#MeToo spread virally in October 2017 as a hashtag on social media in an attempt to

demonstrate the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment, especially in the
workplace.[4][5][6] It followed soon after the sexual abuse allegations against Harvey
Weinstein.[7][8] Tarana Burke, an American social activist and community organizer, began using
the phrase "Me Too" as early as 2006, and the phrase was later popularized by American
actress Alyssa Milano, on Twitter in 2017. Milano encouraged victims of sexual harassment
to tweet about it and "give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem".[9][10] This was met
with success that included but was not limited to high-profile posts from several American
celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow,[11] Ashley Judd,[12] Jennifer Lawrence,[13] and Uma
Thurman.

Tarana Burke, a social activist and community organizer, began using the phrase "Me Too" in
2006, on the Myspace social network[15] as part of a campaign to promote "empowerment through
empathy" among women of color who have experienced sexual abuse, particularly within
underprivileged communities.[10][16][17] Burke, who is creating a documentary titled Me Too, has said
she was inspired to use the phrase after being unable to respond to a 13-year-old girl who
confided to her that she had been sexually assaulted. Burke later wished she had simply told the
girl, "me too".[15]

2017 (Alyssa Milano)[edit]

Alyssa Milano encouraged use of the hashtag after accusations against Harvey Weinstein surfaced in
2017.

Several hashtags about sharing stories of workforce sexual harassment were in use before
#MeToo, including #MyHarveyWeinstein, #YouOkSis, #WhatWereYouWearing and
#SurvivorPrivilege.[18][19][20]
On October 15, 2017, actress Alyssa Milano encouraged spreading the hashtag #MeToo, to
attempt to draw attention to sexual assault and harassment.[10][21] Milano later acknowledged
earlier use of the phrase by Burke.[15]

 It grew after sexual misconduct allegations were reported against a Hollywood producer
 As several Bollywood celebrities and journalists like Vinta Nanda and
Tanushree Dutta accused actors like Alok Nath and Nana Patekar of sexual
harassment, let's know who was actually behind this revolution in the
history.
 'Me Too' movement was founded in 2006 by Tarana Burke to help survivors
of sexual violence, particularly young women of colour from low wealth
communities, find pathways to healing.
  The initial idea behind me too was empowerment through empathy, letting
other women know that they're not alone in the journey.
 In 2017, she made it to the 'Time person of the year' among other activists.
 Tarana Burke originally coined the phrase me too on 'my space' while working at Just
Be Inc., a nonprofit company that was founded by her in 2003.
 She started a project focusing on the overall well-being of young women of colour.
 The life-changing movement began when Burke was talking to a girl who revealed
that her mother’s boyfriend had been sexually abusing her.
 She didn't know what to say, she just said 'me too'.
 Burke was left searching for the right words to help empathise with the countless
women and young girls who have disclosed their experiences to her.
 Burke has shared the message with survivors everywhere: You’re not alone. This
happened to me too.
 She was able to create a storm with just 500 Twitter followers.
 The movement became an internet sensation when actress Alyssa Milano stumbled
upon this phrase and tweeted this.
 Subsequently, her tweet was investigated and caught millions of eyes.
 According to an interview given to CNN, Tarana Burke considers this as a
movement and not a viral campaign.
 Although the historic movement started around 12 years ago, it became famous
only two years ago. Now, it is being used by women across the globe to share
their anguish against sexual harassment.
‘’Empowerment through empathy’’.

It has been widely recognised that social movements help to generate

a sense of collective identity and new ideas that recognise the reality
itself.
By articulating consciousness, the social movement provides public
spaces for generating new thoughts, activating new actors, generating
new ideas. Thus by producing new knowledge, by reflecting on their
own cognitive identity, by saying what they stand for, by challenging
the dominant assumptions of the social order, social movements
develop new ideas that are fundamental to the process of human
creativity. Thus social movements develop worldviews that restructure
cognition, that recognise reality itself. The cognitive praxis of social
movements is an important source of new social images and
transformation of societal identities.
The democratization of communication media has both facilitated individuals finding
compatriots with similar interests, as well as allowing movements to spread their message
and generate pressure for action. The Internet, in particular, has become a powerful
mobilizing tool.[2] Groups utilizing online direct action use such tactics as cyberpetitions,
virtual protests, virtual sit-ins, virtual blockades, gripe sites, email bombs, web hacks, and
computer viruses. Movements often use the same tactics as they use offline, like petitions,
not due to their effectiveness, but because they are familiar.
On October 15 2017, in the wake of dozens of allegations of sexual harassment against
Harvey Weinstein, actress Alyssa Milano tweeted “me too.” She asked her followers to
respond with the phrase if they had ever experienced sexual harassment or assault
themselves.