“MeToo Has been a powerful change — maybe a sea change — in gender relationships and social politics.”
In October 2017, actress Alyssa Milano posted on Twitter, “If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet.” That came on the heels of stories by The New York Times and New Yorker about allegations of sexual assault by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
Twenty-four hours after her tweet, Milano had 500,000 replies. They ignited the #MeToo movement in the United States — a phenomenon that would soon reverberate around the planet in surprising, sometimes profound, often disappointing ways.
Sociologist Pepper Schwartz takes the stage to address “how we got here, why we got here, what it means for the future, what it means for women, and what are the more difficult areas of assessment in terms of blame, punishment, accountability, and due process.”
If you are following the Epstein case, you do not want to miss this conversation.
All Seats | $25
ABOUT PEPPER SCHWARTZ
Pepper Schwartz is a professor of sociology at the University of Washington. She is the past president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexualities, past president of the Pacific Sociology Association and she was the Relationship, Sexuality and Love Ambassador for AARP for more than a decade. She was given an award by the American Sociological Association for public understanding of sociology. She is now on the board of the University of Minnesota program on human sexuality, where a permanent professorship has been instated in her name. She is the author and co-author of 25 academic and popular books, including two that we’re on the New York Times Best Sellers list: The Normal Bar: The Surprising Secrets of Happy Couples and 10 Talks Parents Should Have with Children About Sex and Character. Her most recent books are 50 Great Myths of Human Sexuality and Snap Strategies for Couples: 40 Fast Fixes for Everyday Relationship Pitfalls. She is also the author of more than 50 journal articles and lectures widely, both to academic and general audiences.
Dr. Schwartz is currently focused on (broadly): the study of intimate relationships, the family, sexuality, and gender.
SUGGESTED READING
ARTICLE | The Woman Who Created #MeToo Long Before Hashtags
INTERVIEW | Alyssa Milano on the #MeToo movement: 'We're not going to stand for it any more'
ARTICLE | How the #MeToo Movement Helped Make New Charges Against Jeffrey Epstein Possible
ARTICLE | New Jeffrey Epstein case: A crucial test of #MeToo's staying power
THE HUMANITIES SERIES
“Since 1996, Whidbey Island Center for the Arts has presented events with leading figures in the world of art, film, literature, music, politics, and theatre.
There have been countless lectures and onstage conversations -- and a few surprise performances -- offering diverse perspectives about the forces that impact our culture.
It is a great pleasure to introduce you to our new Humanities Series; a program designed to continue the tradition of sharing big ideas and to introduce our community to the influencers and thought leaders shaping our society.” — Verna Everitt, WICA Executive Director
