Tarana Burke, the founder of the ‘Me Too’ movement created for victims who’ve endured sexual assault, has hit back at Wendy Williams for her derogatory comments.
On the Jan. 25 episode of “The Wendy Williams Show,” the talk show host said she was “sick of” the movement. She claimed the sexual allegations made against singer R. Kelly are separate from #MeToo and that R&B singer Aaliyah who was 15-years-old at the time voluntarily had sex with Kelly. Williams then asked, “Where are the parents?” She also made a comment about “Black people aren’t good at protesting” implying that the movement doesn’t hold much weight in the Black community.
Burke didn’t take too kindly to Williams’ words and shot back.
“I heard what Wendy said yesterday and was disgusted by it. This is why Black women/girls are hesitant about coming forward with their #metoo… @WendyWilliams You really think a 13 y.o. girl is to BLAME for sex w/ a 30+ y.o. man??”, Burke tweeted.
I heard what Wendy said yesterday and was disgusted by it. This is why Black women/girls are hesitant about coming forward with their #metoo stories bc of Black women like @WendyWilliams who blame the victim. You really think a 13 y.o. girl is to BLAME for sex w/ a 30+ y.o. man?? https://t.co/0mCmAnd0at
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) January 26, 2018
It is disgraceful that as wide as your audience is and as many young girls, many Black girls watch your show that you would openly victim blame like you did yesterday. You are the reason why we can’t make headway in our community around sexual violence. @WendyWilliams
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) January 26, 2018
Burke also said it was disgraceful for Williams to victim blame and exclaimed that the daytime talk show host is doing the very same thing that white people do to young Black girls which is “forget they are children.” She also wrote,”You are the reason why we can’t make headway in our community around sexual violence.”
The #MeToo founder pledged to continue fighting against sexual assault until her “last dying breath.”
“I will take my last dying breath fighting against sexual violence and standing for survivors. WE ARE NOT COMPLICIT IN OUR OWN ABUSE!! To anyone who has survivors sexual assault or abuse – please hear that and know that with all your heart. It’s not your fault,” she wrote on Twitter.
