For my first blog post assignment, I wanted to incorporate the #MeToo movement that has been ever so prevalent in our class over the past couple of weeks. The article that I chose was published by The Washington Post and is called “#Metoo raised awareness about sexual misconduct. Has it curbed bad behavior?” The author of this article, Ellen McCarthy, brings up the reported cases of sexual assault against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and how his behavior was maintained because of his position of power.
To break down the article, McCarthy begins with the betrayal that is felt because of atrocities that Cuomo performed without consent. Cuomo was known for being a “public advocate for legislation that has made it easier for women in his state to seek redress for sexual harassment and rape,” so it raises the question as to how his words and actions could be so contradictory? Instead of the thought that men had learned how to control their sexual insinuations/conduct towards women from the #MeToo movement, only awareness, and victim understanding were raised which does not curb the behavior.
It is made clear in the article that this type of behavior has not decreased because of the “power dynamic” that primarily men hold over women. This call for change will only occur if mindsets change, but the system is not one that will protect the innocent, instead, it is “set up to protect powerful people,” says, former policy attorney at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Elaine Herskowitz. But just because these powerful individuals have deluded themselves to believe their actions are appropriate, does not mean that reports have not continued to be filed against them. In 2018, a 13 percent increase in harassment claims were made, which is “attributed to the #MeToo movement.” Filed claims have still continued to rise because of the #MeToo movement, but it is counterintuitive to report with pride that claims have increased because it draws attention to the fact that sexual harassment is still just as frequent as before. With that being said, a professor at the University of Colorado who has done studies on the #MeToo movement’s impact on women found that sexual coercion such as “have sex with me or you’re fired” is less common, and harassment claims are less severe. Blatant harassment is still plentiful and Susan Strauss attributes that to “…some men that have a pathology that drives them to view women in this way. I think some will say, ‘Well, it’s not that big a deal. She needs to pull up her bootstraps and deal with it.’ And some will say, ‘Well, if it’s not so bad that it’s illegal then I’m just going to continue to do it.’ ” With this harmful mindset, the hope for change from the #MeToo movement will be stunted until legislation is passed that allows victims to speak out against their offenders.
As more women are appointed to higher positions in companies, with an accompanied higher wage, less hierarchal sexual harassment will occur. The first step in this battle for a change of behavior today begins with Andrew Cuomo’s resignation which “constitutes a win for the (#MeToo) movement.”
I enjoyed this article because it breaks down the effects of the #MeToo movement, which is what I have only read about in the book we are covering in class. I liked being able to apply what I have already read to modern-day cases of sexual assault/harassment. The #MeToo movement is doing wonderful things by empowering women, now workplace behavior needs to be the focal point that needs to shift for the better for consistent change.