SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
A sign reading, "We Will Be Heard" at the 2019 Women's March in Washington, D.C. (Photo: TC Davis/Flickr/cc)
Women Leaders Call On Candidates to Address the #MeTooVoter Ahead of Democratic Debate
"Sexual violence is a national problem that deserves a national response."
Oct 15, 2019
Ahead of the fourth Democratic 2020 presidential primary debate Tuesday night, the founder of the #MeToo social justice movement launched a new voter mobilization campaign, urging the recognition of survivors of sexual violence and harassment as a "power base."
Tuesday marked the second anniversary of the viral hashtag #MeToo, which garnered millions of responses in just 24 hours after actress and activist Alyssa Milano posted a tweet asking her followers to respond, "Me too" if they had survived sexual assault or harassment.
Tarana Burke, who originally began using the phrase "Me Too" on social media in 2006 to show solidarity with women of color who had been abused, called on supporters to identify themselves as "Me Too Voters"--a constituency which will demand that elected officials prioritize the issue of sexual violence as the labor, human rights, and public health issue that it is.
\u201cTonight, on the anniversary of #metoo please join us in watching the Presidential debates and sharing your concerns on social media using the hashtags: #metooVoter and #askaboutmetoo \nLet the candidates know that we are more than survivors we are voters.\n#metooMVMT\u201d— Tarana (@Tarana) 1571157198
In a country where more than one in three women and more than one in four men will experience sexual violence in their lifetimes, the campaign argues, political leaders must share concrete ideas for legislation that would make sure survivors are supported after they experience trauma and make it easier to hold perpetrators accountable for harassment or abuse--particularly in fields like domestic work, in which the vast majority of workers are not covered under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
Last week, Burke wrote an op-ed in Time magazine asking why 2020 presidential candidates have rarely addressed issues affecting survivors of sexual violence and harassment, and why moderators of the three debates that have taken place so far have hardly touched on women's rights, including reproductive rights.
"Candidates have a responsibility to address the rampant sexual violence that permeates all of society's systems and structures, including government," wrote Burke. "Policies around race, immigration, and healthcare have rightfully taken center stage during the recent presidential debates, but something as prevalent as sexual violence, an issue spanning and intersecting with all of the above, has been largely overlooked. Sexual violence is a national problem that deserves a national response."
Burke was joined by National Women's Law Center (NWLC) president Fatima Goss-Graves, Ai-Jen Poo of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and Monica Ramirez of Justice for Migrant Women in a video produced by NowThis News, explaining the need to expand the #MeToo movement into a #MeTooVoter movement.
"We know that survivors collectively are a force, and they're a force as voters," Goss Graves said.
\u201c\u2018When you have 12 million people respond to a hashtag in 24 hours, we have a public health crisis\u2019 \u2014 Leaders @TaranaBurke, @MonicaRamirezOH, @FGossGraves, and @aijenpoo are transforming #MeToo into #MeTooVoter to hold politicians accountable\u201d— NowThis (@NowThis) 1571160180
"Preventative and post-trauma measures" including sex education, resources on college campuses for survivors beyond support in the immediate aftermath of violence, and revised workplace protections across industries were among the reforms the #MeTooVoter leaders urged the 2020 candidates to address.
In her op-ed, Burke noted that during her presidential campaign Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) centered women's rights--"but she's no longer in the race."
On Twitter, presidential candidate Julian Castro responded to the #MeTooVoter campaign with a pledge to "listen to survivors and work to end sexual violence in our country."
\u201cTwo years after #MeToo went viral, its founder Tarana Burke, is mobilizing survivors to use their power to create electoral change.\n\nAs President, I will listen to survivors and work to end sexual violence in our country.\nhttps://t.co/luZwgtVufL\u201d— Juli\u00e1n Castro (@Juli\u00e1n Castro) 1571157872
In an opinion piece at CNN Tuesday, Goss Graves called on debate moderators at the fourth debate to address three questions:
- Do you think every person in the U.S. should be able to access abortion care, no matter where they live or the money they make?
- What will you do to make sure that all families have access to affordable, high-quality child care?
- What will you do to address sexual harassment and make workplaces safe and fair for all workers?
A number of women's rights advocates expressed their support for the #MeTooVoter movement on social media.
\u201cToday marks two years since #MeToo went viral. That cataclysmic, earth shaking moment was felt around the world\u2014but there\u2019s still so much work to be done. With critical elections in 2019 + 2020, we will use our votes to help build the world survivors deserve. #MeTooVoter\u201d— #VOTEPROCHOICE (@#VOTEPROCHOICE) 1571173658
\u201c#MeToo catapulted survivors of sexual violence into the spotlight, forcing the world to hear their stories. I applaud @TaranaBurke's new #MeTooVoter initiative, which will help turn those stories into policy solutions. \n\nhttps://t.co/w0suGUTcxw\u201d— Carolyn B. Maloney (@Carolyn B. Maloney) 1571173029
\u201cI'm a #MeTooVoter. Will the #DemDebate ask about #MeToo tonight? https://t.co/5dTowYaAqr\u201d— The New York Women's Foundation (@The New York Women's Foundation) 1571169629
\u201c. @TaranaBurke putting sexual violence survivors into a voting bloc is probably the most brilliant thing we\u2019ve seen in a long time. #MeTooVoter \n\nThese @CDCgov numbers don\u2019t lie and it\u2019s time our leaders to address sexual violence in a meaningful way.\u201d— Voto Latino (@Voto Latino) 1571167936
"Millions of women will be watching on Tuesday," wrote Goss Graves at CNN. "Moderators owe them the chance to hear about candidates' plans to tackle issues that directly affect their lives. Women are more than half of this country, and it's time for candidates to answer to them."
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Ahead of the fourth Democratic 2020 presidential primary debate Tuesday night, the founder of the #MeToo social justice movement launched a new voter mobilization campaign, urging the recognition of survivors of sexual violence and harassment as a "power base."
Tuesday marked the second anniversary of the viral hashtag #MeToo, which garnered millions of responses in just 24 hours after actress and activist Alyssa Milano posted a tweet asking her followers to respond, "Me too" if they had survived sexual assault or harassment.
Tarana Burke, who originally began using the phrase "Me Too" on social media in 2006 to show solidarity with women of color who had been abused, called on supporters to identify themselves as "Me Too Voters"--a constituency which will demand that elected officials prioritize the issue of sexual violence as the labor, human rights, and public health issue that it is.
\u201cTonight, on the anniversary of #metoo please join us in watching the Presidential debates and sharing your concerns on social media using the hashtags: #metooVoter and #askaboutmetoo \nLet the candidates know that we are more than survivors we are voters.\n#metooMVMT\u201d— Tarana (@Tarana) 1571157198
In a country where more than one in three women and more than one in four men will experience sexual violence in their lifetimes, the campaign argues, political leaders must share concrete ideas for legislation that would make sure survivors are supported after they experience trauma and make it easier to hold perpetrators accountable for harassment or abuse--particularly in fields like domestic work, in which the vast majority of workers are not covered under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
Last week, Burke wrote an op-ed in Time magazine asking why 2020 presidential candidates have rarely addressed issues affecting survivors of sexual violence and harassment, and why moderators of the three debates that have taken place so far have hardly touched on women's rights, including reproductive rights.
"Candidates have a responsibility to address the rampant sexual violence that permeates all of society's systems and structures, including government," wrote Burke. "Policies around race, immigration, and healthcare have rightfully taken center stage during the recent presidential debates, but something as prevalent as sexual violence, an issue spanning and intersecting with all of the above, has been largely overlooked. Sexual violence is a national problem that deserves a national response."
Burke was joined by National Women's Law Center (NWLC) president Fatima Goss-Graves, Ai-Jen Poo of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and Monica Ramirez of Justice for Migrant Women in a video produced by NowThis News, explaining the need to expand the #MeToo movement into a #MeTooVoter movement.
"We know that survivors collectively are a force, and they're a force as voters," Goss Graves said.
\u201c\u2018When you have 12 million people respond to a hashtag in 24 hours, we have a public health crisis\u2019 \u2014 Leaders @TaranaBurke, @MonicaRamirezOH, @FGossGraves, and @aijenpoo are transforming #MeToo into #MeTooVoter to hold politicians accountable\u201d— NowThis (@NowThis) 1571160180
"Preventative and post-trauma measures" including sex education, resources on college campuses for survivors beyond support in the immediate aftermath of violence, and revised workplace protections across industries were among the reforms the #MeTooVoter leaders urged the 2020 candidates to address.
In her op-ed, Burke noted that during her presidential campaign Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) centered women's rights--"but she's no longer in the race."
On Twitter, presidential candidate Julian Castro responded to the #MeTooVoter campaign with a pledge to "listen to survivors and work to end sexual violence in our country."
\u201cTwo years after #MeToo went viral, its founder Tarana Burke, is mobilizing survivors to use their power to create electoral change.\n\nAs President, I will listen to survivors and work to end sexual violence in our country.\nhttps://t.co/luZwgtVufL\u201d— Juli\u00e1n Castro (@Juli\u00e1n Castro) 1571157872
In an opinion piece at CNN Tuesday, Goss Graves called on debate moderators at the fourth debate to address three questions:
- Do you think every person in the U.S. should be able to access abortion care, no matter where they live or the money they make?
- What will you do to make sure that all families have access to affordable, high-quality child care?
- What will you do to address sexual harassment and make workplaces safe and fair for all workers?
A number of women's rights advocates expressed their support for the #MeTooVoter movement on social media.
\u201cToday marks two years since #MeToo went viral. That cataclysmic, earth shaking moment was felt around the world\u2014but there\u2019s still so much work to be done. With critical elections in 2019 + 2020, we will use our votes to help build the world survivors deserve. #MeTooVoter\u201d— #VOTEPROCHOICE (@#VOTEPROCHOICE) 1571173658
\u201c#MeToo catapulted survivors of sexual violence into the spotlight, forcing the world to hear their stories. I applaud @TaranaBurke's new #MeTooVoter initiative, which will help turn those stories into policy solutions. \n\nhttps://t.co/w0suGUTcxw\u201d— Carolyn B. Maloney (@Carolyn B. Maloney) 1571173029
\u201cI'm a #MeTooVoter. Will the #DemDebate ask about #MeToo tonight? https://t.co/5dTowYaAqr\u201d— The New York Women's Foundation (@The New York Women's Foundation) 1571169629
\u201c. @TaranaBurke putting sexual violence survivors into a voting bloc is probably the most brilliant thing we\u2019ve seen in a long time. #MeTooVoter \n\nThese @CDCgov numbers don\u2019t lie and it\u2019s time our leaders to address sexual violence in a meaningful way.\u201d— Voto Latino (@Voto Latino) 1571167936
"Millions of women will be watching on Tuesday," wrote Goss Graves at CNN. "Moderators owe them the chance to hear about candidates' plans to tackle issues that directly affect their lives. Women are more than half of this country, and it's time for candidates to answer to them."
Ahead of the fourth Democratic 2020 presidential primary debate Tuesday night, the founder of the #MeToo social justice movement launched a new voter mobilization campaign, urging the recognition of survivors of sexual violence and harassment as a "power base."
Tuesday marked the second anniversary of the viral hashtag #MeToo, which garnered millions of responses in just 24 hours after actress and activist Alyssa Milano posted a tweet asking her followers to respond, "Me too" if they had survived sexual assault or harassment.
Tarana Burke, who originally began using the phrase "Me Too" on social media in 2006 to show solidarity with women of color who had been abused, called on supporters to identify themselves as "Me Too Voters"--a constituency which will demand that elected officials prioritize the issue of sexual violence as the labor, human rights, and public health issue that it is.
\u201cTonight, on the anniversary of #metoo please join us in watching the Presidential debates and sharing your concerns on social media using the hashtags: #metooVoter and #askaboutmetoo \nLet the candidates know that we are more than survivors we are voters.\n#metooMVMT\u201d— Tarana (@Tarana) 1571157198
In a country where more than one in three women and more than one in four men will experience sexual violence in their lifetimes, the campaign argues, political leaders must share concrete ideas for legislation that would make sure survivors are supported after they experience trauma and make it easier to hold perpetrators accountable for harassment or abuse--particularly in fields like domestic work, in which the vast majority of workers are not covered under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
Last week, Burke wrote an op-ed in Time magazine asking why 2020 presidential candidates have rarely addressed issues affecting survivors of sexual violence and harassment, and why moderators of the three debates that have taken place so far have hardly touched on women's rights, including reproductive rights.
"Candidates have a responsibility to address the rampant sexual violence that permeates all of society's systems and structures, including government," wrote Burke. "Policies around race, immigration, and healthcare have rightfully taken center stage during the recent presidential debates, but something as prevalent as sexual violence, an issue spanning and intersecting with all of the above, has been largely overlooked. Sexual violence is a national problem that deserves a national response."
Burke was joined by National Women's Law Center (NWLC) president Fatima Goss-Graves, Ai-Jen Poo of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and Monica Ramirez of Justice for Migrant Women in a video produced by NowThis News, explaining the need to expand the #MeToo movement into a #MeTooVoter movement.
"We know that survivors collectively are a force, and they're a force as voters," Goss Graves said.
\u201c\u2018When you have 12 million people respond to a hashtag in 24 hours, we have a public health crisis\u2019 \u2014 Leaders @TaranaBurke, @MonicaRamirezOH, @FGossGraves, and @aijenpoo are transforming #MeToo into #MeTooVoter to hold politicians accountable\u201d— NowThis (@NowThis) 1571160180
"Preventative and post-trauma measures" including sex education, resources on college campuses for survivors beyond support in the immediate aftermath of violence, and revised workplace protections across industries were among the reforms the #MeTooVoter leaders urged the 2020 candidates to address.
In her op-ed, Burke noted that during her presidential campaign Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) centered women's rights--"but she's no longer in the race."
On Twitter, presidential candidate Julian Castro responded to the #MeTooVoter campaign with a pledge to "listen to survivors and work to end sexual violence in our country."
\u201cTwo years after #MeToo went viral, its founder Tarana Burke, is mobilizing survivors to use their power to create electoral change.\n\nAs President, I will listen to survivors and work to end sexual violence in our country.\nhttps://t.co/luZwgtVufL\u201d— Juli\u00e1n Castro (@Juli\u00e1n Castro) 1571157872
In an opinion piece at CNN Tuesday, Goss Graves called on debate moderators at the fourth debate to address three questions:
- Do you think every person in the U.S. should be able to access abortion care, no matter where they live or the money they make?
- What will you do to make sure that all families have access to affordable, high-quality child care?
- What will you do to address sexual harassment and make workplaces safe and fair for all workers?
A number of women's rights advocates expressed their support for the #MeTooVoter movement on social media.
\u201cToday marks two years since #MeToo went viral. That cataclysmic, earth shaking moment was felt around the world\u2014but there\u2019s still so much work to be done. With critical elections in 2019 + 2020, we will use our votes to help build the world survivors deserve. #MeTooVoter\u201d— #VOTEPROCHOICE (@#VOTEPROCHOICE) 1571173658
\u201c#MeToo catapulted survivors of sexual violence into the spotlight, forcing the world to hear their stories. I applaud @TaranaBurke's new #MeTooVoter initiative, which will help turn those stories into policy solutions. \n\nhttps://t.co/w0suGUTcxw\u201d— Carolyn B. Maloney (@Carolyn B. Maloney) 1571173029
\u201cI'm a #MeTooVoter. Will the #DemDebate ask about #MeToo tonight? https://t.co/5dTowYaAqr\u201d— The New York Women's Foundation (@The New York Women's Foundation) 1571169629
\u201c. @TaranaBurke putting sexual violence survivors into a voting bloc is probably the most brilliant thing we\u2019ve seen in a long time. #MeTooVoter \n\nThese @CDCgov numbers don\u2019t lie and it\u2019s time our leaders to address sexual violence in a meaningful way.\u201d— Voto Latino (@Voto Latino) 1571167936
"Millions of women will be watching on Tuesday," wrote Goss Graves at CNN. "Moderators owe them the chance to hear about candidates' plans to tackle issues that directly affect their lives. Women are more than half of this country, and it's time for candidates to answer to them."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.