“ Numbness is not the absence of feelings it’s an accumulation of feelings” - Tarana Burke
The MeToo Movement™ was created in 2006 from a moment of deep reflection and regret in Tarana Burke’s life. While working as a youth counselor with Black children, she met Heaven, a young girl who bravely confided in her about the horrific abuse she was enduring at home. Overwhelmed by the weight of her story, Burke cut the conversation short and directed Heaven to another counselor. She vividly recalls the pain and rejection on Heaven’s face as she walked away. That moment haunted Burke, as she realized she lacked the courage to say the words that echoed in her soul: “me too.” It was Heaven’s courage to share her pain, despite the risk of rejection, that motivated Burke to break the silence for herself and others. In 2005, Tarana Burke facilitated a wellness program for middle school girls in Selma, Alabama, where she asked participants to write their thoughts on sticky notes after the session. They could either share something they learned or write “me too” if they had experienced sexual assault. To her astonishment and heartbreak, 75% of the girls wrote “me too.” Overwhelmed, Tarana and her team cried knowing they were unprepared to respond. This pivotal experience inspired Burke to create the MeToo Movement™ , a space for survivors of sexual violence to feel seen, understood, and supported. The movement became a call to action, rooted in solidarity and healing, ensuring that no survivor would feel alone in their journey again.
“ I’m propelled by possibility and I’m here because someone starting with my ancestors believed I was possible” -Tarna Burke
The MeToo Movement™inspired survivors to speak up about sexual violence that has been experienced for centuries. Recy Taylor’s experience is deeply connected to the Me Too Movement™ because both highlight the long history of Black women’s resistance to sexual violence and their fight for justice. In 1944, Recy Taylor, a 24-year-old Black woman, was abducted and gang-raped by six white men in Alabama.
“Trauma holts possibility but movement activates it- Movements create possibility” - Tarana Burke
Biography: Recy Taylor (1919-2017)
Although it was very dangerous for African Americans to speak out against white people during the Jim Crow era. Recy Taylor refused to be silent about sexual violence and she bravely testified against them. Although Taylor reported the crime, witnesses confirmed her story and one of them confessed, an all white male grand jury dismissed her case after 5 minutes. Her case became a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, with activists like Rosa Parks and the NAACP rallying behind her, yet justice remained out of reach. Her bravery and resilience paved the way for Black women to speak up and seek justice.The MeToo Movement™ follows in the legacy of women like Recy Taylor—Black women who have long fought against sexual violence, often without recognition.
The MeToo Movement™ showed survivors there is power in the collective and courage is contagious, enabling survivors to feel like they had greater support to speak out, even if the odds seemed impossible. The MeToo Movement™brought issues of sexual assault into the mainstream and lead to many people empathizing, understanding and changing their minds about the prevalence and problems with sexual assault.
“For all those years as a child, I felt complicit in my abuse. The men who molested me, in my mind, were not wrong or bad. I was a bad girl who had done a bad thing” -Tarna Burke
Women found their voice and power to say no more to sexual violence. It liberated a lot of women, gave them a sense of power and ownership over their own bodies, and the courage to speak up knowing that they were not alone. The movement increased the rate of reports of sex crimes across socioeconomic groups, increased arrests for sexual assault and changed laws in over 36 states. It encouraged women to get the mental and physical help they needed.
On October 15, 2017 Actress Alyssa Milano tweeted if you’ve ever experienced sexual assault respond with the hashtag #MeToo. The #MeToo hashtag went viral and woke up the world to the magnitude of the problem of sexual violence with 12 million people responding to the hashtag in 24 hours.
In 2018 Tarana Burke won the North Star award. Me Too' Founder Tarana Burke: ‘This is Our Movement, & I Need All Of You To Help Move It Forward’
“ This is not a movement about trauma-it’s a movement about joy” -Tarna Burke
“ Each time a woman stands up for herself,without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women- “ Maya Angelou”
Sexual violence has long been a weapon of white supremacy, used to oppress and silence communities of color with Black women bearing the brunt of its harm. Black women have consistently led the fight against sexual violence and systemic injustice— often without recognition and being routinely ignored. The MeToo Movement™ created a vital space for survivors to stand in solidarity, reframing sexual violence as both a social justice and public health crisis. By amplifying survivor voices, the movement has made vital resources more accessible, offering support that was once unavailable. Black women speaking out has not only challenged the silence surrounding this issue but has also paved the way for conversations about domestic violence, sex trafficking, and other critical issues affecting our communities. There is undeniable power in our voices, strength in our vulnerability, and transformative change when Black women lead the movements that shape our collective healing.
“ We can’t teach Patriarchy and expect equality” - Kimberly Hamlin
Sources:
me too. Movement- MeToo Movement™ website
Tarna Burke 2025 article on the inauguration of Donald Trump
MeToo Movement™ in History
Highlights from Tarana Burke ─ What's Next in Healing and Activism
Mental Health & MeToo Movement™
https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/abuse/what-can-we-learn-from-the-me-too-movement/
Comments