Me, too is trending on social media. The idea being that if all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote "Me too." as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.
I think that if you’re a women in today’s society, the answer to this is most likely a resounding “me, too.” The outcome of our 2016 presidential election was that a man who endorsed grabbing ‘em by the pussy won while the person who has such a body part lost. Grabbing them by the pussy is the behavior America cosigned and was then outraged when allegations of Harvey Weinstein sexually harassing and assaulting women emerged. ‘Merica. Can’t have it both ways… stripping women of their rights, showing how we value our wives, sisters, mothers, daughters by casting a vote for pussy grabbing and then being outraged when we learned that Weinstein made that very grab time and time again.
National Coming Out Day was earlier this week. I remember seeing Milk in the theaters back in 2008 when it was released and realizing just how important coming out was. I definitely pass as a straight women so the fact that I have a wife is often surprising to people who assume that my spouse is a man. I guess you could call this “straight privilege”. You cannot conceal your race or your gender. After seeing Milk, I didn’t feel right about concealing the fact that I had a partner who was the same sex that I am. Harvey Milk is quoted as saying:
“Gay brothers and sisters,... You must come out. Come out... to your parents... I know that it is hard and will hurt them but think about how they will hurt you in the voting booth! Come out to your relatives... come out to your friends... if indeed they are your friends. Come out to your neighbors... to your fellow workers... to the people who work where you eat and shop... come out only to the people you know, and who know you. Not to anyone else. But once and for all, break down the myths, destroy the lies and distortions. For your sake. For their sake. For the sake of the youngsters who are becoming scared by the votes from Dade to Eugene.”
Think about how they will hurt you in the voting booth. Yes. As a woman. And, in my case, as a woman married to another women, yes. I’ll keep coming out, because it’s not a one and done. I’ll keep speaking up to, as my wife says, “Smash the fucking patriarchy.”
If you posted, "Me, too." on social media. I'm sorry that you had this experience, although I'm not surprised. If you had this experience and cast your ballot for pussy grabbing, I hope you think about what it was like to experience that sexual harassment or assault the next time you enter a voting booth.