The International Power of #MeToo

Although the #MeToo movement regained attention last October due to a tweet by American actress Alyssa Milano, the movement has spread far beyond the United States. A new article in Foreign Affairs looks at the recent rise of women's movements and examines how social media has helped them succeed.

Looking at hashtags such as #BringBackOurGirls in Nigeria, #MyStealthyFreedom in Iran and #NudePhotoRevolutionary in Egypt, as well as landmark rulings in Guatemala and the Mujeres en Marcha movement in Chile, author Pardis Mahdavi discusses the rising tide of conversations about women's rights.

"Success inspires success," says Mahdavi. "In a networked world, women can quickly and easily learn about the progress made by other women, both at home and abroad. Inspiration becomes contagious—the success of one movement leads to another." 

The full article "How #MeToo Became a Global Movement" was published in Foreign Affairs on March 6, 2018 and is available here.