The hashtag #MeToo went viral over the weekend, with thousands of women sharing their stories of sexual harassment and assault on social media.
Seeing this unfold, a Sydney-based writer named Benjamin Law decided to start another conversation—about what men like him can do so that future generations of women don’t have these same experiences. “Guys, it’s our turn,” he tweeted Monday evening.
Subsequently, Law and a number of other men on social media wrote out a list of ways they plan to support women, accompanied by the hashtag #HowIWillChange.
Guys, it's our turn.
After yesterday's endless #MeToo stories of women being abused, assaulted and harassed, today we say #HowIWillChange.
— Benjamin Law 羅旭能 (@mrbenjaminlaw) October 16, 2017
One of Law’s main arguments was that one doesn’t need to engage in harassment or assault to be part of the problem.
#HowIWillChange: Recognise I don't need to be a perpetrator to be a bad guy. Questioning harassment, not doing anything about it—all as bad.
— Benjamin Law 羅旭能 (@mrbenjaminlaw) October 16, 2017
Always remember the standard I walk past is the standard I accept. I'm not going to walk past. #HowIWillChange
— Justin Woolley (@Woollz) October 17, 2017
Some men pledged to sacrifice their “social capital” and rid themselves of fear of being called out for being “snitches” for calling out sexually predatory behavior.
#HowIWillChange means sacrificing some of my own social capital so that male-centric spaces in which I am safe are also safe for women
— Receding Gums Murphy (@toenail_teeth) October 16, 2017
I will not be afraid to lose my power or privilage.#HowIwillChange
— Shane Moes (@MoesShane) October 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/GrantKnepper2/status/920108214322171909
Others planned to support women through formal volunteering and community organizing.
I'm looking into local/regional organizations that support women's rights that I can volunteer with.#HowIWillChange
— Adam -Buy My Novella- Gaylord (@AuthorGaylord) October 17, 2017
Dads and granddads promised to teach their sons about the right ways to treat women.
#HowIWillChange I will keep showing my 3 sons and one grandson how to honor & respect women.
Guys – meaningful change starts in the home.
— Jesse T. Smith (@Jesse_TSmith) October 17, 2017
Of course, there were some naysayers, arguing that because they never assaulted anyone, they are not part of “rape culture” and therefore don’t need to change.
Https://twitter.com/ColeMinar/status/920254812016578560
https://twitter.com/Cynic_Sam/status/920116743703547905
Those men were shut down quickly.
Https://twitter.com/jennylehman2/status/920124580076969986
https://twitter.com/megazineHQ/status/920209555103109120
If anything, the hashtag has helped to identify men who are women’s allies in the fight against harassment—and those who are not.
The #MeToo hashtag went viral thanks to a tweet by actress Alyssa Milano in the wake of the sexual assault and harassment allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein (he denies all accusations). The two-word response was the brainchild of activist Tarana Burke.