From black dresses to white roses: #TimesUp continues at the Grammys

Stars and guests continued the women’s empowerment movement in the media by wearing white roses at the just ended 2018 Grammy Awards.  The aforementioned adorned the beautiful flower by having it embroidered on their clothing, pinning it to their outfits, or wearing it in conspicuous places. Women’s equality and sexual deviance run rampant in many industries, yet, mainstream media continues to fight for the right for women to gain just as many positive advantages as their male counterparts.

The #MeToo movement was initiated by Tarana Burke, a social activist in 2006 in an effort to raise awareness of sexual harassment and sexual abuse in the workplace. It was a dormant hashtag until the likes of Alyssa Milano bravely spoke about the injustices they experienced.  Since then, a floodgate of women has come forward and shed light on the disparities women face at their workplaces and beyond.

The #TimesUp campaign aims at the collection of funds to establish a legal defence fund so that those affected by sexual harassment can have the monetary backing to fight their perpetrators in court. It’s also aimed at formulating regulations to eradicate the corporate atmosphere of harassment, and gender equalization in the entertainment realm.

These efforts are now shedding light on the willingness to share painful memories in the hopes of helping others.  The Japan Times online reports that the movement has enabled, “younger women are seen as generally more willing to speak out about being sexually harassed, and bring a new set of expectations to their sexual relationships. There are also generational differences in approach to dating relationships, and in expectations that, if spoken, their concerns about sexual misconduct would be received without repercussion.”

Perhaps, this speaks to the tune that uncomfortable conversations will need to take place to change the mindset that contributes to sexual assault and other sexually deviant behaviors.  The healing can only take place when the wound is properly cleaned and tended to.

This movement has generated discussions on Twitter: