International
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Relations In this section: 26: #MeToo: The Hashtag That Caused an Unfortunate Throwback 28: How Popular Protest can Protect the Policy Space 30: Why Protests Won’t end Anytime Soon
#MeToo: The Hashtag That Caused an Unfortunate Throwback By Sarina Bastrup This article will be focusing on #MeToo as an umbrella term used to highlight the tendencies of sexual harassment and assault, specifically in the western, white-collar, work environment. As #MeToo is such a broad movement, both geographically and content wise, there are many ways to approach and measure the success of the movement. While this article will argue that the successes of the movement in this particular aspect were limited, this is not a reflection of the many other areas and definitions of #MeToo worldwide where a great variety of extensive successes can be measured.
KCL Politics Society
The #MeToo movement was a historical revolution. In just 5 days it went from being a single exposé by the New York Times on Harvey Weinstein and his many indiscretions and assaults, to being a worldwide online phenomena which highlighted the systematic tendency and unspoken frequency of sexual assault and harassment. To me, it was going to be life changing. Or at least so everyone told me. I was 19 when #MeToo
“The idea that men would accidentally or unknowingly participate in actions of harassment is just blatantly false.” broke out. A recent high school graduate, working my first full time job, applying for universities on the side. In other words: The world was at my feet, and my life was just about to begin. By all accounts and
assumptions, the #MeToo movement would greatly change my life for the better. I would enter into a new and improved workforce, where harassment would be unacceptable, and speaking out about in case it did happen, would be much easier. However, two years later, as the backlash of the movement starts to surface, it appears that the initial heartened, optimistic response to #MeToo may have been premature. Although the movement is only two years old there are already several black on white pieces of legislation which were brought about by the #MeToo movement, aimed at preventing or combatting many of the aspects, victim where using the movement to shed light on. In France, for example, the minister for gender equality under President Macron, Marlene Schiappa, successfully introduced provisions to ban catcalling and verbal harassment. An initiative which resulted in more than 450 fines in 10 months. In the United States, 15 states passed and ratified the so-called “Me Too Bill” establishing provisions about workplace harassment. While, most noteworthy, the International Labour Or-
