#MeToo

What Does #MeToo Mean?

The Quick Answer

#MeToo means "Sexual Abuse Hashtag."

More Detail...

The phrase #MeToo is as a hashtag that spread virally on social media in October 2017, to denounce sexual assault and harassment in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein. #MeToo (which spawned alternatives in various languages) had first been used in this sense on MySpace in 2006, by social activist Tarana Burke. However, it was popularized in 2017 by actress Alyssa Milano, who encouraged women to tweet it to publicize their experiences of misogyny, in order to demonstrate the widespread nature of the problem. The response on Twitter included high-profile posts from a number of famous celebrities. Many experiences of sexual violence were shared, including stories from Ashley Judd, Jennifer Lawrence, Gwyneth Paltrow, Uma Thurman and Reese Witherspoon.

Image for #MeToo

When I write #MeToo, I mean this:

#MeToo is a call to women to speak out about misogyny.

Summary of Key Points

"Sexual Abuse Hashtag" is, by far, the most common meaning for #MeToo when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

#MeToo
Definition:	Sexual Abuse Hashtag
Type:	Internet Slang Term
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of #MeToo in Sentences

Here are examples of #MeToo in conversations:

Charlie: Have you seen the Twitterstorm about #MeToo?
Jordan: Yes! Isn't it great that so many women are speaking out?

Charlie: I asked the boss for a raise and he asked me on a date. He's such a creep!
Jordan: #MeToo. We need to report him.

An Academic Look at #MeToo

#MeToo is a hashtag, i.e., a word or phrase preceded by a hash sign (#). Hashtags are used on social media sites and apps, especially Twitter, to identify messages on a specific topic. Searching for messages with a specific hashtag will show each message that has been tagged with it.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, the hashtag #MeToo didn't exist. However, over the years there have been a number of campaigns that have fought to highlight sexual discrimination and abuse.