Women from the world of music and entertainment are among the hundreds of thousands who have taken online to speak out against sexual harassment.
Alyssa Milano spearheaded the ‘#MeToo’ campaign, encouraging others to share their experiences of sexual harassment and assault. The actress, activist and singer is hoping to raise awareness of not only how grave a problem it is, but how commonplace it remains in modern society.
“Me too,” reads her original Tweet. “Suggested by a friend: ‘if all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘me too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem’.”
Since then, thousands of women have shared their experiences – with musicians, artists and figures from the entertainment world encouraging others to do the same. Lady Gaga and Anna Paquin simply replied with ‘me too’, while London Grammar singer Hannah Reid spoke of how catcalling in the streets creates “an atmosphere of intimidation”, and the band Dream Wife shared a moving poem which culminates with the lines ‘I am not my body, I am somebody’.
Rose McGowan has also joined the conversation after she was temporarily blocked from Twitter amidst numerous Hollywood controversies surrounding Weinstein. McGowan was suspended from Twitter after tweeting actor Ben Affleck “fuck off“, before subsequently accusing him of playing down his knowledge of Weinstein’s actions.
If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet. pic.twitter.com/k2oeCiUf9n
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 15, 2017
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) October 15, 2017
Me too
— Anna Paquin (@AnnaPaquin) October 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/HannahfmreidLG/status/919874838310916096
https://twitter.com/HannahfmreidLG/status/919893734665400320
https://twitter.com/HannahfmreidLG/status/919894574314729473
#metoo pic.twitter.com/jHPYgsWCEw
— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) October 16, 2017
social media full of #metoo stories – hard day. To beat this, #consent must be part of #SRE. Make consent part of all discussion re. Sex
— safegigs4women (@safegigs4women) October 16, 2017
#meToo 🖤 Love to the brave humans that are sharing their stories. pic.twitter.com/mrC5deYgDz
— Dream Wife (@DreamWifeMusic) October 16, 2017
#metoo I’ve written a longer post here: https://t.co/EM0OZfaVWW pic.twitter.com/Lmhzgi3DeP
— The Anchoress (@The_Anchoress) October 16, 2017
To all the women sharing stories of sexual assault and sexual harassment, thank you for your bravery to speak up. You are not alone. #MeToo
— Women's March (@womensmarch) October 15, 2017
Me too https://t.co/ScX67Kmmiy
— Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) October 15, 2017
For help, advice, information or to donate to the fight against sexual harassment at gigs, clubs and festivals, visit Safe Gigs For Women.
The discussion around taking a stronger stance on fighting sexual harassment comes in the wake of the many allegations of rape and sexual assault levelled against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
Film producer Harvey Weinstein was fired from the board of his own company last weekend, and has come under intense scrutiny following the allegations, some of which date back decades.
The film producer is now facing criminal investigations and his own brother has spoken out against him, calling him “sick and depraved’.