MAY 2014 #yesallwomen launches conversation between women about their experiences with sexism and sexual harassment. within 4 days #yesallwomen was used 1.2 million times
OCT 5, 2017 NYT prints first allegations against film executive Harvey Weinstein
OCT 15, 2017 Alyssa Milano's original #MeToo tweet
DARIA LOCHER Design by Leslie Liu, ASSISTANT DESIGN DIRECTOR
We find ourselves in the midst of the
this hashtag would simply give people
assortment of communities than any
dozens of allegations of sexual mis-
wouldn’t gain traction through measur-
to a Bustle article by JR Thorpe. In the
Harvey Weinstein trial, stemming from
transient “hope and inspiration” and
conduct and ultimately producing five
able action off Twitter. The world saw
years, these women, and many more
enthusiasm shown in the ALS Ice Buck-
counts of criminal sexual abuse. For
survivors, silently harbored these criminal acts taken against them. That is,
this in 2014 with the viral but surface et Challenge.
until October 2017 opened a floodgate
At the time, neither #metoo’s architect
words that began a remarkable, yet
tributor Abby Ohlheiser could fathom
with the viral hashtag #MeToo—two harrowing, movement.
On October 19, 2017, Chicago Tribune published an article written by Abby Ohlheiser discussing how “#MeToo, the
Tarana Burke nor Chicago Tribune conthis longstanding, continuously grow-
ing movement that is changing laws and taking down predatory men two and a half years later.
viral hashtag, seemed to gain traction
#MeToo showed that this incredibly iso-
it brought new meaning to an important
event of people’s life stories was an ex-
as if by magic. It appeared, it spread, issue, and in a week, it will no longer be news.” This was how Twitter hashtags demanding social change usually ended (a notable further exception being #blacklivesmatter).
So, why else
would this movement be any different?
Even Tarana Burke, the original coiner of the term “me too,” predicted that
viral hashtag ever before, according first 24 hours, twelve million posts and
comments from 85 countries revolved around this topic. Fast forward one year
later and Pew’s research found that the hashtag #MeToo had been used more
than 19 million times on Twitter. Twitter users were naming their abusers in the hopes of destroying their careers so they couldn’t take advantage of anyone else ever again. This movement— still going on today—started as a viral
digital trend, but its effects have been acute and long-lasting.
lating, violating, and often most private
Now, let me introduce you to the idea
perience shared by millions. Statistics
path that develops across the grass in
from the Pew Research Center indicate that half a million people replied to the original #MeToo tweet within 24 hours;
over 1.7 million tweets came out within
45 days. On Facebook, 45% of American users had a friend who posted #MeToo—coming from a more diverse
of a “desire path.” This is the type of Mudd Field because inefficient paved walkways don’t account for running to
class from the DUC to Bauer. Wikipedia
defines it as the shortest or most easily navigated route between an origin
and destination. 99% Invisible writer, Kurt Kohlstedt, explains that “informal
