Me Too

Me too.

Me too.

Me too.

I hope your newsfeed is flooded with these posts. Not because I wish the women (and men) in your life pain, but because I know this is a struggle so many of them have experienced and never spoken about. I hope this opens your eyes to the hurt and suffering that so many humans have had to endure and carry with them but never verbalized.

Everyone’s story is different. Everyone’s recovery is different. But deep down, we are all victims. We sit here and listen to our president objectify women, bragging about ‘grabbing [them] by the pussy’ in a way that champions the assaulter. It makes us keep our stories quiet out of fear of it being our fault. Even if, deep down, we know this was not our fault.

We did not put our new jeans on intending to garner the attention of the man that grabbed our ass and called us baby. We did not wear that new shirt we bought so you could shout “nice tits” at us when we walked passed. And we were not ‘asking for it’ by wearing a skirt. Yet here we are being asked “what were you wearing? Were you flirting? You are a bartender, isn’t flirting just part of the job?”

The longer we continue to perpetuate these ideas and blame the victims for their actions instead of addressing why the attackers feel it is their right to make inappropriate comments or touch what is not theirs the longer this will continue to happen.

Sexual harassment and sexual assault are a silent plague. I hope this will open eyes to see just how many people are impacted. If you are lucky enough you don’t need to write ‘me too’ as your Facebook status I hope it stays that way, but I also hope you keep an open mind and heart for those that had the courage to post that status.

For those of you that posted (and those of you that chose to keep your story to yourself), you are not alone in this. Whether you’re a friend, acquaintance, or stranger: I am here for you. If you need someone to talk to, I am here. I will listen without judgement and without assumptions. I am sorry that you have had to struggle through this, but you are not alone in this anymore.

Maybe one day we can look back on our experiences and proudly shout “I survived that!” But until that day comes, I will whisper with you, I will weep with you, and I will walk with you.