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 The social media meme was sparked by "Charmed"
actress Alyssa Milano on Sunday, who asked her followers to
reply "Me Too" if they had ever been sexually harassed or
assaulted.
It was a reaction to sexual abuse allegations against film mogul
Harvey Weinstein, who has denied having non-consensual sex with
anyone.
Milano's original tweet received over 37,000 comments, and the
hashtag was one of the top trends on Twitter in Britain and the
United States. On Facebook, around 7 million people were
discussing "Me Too" on Monday afternoon.
"I've lived through it and way too many others have as well,"
Twitter user Concertange wrote of the issues raised by the
trend. "It's not okay and it needs to be taken seriously and
needs to stop happening."
Among big entertainment industry names to take part were "Artpop"
singer Lady Gaga, Oscar-winning actress Anna Paquin and "Westworld"
actress Evan Rachel Wood, who described being raped by an
unnamed individual.
Some men who said they were also victims of sexual assault took
to the social media to share their stories, including one of the
stars of Broadway musical "Hamilton," Javier Munoz.
"I don't know if it means anything coming from a gay man, but
it's happened. Multiple times," he tweeted.
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In France, where prevalent sexism has regularly triggered calls to
end a code of silence, journalist Sandra Muller, sparked a similar
outpouring of sharing under the hashtags #balancetonporc and the
phrase's English equivalent, #squealonyourpig.
Radio journalist Anais Dent was one of those sharing her story,
writing: "First journalism internship in Paris, I was 18. The editor
in chief kisses me against my will. He'd just had a baby. #balancetonporc."
In a sign that tolerance of such acts is receding in France, on
Sunday President Emmanuel Macron said he had started proceedings for
Weinstein to be stripped of his Legion d'Honneur, France's highest
award.
A number of women have said Weinstein sexually harassed or assaulted
them in incidents dating back to the 1980s. The New York Police
Department has said it is investigating a 2004 allegation of sexual
assault by Weinstein.
Reuters has been unable to independently confirm any of the
allegations.
(Reporting by Mark Hanrahan in London and Ingrid Melander in Paris.
Additional reporting by Arthur Connan)
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