2017 was an impactful year for women everywhere, particularly when the #metoo hashtag quickly spread on social media as women (and men) around the world came forward to share their experiences with inappropriate behaviour, abuse, harassment, and assault. This movement of women coming together to tell their stories and bring awareness to something that has impacted our society since the beginning of time does not just affect certain groups or communities – it brings together women of all colour, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic backgrounds, at a global level. Too often, women are worried about speaking up in fear of ridicule, retaliation, or dismissal, and are often hesitant to move to a new country or take up a new job in a male-dominated company or industry, in apprehension of the way that they will be seen and treated. Time's Up has been created to bring a voice to working women around the world.
What is Time's Up
The Time's Up movement officially launched on January 1, 2018, when powerful women in the entertainment industry in Hollywood, including directors, producers, actresses, and lawyers, came forward with an action plan to stop harassment in the workplace and bring about gender equality. They became even more motivated to create this movement after receiving a letter on behalf of 700, 000 farmworker women, relaying a message of solidarity and understanding. “Time's Up” means that the clocks have run out on those abusing their power, especially in the workforce.
Time's Up's goals
The aim of Time's Up is to first raise awareness about the abuse of power, specifically how working women are often subjected to inappropriate behaviours, sexual harassment, abuse, and assault, and then told to “laugh it off” or worse, silenced with fear and intimidation. Time's Up is an initiative, a movement, a community. It is providing a voice to women everywhere, particularly those in low-wage industries where they are completely financially dependent on their job and feel powerless against their oppressors. It is also providing funds to be able to legally defend the women who need it and to help them protect themselves, as well as working on legislation to hold companies that allow harassment to continue, accountable. Finally, Time's Up's goal is to also fight for gender equality and all the fundamentals associated with that, including equal pay and equal opportunities for women.
Time's Up's global reach
Even though the Time's Up movement originated in Hollywood, its message and purpose serve women around the world. In countries and cultures that tend to be more lax regarding sexual harassment, Time's Up will now be bringing more awareness to people who perhaps did not even understand their basic human rights. By telling women that they have a voice and they do not have to put up with the abuse and harassment, that they matter, and that they will be protected, women will now be more likely to be empowered and fight for what's right. For expat women thinking about relocating to a new job in a new country with lots of unknowns, having a worldwide movement such as Time's Up will give them increased confidence and courage to take that step. It will give them the power to speak up when a coworker or manager is inappropriately “flirting” with them with the excuse that this is just part of the culture. It will give them the courage to take the problem to Human Resources when others try to silence them or dismiss the gravity of the situation. Time's Up will also hold more men accountable for their actions.
