The hashtag at the heart of the #metoo movement first appeared two years ago this month. The #timesup hashtag showed up not long after that. Both are painful reminders of a long dark history of gender violence that lots of people have just not wanted to think about or hear about.
Me Too. Times Up. That these movements exist tell us that there’s a serious problem that we as a society have to solve, but the fact that the words are usually preceded by hashtags— #meetoo and #timesup— tells us that these words are more often written than they are vocalized.
Data from the National Women’s Law Center shows that any workplace is in danger of experiencing sexual harassment. However, those that have traditionally excluded women – such as the building trades and medical/technical professions – are the worst. In addition, women in low-wage professions like agriculture and food service are also especially susceptible.
The #MeToo movement and the resulting outpouring of sexual harassment allegations against those in business, entertainment and government has opened eyes to an issue that for many men lurked in the shadows, but for a large swath of female workers was an everyday nightmare.
