THE #METOO MOVEMENT GLENDORA STALEY NOVEMBER December 4th , 2018 SOCIOLOGY 100-DO1 1 The #MeToo Movement was created over a decade ago in 2007, by Activist Tarana Burke. Tarana is an Activist and Advocate, not only for women of color but, all women who have suffered some form of sexual abuse. Tarana created the campaign as a way to reach sexual assault survivors in under privileged communities.

The #MeToo Movement first exploded on Twitter and then the Red Carpet. Many women actors started coming forward telling their stories of sexual assault, and sexual harassment by people in the entertainment industry. The #MeToo Movement, was inspired by Tarana Burke, after hosting a summer camp for underprivileged girls through her non-profit organization she founded in Harlem, New York, called “Just Be Inc”. The non-profit organization “focused on the health, and well being of young women of color. Tarana, encountered a young girl at the summer camp, who revealed that her mother’s boyfriend had been sexually abusing her.

Tarana started helping communities where they did not have a rape crisis center and did not even have sexual asualt workers for victims of sexual abuse to contact for help. This is how the #MeToo movement came to be. In an interview with CNN, Tarana stated , “It’s not a viral campaign for me . It’s about a movement “, Tarana went on to express that the #MeToo movement “is a bold statement that says “I’m not alone, I’m not ashamed”. Being a victim of rape at the age of six years old, then sexually asualted as a teenager, Tarana statement is from Survivor to Survivor, saying, I understand you, and I’m here for you. Thanks to the help of actress Alyssa Milano, who used Social Media sites like Twitter to invite those who have been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment to have a voice and speak on their experiences.

The #MeToo movement is a Social Media movement, but none the less a movement which gives helps to women, helps them heal and help women rebound from their trauma. “The #Metoo movement”, which started on Twitter, is now a major platform on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and many other sites where women are able to share their experiences of sexual abuse, thus far more that twelve million people have engaged with the #MeToo Movement. 2 The #MeToo movement has given women the courage to confront their abusers. An example of this would be the recent conviction of Actor Bill Cosby, many women spoke up and told their stories of sexual assault, and rape inflicted by the actor, who was indicted, found guilty, and sentenced to prison for his crimes.

Another prominent figure in the public eye, that has been accused of sexual assault is Harvey Weinstein, This social media explosion has led to several publications in major magazines, speaking on the sexual harassment by men across all professions latest report sparked a movement that called for the acknowledged agency and equality of women. The Cosmopolitan Magazine for instance, advises people to post on Social Media feeds about movements that outrage them. Saying that “Nobody can carry a Movement by themselves”.

The mass behavior triggered by the #Me Too movement has encouraged many women to come forward and say that they too were victims of sexual misconduct by men they either worked with or worked for. Many of these men have faced criminal charges. Many lost their jobs and were replaced by women.

There has been several high-profile people that made headline news for either resigning or being fired after these accusations of sexual misconduct, besides Bill Cosby and Harvey Einstein, another prominent television personality, Bill O’Reily, who hosted the CBS Nightly News, resigned after allegations of sexual harassment. The problem is that while there has been some improvement in the workplace with sexual harassment, the Federal Law does not protect women who work freelance or smaller companies that don’t employ many people, which means that the perpetrators of sexual misconduct often go unpunished for their crimes against women. The #MeToo movement is enabling women to speak out and hold these men accountable for their crimes. This mass behavior is spreading like wildfires, not only with social media, but major news forums and talk shows, where victims of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment are being heard for the first time. 3 The Relative Deprivation Theory to platform the #MeToo movement, has empowered not just women, but all victims of sexual abuse, sexual assault, and sexual harassment to take action against their perpetrators.

The Relative Deprivation Theory has helped pave the way for people to take action, confront their abusers and heal from their experiences. The Relative Deprivation Theory has encouraged people to advocate for the who otherwise would not have a voice. For far too long, many people have suffered in silence, now they are able to get justice, as many abusers are being charged with rape, sexual assault or sexual harassment, not just in the entertainment industry, but in the workplace, and in homes where women and children are being sexually abused. Social movements can start with one person, and grow to millions. It takes one person to speak out on a issue that, not only the person has experienced, but other people who may not have had the courage. The Relative Deprivation Theory platforms the #MeToo movement because it has given voice to many people who share the same experiences. People who have suffered in silence, now have a voice and are speaking about their own experiences with sexual abuse, rape, and sexual harassment.

Because of the relative deprivation theory, The #MeToo movement has brought widespread knowledge of the issue of sexual abuse and has gotten the attention of people who never really thought about the effects that sexual abuse has on a person. People are now being held accountable for their actions. The Relative Deprivation Theory has empowered women, to come together and express their outrage on the sexual treatment of not just women of color, but all women, who share the same experiences. Many people have joined forces to ensure that these injustices against people are dealt with in the legal system, as many men have been charged, convicted, fired or resigned from high profile professions. The Relative Deprivation Theory is much like the Mass Society Theory, where one voice can turn into millions. REFERENCES:https://www.

ajc.com/news/world/who-tarana-burke-meet-the-woman-who-started-the-too-movement-decade-ago/i8NEiuFHKaIvBh9ucukidK/ Updated Dec 06, 2017 By Najja Parker, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution https://www.thelist.com/110186/woman-behind-metoo-movement/https://www.

theguardian.com/world/metoo-movementhttps://variety.com/2018/biz/features/tarana-burke-metoo-one-year-later-1202954797/https://www.

chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-sexual-harassment-tipping-point-20171027-story.htmlVikki Ortiz and Angie Leventis LourgosContact ReportersChicago Tribun Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-me-too-campaign-was-created-by-a-black-woman-10-years-ago_us_59e61a7fe4b02a215b336feehttps://www.cosmopolitan.

com/politics/a19745340/how-to-start-a-movement/https://www.enotes.com/research-starters/social-movement-theory-relative-deprivation-theory”Social Movement Theory: Relative Deprivation Theory” Research Starters eNotes.com, Inc.

eNotes.com 21 Nov, 2018