Anyone who doubts the power of words need only look to Me Too for proof.
With just those two words – and a hashtag – a movement was born, shedding light on the pervasive nature of sexual violence. Tarana Burke, who founded Me Too in 2006, spoke at the recent AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse) Heart of a Woman Luncheon. Before her keynote, Burke, 45, talked to members of the media about the movement and what comes next.
On speaking at the AVDA event: There are so many intersections between domestic violence and sexual violence that I don’t think people pay attention to.
On how Me Too has evolved: Since Me Too exploded, we’ve gotten a larger platform. But we have much more work to do because there are so many people whose needs aren’t being met. Our work now is to shift the narrative away from what the media has focused on – perpetrators and individual instances – and look at the systemic problem and what needs to happen to change things.
On what needs to happen: We need a shift in how we think about sexual violence. We need to educate people about consent, respect and boundaries at a really early age so they’re socialized differently. We’ve all been socialized to accept violence as normal. The more we push back against it – that’s what this movement does. It says this is not normal. We shouldn’t accept it. And people should be able to say, ‘I have a right to say what happens to my body.’ I’m hoping, as we shift that language, we also shift culture.
On celebrities joining the movement: I could go and give these talks all over the country, but if Ashley Judd says it, it says something different to people. They feel connected to celebrities. When [celebrities] say they’ve had an experience that relates to something you’ve experienced, that makes people feel comforted, and they get to watch those people survive publicly. It’s been helpful in moving the needle forward.
On why Me Too encourages survivors to speak out: It’s power in numbers. Those brave first ones who came forward created a pathway, and it allowed [the public] to see what happens. They saw pushback but also a groundswell of support. When you see that and the number of people coming forward, it creates a level of comfort. The part about Me Too that’s so useful is that it’s succinct. You can tell your whole story in two words. You don’t have to give details. You don’t have to talk about it. But you also know you’re not alone.
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