People Share Photos Of Themselves At 14 To Condemn Roy Moore And His Defenders
People on Twitter are using a powerful hashtag to condemn Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore of Alabama amid the recent allegations that he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl.
North Carolina lawyer Catherine R.L. Lawson created the hashtag #MeAt14 a few hours after the news broke Thursday that Moore allegedly gave a 14-year-old girl alcohol and touched her inappropriately in 1979, when he was 32 years old. Three other women say that Moore pursued them sexually when they were between 16 and 18 years old.
While most Senate Republicans immediately distanced themselves from Moore, many GOP officials in Alabama stood by the Senate nominee. One Alabama Marion County GOP chairman even dismissed the allegations to the Toronto Star, insinuating that a 14-year-old can give consent.
“I shared a picture of me at 14 to illustrate there is no acceptable version of this story,” Lawson told BBC. “Teenagers can’t consent to a relationship with a grown man, ever.”
Can’t consent at 14.
Not in Alabama.
Not anywhere. #MeAt14 pic.twitter.com/AFUw1Ru4X2— Catherine R L Lawson (@catlawson) November 10, 2017
Moore responded to the allegations on Saturday, calling them “hurtful” and politically motivated, designed to ruin his Senate chances in a vote that will take place Dec. 12.
“I am not guilty of sexual misconduct with anyone,” Moore said. “I have the highest regard for protection of young women ... I have not provided alcoholic beverages, beer, or anything else to a minor.”
The #MeAt14 hashtag picked up steam when Lizz Winstead, co-creator of “The Daily Show,” tweeted a photo of herself at 14 on Saturday.
“This is me at 14. I was on the gymnastics team and sang in the choir. I was not dating a 32 year old man,” Winstead wrote, asking others to tweet a picture of their 14-year-old selves.
This is me at 14. I was on the gymnastics team and sang in the choir. I was not dating a 32 year old man. Who were you at 14? Tweet a pic, tell us who you were and pic to the top of your page #MeAt14 #NoMoore pic.twitter.com/HPVzMgaD8h
— Lizz Winstead (@lizzwinstead) November 12, 2017
Many women and men joined in on the #MeAt14 hashtag. Some described how naive they were at 14, reiterating that someone so young cannot give consent to a 32-year-old man.
Others shared photos of their teen selves along with their stories of sexual abuse and how they’ve healed.
Winstead told HuffPost she believes the hashtag resonated with so many people because “women profoundly understand that they are vulnerable to predators by their mere existence,” adding that “to hear ‘dating’ used by Moore as a way to lay blame on his 14-year-old victim was not going to stand.”
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#MeAt14 A CHILD. Nothing more. Any man who thinks otherwise should be locked up. pic.twitter.com/dMQDu4MsW4
— christine 💍 (@Masta1Christine) November 13, 2017
This is #MeAt14; although I was a HUGE Prince fan, I didn’t date a 32 yrs old man & they would have been scared to ask my Mom #NoMoore pic.twitter.com/ShuINPntjC
— Marie Delus (@MarieDelus) November 12, 2017
#MeAt14ِ I hid my school progress reports because I was failing math. Only thing I wanted was contact lenses. And a new Swatch. I was a nerd. And a child. pic.twitter.com/KZFVHVRct8
— barb sobel (@barbsobel) November 13, 2017
This is me at 14. I had just gotten my 1st job & was excited to be in my church’s fashion show. I wasn’t dating 30 yo men! #MeAt14 #NoMoore pic.twitter.com/XFF0pOhofa
— Areva Martin, Esq. (@ArevaMartin) November 13, 2017
This is me at 14. Likes: volleyball, singing in the choir (not very well) penny loafers, feathered hair and pink lip gloss. #MeAt14 #NoMoore pic.twitter.com/nV6l4fARJx
— Sheareh (@sheareh) November 13, 2017
In 1961, this is #MeAt14 in Decatur, IL. Growing up a “cute boy” in the 1950s, the predators weren’t just strangers. They were “friends & family.” The recent news has caused more flashbacks, PTSD, and caution than usual. Folks should know these are hard times for all survivors. pic.twitter.com/clScOr3gNL
— Loren Coleman (@CryptoLoren) November 13, 2017
This is me at 14, a shy and innocent bookworm. No way is a 14-yr-old developmentally prepared to date a 32-yr-old man. #MeAt14 #NoMoore pic.twitter.com/e5pYBcMyx3
— Fern Naomi Renville (@Fern_Renville) November 12, 2017
I was focused on my grades and dance class, and had just gotten my braces off #MeAt14 pic.twitter.com/pNL551xZ7R
— Holly Cukier (@HollyCukier) November 13, 2017
Me at 15. At #disneyworld with family. Only a year older than the kids that #raymoore had “affairs” with. Let’s be clear, 14 year olds are #children. So are 15 and 16 year olds. #nomoore #MeAt14 pic.twitter.com/pEpBq0MjCI
— Benish Shah (@benishshah) November 13, 2017
I wanted to be on Broadway. I️ wore too much jewelry, was dreaming about Ricky Schroeder & would not kiss a boy for another 2 yrs. #MeAt14 pic.twitter.com/k8ZANU3yGo
— Stephanie J. Block (@StephanieJBlock) November 13, 2017
A picture around the age when as a teen #MeAt14 when I was sexually assaulted, over 40 years ago. Still remember it to this day, though at the time I did not report it, nor tell anyone, since I didn't know it was assault. I do now,
That doesn't mean it didn't happen @MooreSenate pic.twitter.com/EjcxBluzCg— Timothy McBride (@mcbridetd) November 11, 2017
This is #MeAt14 , having already been abused by a grown man. I'm lost. Battling anorexia, bulimia, insomnia, low self esteem, I've already begun drinking.
This is what the aftermath of sexual abuse looks like. #NoMoore pic.twitter.com/D9loYOAJZp— Laura Parrott Perry (@lparrottperry) November 13, 2017
#MeAt14 if anyone saw me as a sexual being at this point in my life, there is a serious issue pic.twitter.com/OppQ2uKgNT
— rumple fugly (@nutsintheair) November 13, 2017
#MeAt14 All I wanted to do was play softball. I was attacked by a neighbor boy who had snuck into our house. I fought him and broke the kitchen. My stepfather beat me and said it was my fault. #NoMoore pic.twitter.com/XtnOqBGrpV
— OMG IM🍑 This👹 (@weatherbee_lisa) November 13, 2017
Big names like actress Alyssa Milano, journalists Gretchen Carlson and Katie Couric, and author Jenny Han weighed in on the #MeAt14 conversation.
“I was eating a lot of chocolate chip cookie dough and learning to do the ‘hustle’ and not worrying about a 32 year old man trying to hustle me,” Couric tweeted with a photo of herself as a teenager.
Milano wrote: “I worshipped my brother. I loved my dog, Pucci. I loved OMD. I had Big hair. I was happy. I was innocent.”
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#MeAt14 I worshipped my brother. I loved my dog, Pucci. I loved OMD. I had Big hair. I was happy. I was innocent.
Please share your #MeAt14. pic.twitter.com/ccPyVHgcVS— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) November 12, 2017
Thx @lizzwinstead - This is #MeAt14 #NoMoore pic.twitter.com/DazKKLSmAC
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) November 13, 2017
This is me at 14. I liked to bake cookies and read. My favorite perfume was Victoria’s Secret Freesia. I had a crush on a boy named George. #MeAt14 #NoMoore pic.twitter.com/ROaJfi1a4i
— Jenny Han (@jennyhan) November 12, 2017
I was eating a lot of chocolate chip cookie dough and learning to do the “hustle” and not worrying about a 32 year old man trying to hustle me. #MeAt14 pic.twitter.com/xp7UPiiZdq
— Katie Couric (@katiecouric) November 12, 2017
Head over to Twitter to read more #MeAt14 stories.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.