#MeToo: Alyssa Milano's Call For Sexual Abuse Victims To Come Forward Goes Viral
#MeToo quickly became the top trending Twitter hashtag Sunday night as women spoke up to show the world just how common sexual harassment and sexual assault are.
It started with a tweet from actress Alyssa Milano, who was citing a friend:
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
The #MeToo movement was originally created by organizer Tarana Burke in 2007. Burke recently told Ebony Magazine that she created the campaign as a grass-roots movement to reach sexual assault survivors in underprivileged communities.
Milano’s tweet came after a number of women stepped forward with sexual harassment and sexual assault allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein, who was kicked out of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Saturday over the accusations.
The tweet drew more than 25,000 responses in a matter of hours, with many people replying “me too.” It started with Milano herself:
Me too.
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 15, 2017
Here are some other replies from people coming forward:
Me, too #MeToo
— Anika Noni Rose (@AnikaNoniRose) October 15, 2017
Me too https://t.co/ScX67Kmmiy
— Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) October 15, 2017
This. #MeToo https://t.co/oYiyeMxvuy
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) October 15, 2017
Me too
— Anna Paquin (@AnnaPaquin) October 15, 2017
#metoo I was raped by my mother and a male family member, sexually assaulted as a model, sexually harassed by the director of my agency.
— Nikki DuBose (@TheNikkiDuBose) October 15, 2017
Me too. I don’t know if means anything coming from a gay man but it’s happened. Multiple times.
— Javier Muñoz (@JMunozActor) October 15, 2017
FIRST time I was sexually assaulted I was a 6th grade crossing guard. Man pulled up and exposed himself to me. The fear was real #MeToo
— Kim Weaver (@KimWeaverIA) October 15, 2017
It's not flattering to be sexually harassed. It's degrading and it's meant to remind you that you're worthless. No one "asks for it." #MeToo
— Emily Lindin (@EmilyLindin) October 15, 2017
To all the brave women and men admitting they have been sexually harassed and assaulted, I feel and know your pain. #MeToo
— Jeramie Rain (@jeramiedreyfuss) October 16, 2017
Let me just cut to the chase with the #metoo trend. Dear men, nearly every woman you know has been sexually assaulted or harassed.
— Shannon Stirone (@shannonmstirone) October 16, 2017
A well meaning mentor told me at 25 that people couldn't handle hearing about sexual abuse and it would sink my ministry. It didn't. #MeToo
— Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) October 16, 2017
#MeToo
And I was blamed for it.
I was told not to talk about it.
I was told that it wasn't that bad.
I was told to get over it.— Najwa Zebian (@najwazebian) October 16, 2017
We shouldn't have to out ourselves as survivors in order for people to grasp the magnitude of how systemic assault & harassment are. #MeToo
— Lara Witt (@Femmefeministe) October 16, 2017
we say "survivor" bc you couldve died, mentally or physically & maybe on some level u did die but somehow ur still here. ur a miracle #MeToo
— 🎃Lane Moore🎃 (@hellolanemoore) 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
We wouldn’t need a #MeToo thread if it wasn’t for the commonly accepted lie that #MeToo doesn’t extend to every woman we know.
— Rachel Moran (@RachelRMoran) October 15, 2017
This is how we roared today: we spoke our truth. @Twitter this is power of women.
STOP online harassment or lose us!#WomenWhoRoar #MeToo— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) October 15, 2017
Men,
Don't say you have a mother, a sister, a daughter...
Say you have a father, a brother, a son who can do better.
We all can.#MeToo— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) October 16, 2017
People who have been sexually assaulted are saying #MeToo to show how widespread the problem is. https://t.co/MXFKGdQmEn
— Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) October 15, 2017
For anyone who needs support tonight ❤️ #metoo pic.twitter.com/SfuoiznWtE
— Break the Cycle (@BreaktheCycleDV) October 16, 2017
Some people on Twitter said that although the hashtag is important, the constant need for survivors to share their stories of assault is exhausting. #YesAllWomen, #WhyIStayed, #YouOKSis and #EverdaySexism are just a few hashtags that ask women to share their experiences of sexual harassment, assault and other forms of sexual violence.
"The hashtag just breaks my heart. On one level, it's wonderful to hear that this horrifying thing hasn't just happened to one of us, or a few of us, but seemingly to all of us," stand-up comedian Lane Moore told Bustle. "But that solace quickly turns into an overwhelming feeling of powerlessness and sadness and fear and horror because when will it stop?"
Others noted that many survivors may not be ready to share their stories ― and said that’s OK, too.
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I'm tired of things like #MeToo popping up every few months in another effort to make people believe us. How many hashtags will this take?
— Claire Shannon (@clamshannon) October 16, 2017
i hope i live long enough to see the day when my female friends are writing #MeToo on social media to mean"i finally feel safe in the world"
— 🎃Lane Moore🎃 (@hellolanemoore) October 15, 2017
Me too but: pic.twitter.com/e0M1ziWd8L
— Emily McCombs (@msemilymccombs) October 16, 2017
Reminder that if a woman didn't post #MeToo, it doesn't mean she wasn't sexually assaulted or harassed. Survivors don't owe you their story.
— Alexis Benveniste (@apbenven) October 16, 2017
I hope people remember that behind every public declaration of #metoo are countless women who can’t say it, for whatever reason
— ecto gammat (@cattelady) October 16, 2017
If sharing your story is empowering, great. If not sharing your story is empowering, great. There's no right or wrong way to be a survivor.
— Jenavieve Hatch (@jenavievehatch) October 16, 2017
Head over to Twitter to read more #MeToo stories.
This article has been updated with information about the original creator of the #MeToo campaign and responses to the #MeToo hashtag and .
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.