More than 45% of U.S. Facebook users know someone who posted #MeToo

By Christine Chubb

It’s a movement of solidarity and awareness with just two simple words – me too.

Actress Alyssa Milano took to Twitter on Sunday in response to the sexual harassment and assault allegations made against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, encouraging women who have been the victim of similar assaults to post #MeToo.

In less than 24 hours, more than five million people took to social media – both Twitter and Facebook – to have their voices heard.

While the high profile posters such as Lady Gaga and Sheryl Crow garnered a lot of RTs and replies on Twitter, it was the wave of echoes from every day women that created the social media movement.

Twitter officials said that in the 24 hour period starting at noon on Sunday, more than half a million Tweets featured the #MeToo hashtag.

According to Facebook, in less than 24 hours, 4.7 million people around the world engaged in the “Me Too” conversation, with over 12 million posts, comments, and reactions.

Data found that in the United States more than 45 per cent of Facebook users were friends with someone who posted “Me Too.”

There’s no telling if this recent viral movement will have lasting effect but it’s far from the first time women have taken to social media in search of justice or to raise awareness about the everyday struggle for equality.

For International Women’s Day, Twitter users were encouraged to use the #SheInspiresMe hashtag as a way to spotlight inspiring woman from across the globe.

When president Donald Trump said that female staff should “dress like a woman” the backlash on Twitter was almost instantanious with posts showing just how diverse professional women are — including astronauts, doctors, fighter jet pilots, athletes, supreme court judges, police officers and military soldiers.

Other high profile feminist Twitter movements have included #LikeAGirl and #LeanIn.

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