Following the #MeToo campaign, which encourages victims of sexual assault and harassment to come forward on social media to demonstrate how widespread the problem is, men are now weighing in with their own hashtag: #HowIWillChange.
On Tuesday, Australian journalist Benjamin Law tweeted a message to his Twitter followers: “Guys, it’s our turn,” he said. “After yesterday’s endless #MeToo stories of women being abused, assaulted and harassed, today we say #HowIWillChange.” He followed that with examples of his own.
#HowIWillChange: Acknowledge that if all women I know has been sexually harassed, abused or assaulted, then I know perpetrators. Or am one.
— Benjamin Law 羅旭能 (@mrbenjaminlaw) October 16, 2017
#HowIWillChange: Recognise I don't need to be a perpetrator to be a bad guy. Questioning harassment, not doing anything about it—all as bad.
— Benjamin Law 羅旭能 (@mrbenjaminlaw) October 16, 2017
It didn’t take long for Law’s tweets to go viral, with men all over the world joining in.
True. It's not a women's issue. It's ours. I will speak louder & clearer. #HowWillIChange #MeToo https://t.co/T6FK6vxxjH via @HuffPostWomen
— Jussi Herlin (@JussiHerlin) October 18, 2017
#HowWillIChange I will start calling out predatory actions when seen. Start being intolerant to harassment and care about your sisters. https://t.co/cZIyoVAVG3
— “mendax” (@mendax599) October 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/TrippyTrappy_Jr/status/920112175636779008
Even Alyssa Milano, who in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct scandal helped spark renewed interest in the #metoo campaign originally created by Tarana Burke, got on board:
Use the hashtag #HowIWillChange!
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 18, 2017
But not everyone was excited about this latest initiative, claiming the hashtag suggests all men are culpable.
https://twitter.com/DemonKingDurst/status/920589633506955265
I'm not jumping on the #HowIWillChange bandwagon. I've never sexually harassed a woman, man etc. What I WILL do is defend those that need it
— Doc (@WarMed_117) October 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/Pyramidial/status/920524337182134272
The section from some of them prompted this tweet from Law:
Lots of fragile dudes in my mentions insisting they're "not part of the problem". You're the definition of the problem. Die angry about it. pic.twitter.com/SNff4whcxp
— Benjamin Law 羅旭能 (@mrbenjaminlaw) October 17, 2017
See more reactions below.
https://twitter.com/n8r_boi/status/920698305369329664
#howwillichange I need to call out when I see sexual harassment and model the behavior we want to see in the world
— Noah Groth (@RealNoahGroth) October 17, 2017
#HowWillIChange means calling out misogyny, unlearning patriarchy, and work to make spaces I'm safe in safe women.
— Join an organization fighting for Justice! (@iamdarrenmack) October 17, 2017
#HowWillIChange
I'll stop avoiding and instead seek (or otherwise create) spaces for men to work on healthier definitions of masculinity.— Michael Despotovic (@mikedespot) October 17, 2017
Guys: we all need to ask this question #howwillichange
— John Peter (@JohnPeterArcher) October 18, 2017
#MeToo is overwhelming.
I have been thoughtless, oblivious, complicit and abusive.
I will try to be better.#IAmGuilty #IAmSorry— Alex Robinson (@mirror_spider) October 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/urbanyogie/status/920253342999367680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ktnv.com%2Fnow-trending%2Fmen-responding-to-metoo-movement