The #metoo movement last year really struck a chord with me.
(For those of you who aren’t on social media or don’t know what I’m talking about, you can read about it here.)
Yes, I am a #metoo’er.
I’m not on twitter, so I didn’t tweet it to the world. I’m not sure I would have anyway. Harassment is such a ‘normal’ part of our culture I didn’t even really realize how wrong or inappropriate it all was until the most recent episode.
This past summer, a man who I thought was a friend ran his hand along my inner thigh and asked me some questions that were far too personal.
It’s funny how we react in those situations. I didn’t say something to him immediately, I let him go past my limit of okayness because it took me a minute to process what was happening. Then I stopped him and told him he had gone too far.
And he had gone too far, I already felt violated.
Then my self talk went something like this…”why didn’t you listen to the signs? Why didn’t you pay attention to the red flags? Why didn’t you say something before you felt violated?” Blaming myself for what had just happened. Maybe the voice in my head had some points, but it doesn’t make what he did ok.
I told 4 people about it. 2 girlfriends who know him, one who didn’t, and my cranio sacral lady because thankfully I was on her table the next day and she was able to clear the violated energy I was still feeling very strongly.
It was the #metoo movement that helped me understand how wrong it all is.
So now I’m telling all of you. I now understand that if we don’t talk about it and recognize the violations we felt, we are putting our sons and daughters at risk.
If we keep it quiet it is still a ‘normal’ part of our culture.
One part of the #metoo movement that really struck me was when the men started speaking up about their role and how they would overlook another mans inappropriate behaviour.
This is why we need to talk about it.
When everyone turns a blind eye it can keep happening because it’s normalized.
But if we start talking about it, bringing awareness to how we are all affected by it, and standing up for what’s right and not right, there is hope for change.