This article appeared in the August 22, 2018 edition of the Monitor Daily.

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Is #MeToo in trouble?

Is the #MeToo movement in trouble?

Probably not. It may have lost some moral high ground, given the revelations about Asia Argento. She was one of the first of 87 women to accuse Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault. She now faces similar allegations with a then 17-year-old boy, according to The New York Times.

Another leading figure in the movement, Rose McGowan, also faces criticism for using a double standard with Ms. Argento, a friend. She tweeted, “None of us know the truth of the situation and I’m sure more will be revealed. Be gentle.”

The tone and advice contradict what Ms. McGowan tweeted last November, which said in part, “1) Believe survivors 2) Apologize for putting your careers and wallets before what was right. 3) Grab a spine and denounce.”

But others are pointing out that #MeToo isn’t simply about stopping men preying on women. Its underlying message – about the need to expose sexual violence and the abuse of power by anyone or any institution – still stands. The movement has gone global and is only starting to change societal, corporate, and governmental norms about reporting such exploitation. Justice demands a reckoning when there’s an abuse of power by either sex.

Now to our stories, which include a look at the remarkable bull run of the US stock market, communities that have dramatically changed their practices to deal with wildfires, and new views of history in Canada. 


This article appeared in the August 22, 2018 edition of the Monitor Daily.

Read 08/22 edition
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