Intersectional activist Tarana Burke joins Brené to discuss empowerment through empathy, changing the narrative on sexual violence and consent, falling in love, and sharing personal vulnerabilities. They explore the significance of being heard and seen, survivor empowerment in the Me Too movement, unpacking shame in social justice, and navigating internal tensions within marginalized communities.
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Quick takeaways
The Me Too movement sparked debates on racial disparities in addressing sexual violence, questioning fairness and visibility.
Survivor experiences vary widely, challenging expectations for uniform survivor stories and emphasizing the complexities in memory recall.
Shame influences survivors' trauma processing, highlighting the internalized blame hindering their healing process.
Deep dives
Complicated Impact of the Me Too Movement
The Me Too movement, while receiving praise for raising awareness on sexual violence, has faced backlash from pockets of people in communities of color. Some believe it unfairly targets Black men, citing instances like R. Kelly's case receiving attention after years of allegations. The movement highlighted disparities in attention given to white perpetrators versus those in the Black community, sparking debates on fairness and visibility in addressing sexual violence in different racial contexts.
Understanding Survivor Experiences
Survivor experiences vary widely, challenging the notion of a uniform survivor story. The podcast highlighted how survivors may struggle with memory, with one survivor sharing how years of trauma can impact memory recall. This challenges simplistic expectations for survivors to remember every detail, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of survivor responses and complexities in recalling traumatic experiences.
Addressing the Complexity of Shame
Shame plays a significant role in survivors' experiences, influencing how they process and view their trauma. The podcast delved into the complexities of shame, revealing how survivors can internalize blame and responsibility, hindering their healing process. This internalized shame can complicate survivors' relationships to their trauma and their sense of self, underscoring the need for compassionate and nuanced support.
Challenges of Holding Diverse Narratives
Navigating diverse narratives within the Me Too movement poses challenges, particularly amidst political and social tensions. The discussion highlighted the struggle of acknowledging and valuing multiple truths within survivor communities. The tension between supporting survivors and addressing broader cultural dynamics, such as historical injustices and racial biases, underscores the need for greater sensitivity and inclusivity in addressing sexual violence.
The Importance of Centering Black Women's Experiences in Discussions of Sexual Violence Within the Black Community
Centering the podcast conversation on the necessity of acknowledging both the sensitivity around calling out black men for sexual violence and black women's experiences as survivors. Emphasizing the erasure of black women in the narrative when solely focusing on false accusations against black men, highlighting the importance of prioritizing the pain and voices of black women as survivors of sexual violence.
Redefining Empathy and Healing Through Me Too Movement
Reflecting on the foundation of the Me Too movement built on empathy and survivor-centered support. Exploring the power of shared empathy among survivors as a tool for healing and empowerment. Distinguishing between empathy and sympathy in supporting survivors and emphasizing the importance of understanding and believing the experiences of survivors to foster genuine empathy.
Tarana is a good friend and one of my favorite people on earth. She has been working at the intersection of racial justice and gender equity for nearly three decades, and she started the ‘me too.’ Movement in 2006. In 2017, when the #metoo hashtag went viral, Tarana emerged as a global leader in the evolving conversation around sexual violence.
In this episode, we talk about how her theory of “empowerment through empathy” is changing the way the world thinks and talks about sexual violence, consent, and social justice. AND we also talk/cry/laugh about falling in love, running as fast as we can from love, and the perils of sharing a bathroom with the guys we love.