A review by sbpresto
The #MeToo Effect: What Happens When We Believe Women by Leigh Gilmore

4.0

The #MeToo Effect: What Happens When We Believe Women by Leigh Gilmore is a powerful, must-read about the systemic backlash women face when they speak up about sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape. It ties together the mistreatment of Anita Hill, a Black law professor, and Christine Blasey Ford, a white psychology professor, who had accused previous nominees of sexual misconduct, and provides a voice to the movement against Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, Trump, Bill Cosby, and other men who have taken advantage of their positions, money, and fame to take what they want, with no regard to their victims. Gilmore details the painfully slow progress that believing women has made, and the still prevalent “boys will be boys” and “he said/ she said.” Most profoundly to me was the information and narratives around consent, how “no” isn’t enough, and how often being fully incapacitated (and therefore unable to say “no”) is made to seem consensual. We need to believe women and this book skillfully outlines why.

Special thanks to Net Galley and Columbia University Press for providing an advanced reviewer copy to me, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.