In 2014, a video on catcalling made international news as a woman in New York filmed the frequency in which she was catcalled in a 10 hour period. In 2017 the hashtag #MeToo went viral as a Hollywood scandal revealed just how many women shared the same experience. In 2018 the advocacy group Times Up was created with the goal to find solutions and relief for victims of sexual assault. In 2021 we are still facing push back and lack of recognition for those who have suffered these violent crimes.
These events publicly raised questions about the validity of experiences, appropriate behavior, women in public spaces, bodily autonomy, age, regional culture, socialized norms, severity, law, definition, and human rights. Social media was flooded with debates, and what was meant to be a phrase of solidarity quickly melted down into fighting, threats, and resistance – largely by men.
It seemed that almost over night our social expectations around how men interact with women changed. As one clinical psychologist; Dr. Jordan Peterson, pointed out in an interview with The Economist, “Everyone becomes uncomfortable when they don’t know what the rules are, and now we don’t know what the rules are and it turns out there are way more of them than we thought.” (The Economist, 00:10:15 – 00:10:24)Peterson’s position stands against the #MeToo movement but highlights a valid discussion point: What are the rules? And why are they changing now?
Social media and access to a large amount of information is a key player in how we learn and recognize events. According to Center for Strategic and International Studies “mass protests increased annually by an average of 11.5 percent from 2009 to 2019 across all regions of the world.” (Brennen et. al., March 2020) South Africa saw large protests with women continentally rallying against politicians and demanding fair justice for victims as a result from the #MeToo movement.
As for the rules? Chances are they have been largely the same, just that we are able to communicate and share stories more effectively to a wider audience.
References:
Catcalling Video: 10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman
Time’s Up: https://timesupnow.org/
The Economist – #MeToo: How It’s Changing The World: #Metoo: how it’s changing the world | The Economist
Center for Strategic and International Studies: https://www.csis.org/analysis/age-mass-protests-understanding-escalating-global-trend