Both “Black Lives Matter” and the “Me Too Movement” have become divisive movements, causing controversy in the nation. “Black Lives Matter” was a movement that began as a way to fight back against the police shooting unarmed African-Americans while the “Me Too Movement” was fully formed in October of 2017 and was used to combat sexual harassment in and outside of the workplace. They both have a common message and theme of bringing justice to their accusers, yet the “Me Too Movement” seems to have overshadowed “Black Lives Matter” in scope and promotion and gained more traction for their cause, despite the fact that the “Me Too Movement” came before “Black Lives Matter” and that both movements were started by black women, leading many to believe if “Black Lives Matter” really still matters.
The “Me Too Movement” has spread and basically become the norm in America’s society, nowadays. Of course, it is only fair that the men that have been accused and found guilty of harassing, or worse, raping these women should be punished to the highest extent, but it does not seem as important when discussing the “Black Lives Matter” Movement.
In some recent news, the “Me Too Movement” struck again when Cleveland radio station pulled the hit Christmas song ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside’. Glenn Anderson, a station host, said, “The world we live in is extra sensitive now, and people get easily offended, but in a world where #MeToo has finally given women the voice they deserve, the song has no place." Furthermore, Mary Nahorniak says, “Even if the intentions aren't sinister, it’s simply exhausting to be a woman in that situation. In the original score, the male part is written as a 'wolf' and the woman as a 'mouse' – that speaks volumes about male predatory behavior. Many women know what it’s like to feel trapped by a man, whether emotionally or physically. In those situations, it doesn’t matter how it began or why she wants to leave, it only matters that she wants to go, now" (USA Today). It might seem just a little petty that people are in uproar of a Christmas song with a seemingly innocent melody. Nobody is saying that you have to remain under somebody else’s thumb. This article encourages that people choose for themselves and make their own decisions. However, this #metoo outrage over a song is child’s play for the following.
According to Psychology Today, “A young African-American man ‘profiled’ by George Zimmerman, serving in the capacity of a ‘neighborhood watch’ volunteer, as being ‘up to no good’ and followed as he walked home through his own neighborhood that fateful rainy night in 2012. A scuffle ensued, and Zimmerman, taking a beating, pulled out his personal pistol and shot Martin dead in what the mainly caucasian jury decided was self-defense” (Psychology Today). George Zimmerman was acquitted for first following and then shooting Trayvon Martin, an unarmed teenager. African-Americans have already expressed their disgust with the verdict and yet Zimmerman still remains a free man. To compare a movement being upset over a Christmas song and another movement upset about a teen being followed, profiled and shot dead will have many people thinking that we, as a country, have a long way to go.
Furthermore, it doesn't help “Black Lives Matter” heal any faster knowing that both movements were started by black women and that the “Me Too Movement” came out four years after its BLM counterpart. To add insult to injury, the “Me Too Movement” has been highly publicized by multiple media outlets and endorsed by multiple celebrities. It has even spawned a #SeeHer movement, while “Black Lives Matter” has been called a hate group by far-right conservatives and has had counter movements that included “All Lives Matter” and the ever-so controversial “Blue Lives Matter” and it seems that the BLM movement has met its match with both of these movements. To make matters even worse, for “BLM”, “Me Too” was actually started in 2006 to prevent sexual assault. It wasn’t taken seriously until Harvey Weinstein’s promiscuous behavior leaked in 2017. When it comes to the “Black Lives Matter” movement, the Boston Globe has even reported, “The racially charged debate about President Trump’s reaction to the violence in Charlottesville has spilled into the Massachusetts Republican Party, where leaders are grappling with a proposed resolution condemning bigotry and hate speech. The issue, members say, is whether to specifically denounce some left-leaning groups — including Black Lives Matter — along with neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan as ‘reactionary and radical’ (Boston Globe).
The only polar opposite movement that “Me Too” has had to deal with is the “Him Too Movement” which has almost faded into oblivion and has had little to no effect in popular culture.
Me Too’s ideology has spread through most of Hollywood and America targeting anyone (mostly men) who are abusing or behaving inappropriately towards their coworkers (specifically women). There have been very few cases where the man has accused the women of harassment or “sexist” behavior. The only prominent case of a woman has been “Me Too’d” was when Melanie Martinez’s was accused of raping Timothy Heller, a straight woman.
In other and much more prominent “Me Too” news, Amber Heard’s allegations of being physically and emotionally abused by her then-husband Johnny Depp has spread like wildfire and both parties have claimed that it cost them movie opportunities. Depp more so ever since we all figured out that he was ousted by Disney from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. As a result of these allegations, Depp has been cut down and declared by WatchMojo as one of the most hated celebrities of 2018, while Heard has received nothing but praise and empathy from the “Me Too Movement” for her plight as an alleged abused woman.
Meanwhile, on a lesser known topic in the world, The Independent has reported, “Chicago police say they are investigating an incident where police officers handcuffed a 10-year-old black boy, causing him to urinate himself and then cry as his family told police that the handcuffs were completely unnecessary. The circumstances were caught on camera, showing the frightened 10-year-old — identified later as Michael Thomas Jr — quietly sitting on the hood of a car after police secured his arms behind his back. Police say they had received a call that a young boy they say matched his description had been ‘passing out a gun’ (Independent). A young black boy was, like many others like him, profiled by the police and terrified the young boy to tears.
Chicago Superintendent of Police Eddie Johnson said, “‘The call came out as a young man, 10 to 12 years old, that was passing out a gun. And the description fully matched the individual that they stopped,” he said. “Now keep in mind, it is difficult for an officer to tell right off the bat if you’re 10 years old, 12 years old, 14 — that’s just difficult to do. So they handcuffed the kid for safety reasons because he did match that description’. Mr Johnson noted that is police department was investigating the incident in case there was any misunderstanding. People present during the handcuffing say that it took the police at least 15 minutes to take the handcuffs off” (Independent).
The incident occurred in mid-2018, when “Me Too” was very-much celebrated. It was a movement that promoted equality for all and wanted everyone to have the same opportunities. Yet, the movement failed to notice the incident where a 10-year-old black boy was unjustly handcuffed because he “matched a description”. The movement’s equality propaganda botched a perfectly good opportunity for solidarity that slipped through their fingers. Yet, Amber Heard claims domestic violence against Johnny Depp and she is showered with positive affirmations from the movement and even declared by some as a hero for putting up with Depp.
Meanwhile, the young 10-year-old boy handcuffed by police, and crying because of it was ignored by the “Me Too Movement” and the incident failed to surface on their radar. Nobody is saying that being with an abusive spouse is easy, but when a person like Amber Heard, a rich, white Hollywood starlet, has the resources and the power herself to leave a bad situation and she is called a hero for putting up with what she claims Depp put her through, it is an insult and a slap to the face for those that do not have the power or the means to leave a frightening situation, such is the case of this young 10-year-old boy who was another victim of profiling.
Will the “Black Lives Matter” movement finally gain some traction even if it does have to eat the dust of “Me Too”? Will there be a time when people crack down more often on police shooting unarmed African-Americans? Will “BLM” and “Me Too” unite to form a new movement made to relate to a wider demographic? Only time will tell if any of this occurs and America must be the people to decide.
Bibliography:
Diamond, Stephen A. “American Racism and the Acquittal of George Zimmerman.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 15 July 2013, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evil-deeds/201307/american-racism-and-the-acquittal-george-zimmerman.
Mindock New York @ClarkMindock, Clark. “Video Shows Chicago Police Handcuffing Unarmed 10-Year-Old Black Boy.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 7 June 2018, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/chicago-police-handcuff-unarmed-black-boy-video-10-year-old-michael-thomas-jr-a8388696.html.
Phillips, Frank. “State GOP Debates Condemning Hate Groups - and That Might Include Black Lives Matter - The Boston Globe.” BostonGlobe.com, The Boston Globe, 27 Aug. 2017, www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/08/27/state-gop-debates-condemning-hate-groups-and-that-might-include-black-lives-matter/fpCfgpcbEnolqob7S9qVBN/story.html.
Yasharoff, Hannah. “'Baby It's Cold Outside' Pulled from Cleveland Radio Station amid #MeToo Movement.” USA Today, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2018, www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2018/11/30/baby-its-cold-outside-cut-cleveland-radio-station-after-metoo/2160122002/?fbclid=IwAR0-VaVhp913pSic6kcj0FJQDquPV42kUkfBS2f8fJmJPNcp-9_QBN4YrBU.