No Metoo Isn T Sophie Gilbert Summary

In her magazine article, “No, #MeToo Isn’t McCarthyism,” found in the January 2018 issue of The Atlantic, writer Sophie Gilbert refutes various criticisms targeting #MeToo, a recent social media campaign created to spread awareness of the frequency of sexual harassment and assault. She distinguishes serious sexual assault and harassment allegations from claims against men who are merely unpleasant by noting that the former is comprised of rape accusations, while the latter is only “a collection of misconduct allegations and rumors” (2). Critics of #MeToo have attempted to undermine the movement by arguing that it is a facade to allow people to falsely accuse others of sexual harassment and assault. As a result, the accused usually suffer from

She utilizes a simple sentence with a dash to explain that allegations made are not part of “a witch hunt— it’s a version of due process” (2) since most claims must be substantiated before further action can be taken. Gilbert dramatically emphasizes her point by using a dash to prolong the first half sentence. This influences her audience to anticipate the refutation she makes in the second half of the sentence. Gilbert interjects the idea that making claims against specific people is not an imprudent attempt at slandering others in mass hysteria; rather, it is a systematic process that requires orderly steps to reach a supported conclusion. With this, Gilbert suggests that those who are innocent generally do not suffer from any consequences. However, she fails to consider their reputation, which is devastated in the process. Because #MeToo is a social media campaign, information spreads exceptionally quickly and fosters a great amount of hostility toward those accused. Gilbert also uses a complex sentence with a colon to highlight that all sexual assault incidents should not be disregarded “because here’s the thing: While women aren’t confusing egregious incidents with less