What We Can Learn From the #MeToo Movement

In the last few months, #MeToo stories have been pouring out, and the media can’t stop talking about all of the horrors that were uncovered. A darker undertone was revealed in Hollywood. It wasn’t just the town of glamorous galas and big dreams. Then, we learned that the #MeToo movement was more common in every-day life than was initially imagined, as friends and family members came out with their own stories. It appeared Hollywood was not the only place these stories of power and assault were taking place.

So what’s next? Where do we go from here? Perhaps the healthiest thing we can do as a community now is learn from our mistakes. We need to acknowledge that a lot of bad has happened in the past, and we should use this to move on to a better future. Everyone should, of course, recognize and see the bad. We can’t forget that this has happened. But instead of living in the hatred and terror of the past, let’s look at what we can learn from the horrible mistakes of others and teach our next generation to not make the same mistakes.

Let’s teach our sons how to be more respectful of women. Let’s teach our daughters to stand up for their integrity and beliefs, and let’s move forward together into a future of respect. If we can all learn to respect one another as equals, our entire community can have a better future. Will it be that simple? No. But change takes time. Change takes practice. If we can begin our practice of respect and kindness now, we are laying down a foundation for success in the future.