It’s everywhere. That hashtag. I saw it up as a friend’s status on Facebook. I made it my own a few seconds later. That was yesterday. Today, a very large percentage of the women on my list of friends have the same or a variant of it as their status.
I look at those stupid buttons that Facebook has developed to react to things and I don’t know what to click.
Like? No, I don’t like that it happened to you too. That you are part of the population that has to take part in a movement like this. I don’t like that at all.
Love? That’s what I’m sending you because you’re my sister in this. It was you yesterday. It was me the day before. It could be her tomorrow if we don’t do something.
That amazed button? Because I’m in shock that you too have experienced what I have.
Tears? Because there was no one to protect you when it happened, like there was no one to protect me.
Anger? Because the nature of the issue is such that no one is spared. No one is safe. No one.
I don’t know how to react. All I do know is that it’s time sexual harassment and assault – to whatever degree – is taken seriously.
It happened to you?
#MeToo.
******
Post 17 in the UBC this month.
Filed under: Essay, Personal, UBC October, Ultimate Blog Challenge Tagged: #MeToo, assault, Facebook, harassment, personal, sexual abuse, UBC, UBC October, voice