While the efficacy of speaking out has been proven over and over again to not necessarily diminish the ill effects, in the past it might have even made things worse. Although the #NoMeansNo campaign was started in the early 1990s, it did not actually take hold until the #MeToo Movement. That was what turned the tide on how the public treats allegations of sexual harassment.
No Means No has always meant no – Yes Means Yes.
The drip, drip, drip about sexual harassment began with household names like Jian Ghomeshi and Bill Cosby. The flood gates were released when the acts of sexual assault surrounding Harvey Weinstein hit the news.
When GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, bragged about grabbing women ‘by the pussy’ the stage was set for the moment of truth-telling and accountability-demanding.
Women’s voices are finally being heard, but feminists have to be prepared for a backlash. The fact is: men still dominate positions of power. The worrying part of the movement is this: should any one of these accusations end up false it won’t be the ‘big men’ who see their positions threatened. It’ll be all feminists, including every woman who speaks out against a powerful man.
Pushing for female power, or placing women at the top of industry, won’t totally eliminate abuse, but it could certainly lessen it.
Buy the novel: ‘No Means No’
“Linda has published fifteen books. She blogs about the publishing world. Posting useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work. How to build your online platform. Getting reviews and how to self-publish.”