Movement, initially founded by Tarana Burke in 2007. The movement gained

momentum in light of, a multitude of women uniting under a single hashtag and sharing their

experiences of sexual harassment. Alyssa Milano’s tweet lent a newfound impetus to the

movement, prompting other women to come forth with their own personal testimonies of

harrowing accounts of sexual violence. Victims and supporters alike, took to social media,

transforming the culture surrounding harassment and dismantling the notion of silence associated

with it by voicing their encounters and displaying solidarity. In a fascinating chain of events, the

powerful collective of tweets by those who had been silenced for far too long, enabled the

collapse of a centuries old system that places men in power and disadvantages women. The

advent of the #MeToo Movement has been pivotal in stimulating discourse and offering a new

paradigm in women’s rights. It is, perhaps, one of the most important movements in recent times

as it continues to make waves in social, cultural and legal domains, breaking free of norms that

have long perpetuated a culture of silence.

One of the most important impacts of the movement has been reshuffling the power

dynamics. Until #MeToo took the internet by storm, survivors were still hesitant to speak up

against their perpetrators, and understandably so. The culture was such, that, for a woman to

prove that she was sexually assaulted, she was legally and socially required to provide concrete
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evidence for it and could even then, reasonably expect the complaint to be dismissed on the

grounds of “lack of credibility” or “improper clothing”. Even if the woman was able to bring her

complaint to the court of law, it was unlikely that the verdict made enough of an impact on the

perpetrator’s life. (MacKinnon) The scales of the law always tilted in favor of the offender, as

demonstrated by the Brock Turner case in which the offender was only convicted for 6-months

for the sexual assault of an intoxicated woman. This case among many others is symbolic of the

reason why vast majority of women chose to stay silent about their own harrowing accounts of

sexual assault. However, the rise of #MeToo has started to transform the politics which protect

such men. It has provided an alternative to legal justice and an avenue that the courts did not,

allowing the barriers of race, social standing and class-based discrimination to disintegrate.

While shame, indignity and humiliation were often felt on the victim’s part, these sentiments are

now being assigned to the perpetuator instead. Men, whose power was once viewed as

unconquerable, are now being displaced of their positions in high-paying jobs, expelled from

their academic institutions, stripped of their glorified reputations and are viewed as too

disgraceful to be associated with. These landmark victories have been visible in the post #MeToo

world which began with the toppling of Weinstein and created a domino effect, bringing the

downfall of others such as actor Kevin Spacey, Amazon Studios president Roy Price, stand-up

comedian Bill Cosby and many others. (North et al.) These real, impactful changes are driven by

the unparalleled wave of brave women making sure their voices are heard and believed not just

in the realm of mainstream Hollywood but also beyond.

While the #MeToo Movement has destabilized the footing of toxic rape culture, it has

also challenged the norm of contemporary ‘casual’ sexism and misogyny that permeates through

everyday conversation in workplaces and campus places. The movement has allowed for various
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forms of sexual misconduct to be recognized, allowing space for mental and emotional abuse

alongside physical assault. It has paved the path for the wider discussion of gender inequality in

society and the privilege the male members of it receive, making institutions more inclined

towards cultivating environments that are unobstructed by sexual exploitation or malpractices.

The College of New Jersey, for example, has employed a policy of restorative justice which

focuses on the reintegration and rehabilitation of both the victim and the offender so to minimize

the negative impact as a whole. (North) Traditional retributive justice may not be the path that

everyone desires and hence, alternative approaches such as restorative justice ensure that the

offender acknowledges their crime, accepts responsibility for the harm caused and works

towards non-repetition, not only making it a redemptive process for the accused but also offering

closure to the victim. (Wexler and Robbennolt) Even HR practices at companies and corporate

settings are responding to the demands of the movement as reporting mechanisms have improved

so to increase the comfort of victims when reporting concerns. Proper investigation procedures

are now being installed in place along with policies being enforced which make clear distinctions

between sexual assault in its many forms. (Rafter) Moreover, as a consequence of the “call-out”

culture and the growing acceptance towards women’s testimonies, this change has put the

offenders on the defensive too as men have started to exercise caution before casting a predatory

glance or making ‘causal’ sexual innuendos and jokes. While in retrospect this change may seem

insignificant, it is, in fact, a landmark development as power and agency is rightfully allocated to

the marginalized and the disadvantaged. Now a single hashtag, a single tweet is capable of

shaking the foundation upon which perpetrators yield their power, no longer enabling the cycle

of exploitation and manipulation.

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Nevertheless, it is a common assumption that the #MeToo Movement is restricted to a

certain elite group of women and that public outrage is only unleashed when the victim is a

famous personality. However, the very nature of it that demands it to be online creates

homogeneity amongst the victims. It creates no distinction on the basis of social status and

privilege as an online testimony reaches millions in seconds, no longer requiring lengthy and

expensive legal procedures that could only be afforded by the rich and the elite. The realm of

digital feminist activism has reached far and wide, changing the very system of accountability as

it offers strength in numbers. Even if a legal verdict against the perpetrator is not achieved, the

social exclusion the offender is subjected to is a verdict in itself, converting the rallying cry of

these women into real world change. It is justice dispensed by the people as society at large, has

become unaccepting of the accused, unforgiving towards individuals who display even the

slightest hint of sexual misconduct. So far, at least 200 prominent men have lost their jobs after

public allegations of sexual harassment, have faced criminal charges, or at the very least, felt

compelled to issue public apologies in the wake of social outrage against them. (Carlsen et al.)

Moreover, there has been a tangible shift in social attitudes towards sexual harassment

and bringing the issue in to the public consciousness. The rise of #MeToo has been incremental

in changing workplace, campus and even, state laws. The use of non-disclosure agreements

(NDA) which require employees from speaking out against anything that may damage the

reputation of the company, silenced many victims for years as their disclosure of the truth came

at the cost of their jobs. However, in light of the barrage of allegations being uncovered from

every facet of society, states such as California, New York and New Jersey banned the use of

these agreements. (North) Moreover, fifteen states in the US have passed legislation geared

towards making reforming sexual harassment laws in workspaces such as the expansion of laws
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to cover independent contractors, graduates and interns. Prevention measures such as mandatory

training and policy requirements for workplaces were also enforced. Perhaps, most significant

has been the creation of the Time’s Up Fund which has raised over $24 million to facilitate the

legal defense of victims of sexual misconduct. ((Bolden-Barrett)

However, despite the impact of #MeToo in revolutionizing sexual culture, there are still

discrepancies which jeopardize the objective of the movement and impede its success. While the

#MeToo movement garnered significant support in developed nations such as the United States,

it is important to take into consideration the impact of the movement in the context of other

nations where a plethora of factors come into play. For example, in the Pakistani context, it is

still difficult for women to speak out against their perpetrators as the social culture is inflexible

owing to certain religious, patriarchal and traditional norms and values which are in direct

juxtaposition to the “call-out culture”. Despite many women providing allegations and evidence

against famous personalities, the public opinion remains firmly and vehemently opposed to the

victim. This depicts the level and depth of institutionalized stigmatization that is attached to

sexual abuse, rendering victims powerless, or even worse, made subject to obscene levels of

scrutiny and a barrage of unsolicited opinions. In a manifestation of deeply entrenched misogyny

and cultural practices that deem women as sub-ordinates at best, many women choose to stay

silent out of fear of being trolled, ‘slut-shamed’, losing their jobs, facing backlash from their

family or friends and being accused of trying to gain quick fame. Unfortunately, these fears are

not misplaced and are in fact, very realistic and valid. As evident by a multitude of cases in

Pakistan, be it Ali Zafar, Ukhano, or Junaid Akram, the accused have the luxury of social and

legal impunity, solely by virtue of being men. They continue to garner public support and excel

in their fields of work, undeterred by the number of allegations stacking against them. While this
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is not a weakness of the movement itself, it demonstrates that the success of #MeToo cannot be

solely judged on the basis of how it has unfolded in the Western status quo. Moreover, it is

important to acknowledge that the movement has not even trickled down to the rural areas which

lack access to internet services, restricting it to only those residing in urban cities. This creates a

division in society where only those privileged enough to have the luxury of modern-day forms

of communication can become part of the movement. This contributes to a culture of isolation as

those at the margins are further excluded, despite them needing the movement the most. Hence, a

wide range of issues are left unresolved as the movement fails to acknowledge the challenges

women would face in the context of nations that lie beyond the Western world.

Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that #MeToo has been unequivocally vital in

revolutionizing the culture of sexual abuse and demanding accountability for it. It has been

crucial in initiating conversion pertinent to a topic that had been highly stigmatized, allowing for

years of sorrow, tragedy and abuse to accumulate. It has empowered us to break free of echo

chambers and facilitate the normalization of discourse relevant to sexual abuse, challenging

long-standing beliefs and perceptions. In the two years since the rise of the movement, it has

achieved unparalleled victories in the face of powerful and rigid ideological institutions and

continues to make advancements, giving victims the opportunity to reclaim their agency in a

society dedicated to disempowering them. While discrepancies and impediments persist, they

cannot be grounds to dismiss the movement upon. The movement is mobilizing change around

us at an unprecedented rate and it is only the beginning.

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Works Cited

MacKinnon, Catherine. “Where #MeToo Came From, and Where It’s Going”. The Atlantic,
2019.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/03/catharine-mackinnon-what-metoo-has-
changed/585313/

North, Anna et al. “More than 250 powerful people have been accused of sexual misconduct in
the #MeToo era.” Vox.com, 2019.
https://www.vox.com/a/sexual-harassment-assault-allegations-list

Wexler, Lesley and Robbennolt, Jennifer K. #MeToo and Restorative Justice. American Bar
Association, 2019.
https://www.americanbar.org/groups/dispute_resolution/publications/dispute_resolution_magazi
ne/2019/winter-2019-me-too/metoo-and-restorative-justice/

Rafter, Michelle. “HR Responds to the #MeToo Movement – Workforce. Workforce.com, 2019.
https://www.workforce.com/2018/04/03/hr-responds-metoo-movement-2/

Carlsen, Audrey et al. "#Metoo Brought Down 201 Powerful Men. Nearly Half Of Their
Replacements Are Women.". Nytimes.Com, 2019,
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/23/us/metoo-replacements.html

Bolden-Barrett, Valerie. "New Report Compiles Sexual Harassment Policy Reforms Made Since
#Metoo". HR Dive, 2019,
https://www.hrdive.com/news/new-report-compiles-sexual-harassment-policy-reforms-made-
since-metoo/560675/

North, Anna. "Vox: 7 Positive Changes That Have Come From The #Metoo Movement".
Vox.com, 2019.
https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/10/4/20852639/me-too-movement-sexual-harassment-law-
2019

Mahfooz, Shabana. “#MeToo: A Failed Movement in Pakistan?” TRT World, 2019

https://www.trtworld.com/opinion/metoo-a-failed-movement-in-pakistan-23030
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