The #MeToo Movement seems new, but it actually began back in 2006 when Tarana Burke started her own thing to raise awareness about sexual abuse.

Burke didn't just come up with the phrase out of thin air. She said it was inspired by an encounter she had with a 13-year-old girl who told her that

she was sexually assaulted. Burke said she's always wished that she could have told that child, "Me too."  

Before we even knew about the power of the hashtag, Tarana Burke started a Me Too MySpace page. Raise your hand if you were all about that page way back

in the day.

A man who basically said it was okay to grab a woman by her pussy was the President of the United States. Women and many men were not having it.

Not only was a sexist in power, but the rights of women's bodies were up for grabs. In January 2017 girl power was in full effect as some five million

women, men, and children took to the streets in the US alone. A change was coming. We just didn't know how much or how big things were going to get

in the next wave of feminism.

While some five million women marched in the US, almost 200 marches were held around the world. Women's rights have never just been an issue in America; it's a global

problem.

In early October 2017, Ashley Judd made the first accusation towards Harvey Weinstein that eventually led to so many more.

Over a decade after Burke made her moves, Alyssa Milano popped up online with #MeToo after the story broke about all the allegations against Harvey Weinstein in 2017. She had

no idea that Burke had been declaring "Me Too" since 2006, but it was all good. Burke was happy to see her movement in the spotlight.

Within 24 hours of Milano's tweet, #MeToo was the number one trending topic with around half a million mentions. Facebook had Twitter beat with some 12 million posts.

We have to pay homage to the fact that #MeToo would have never worked had other call to action hashtags had not come before it. Social media has transformed how

we band together. We've had #Kony2012 (oh lawd, remember that?), and more notable ones like #BlackLivesMatter, #NODAPL, and #icebucketchallenge. #MeToo is just one of the latest when it comes to

hashtag activism.

Many assumed that it was just women who were facing this global problem. Nope. Men are sexually assaulted too. Terry Crews brought his story to the public eye along with

his female peers.

Let's be real, America often lives in its own little bubble, but #MeToo was able to pop it. The hashtag would end up trending around the world in almost 100

countries. Countries that have had a far worse modern history with women and oppression, like Afghanistan, embraced the chance to tell their stories.  

Speaking of Afghanistan, this country is riddled with not only sexual harassment but a lot of violence against women. So much so that women often don't report things such as

rape because it could be seen as "dishonoring" their family name. So when #MeToo started trending there, it wasn't like it was in the US. We could share without real

fear, unlike the women of Afghanistan. Women like Maryam Mehtar, a journalist, received a wide array of death threats. She wasn't the only one. So to say the women of

that country were brave to share would be a grand understatement.

Sweden is unlike America for a number of reasons. They see the importance of universal health care, and they also know that you have to do away with bad people

who are accused of sexual assault. When allegations were made against Ryan Seacrest, they were eventually tossed out the window, he still got to do the red carpet at the

Oscars, and he kept his "American Idol" gig. The Swedish version of Seacrest, Martin Timell, was accused by a number of women and his gigs were over just a few

days after Alyssa Milano's initial #MeToo tweet.

In Canada, where French is widely spoken, #MoiAussi was what they used. Women started to see they were not alone when #MoiAussi started trending, resulting in many calling into crisis

centers and seeking help.

France went as far as wanting to fine those who make catcalls, but some men argued that it's a French normality.

Italy had their own version of #MeToo. A journalist by the name of  Giulia Blasi jumpstarted #QuellaVoltaChe, which translates to #TheTimeThat. Like in America, the leader of Italy isn't the

most female-friendly person. Another journalist, Simona Siri, went after their Prime Minister by calling out his late nights with underage girls and hookers.

While many women, especially those in college, shared their stories via #WoYeShi, the Chinese internet censorship service started to limit them. Tweet on sisters. Share. Forever.

Other countries involved with #MeToo were Japan (#WatashiMo), Macedonia (#СегаКажувам - #NowTelling), #memyös (WeToo), Taiwan (#WoYeShi), and Norway (#SilentUntilRecorded).

In October 2017, Anthony Rapp spilled some very interesting beans about Kevin Spacey. He said the Oscar winner had come on to him when he was only 14. Soon after,

other men started to come forward about Spacey. By December, Netflix announced that "House of Cards" was not only cutting Spacey from the sixth season, but that it would also

be the show's last. Netflix ain't messing around.

By November, marches for #MeToo as well as demonstrations to call attention to harassment in the workplace were taking place around the country.

That same month, Emily Joy and Hannah Paasch started their own hashtag to call attention to the harassment that takes place within the church; #ChurchToo.

Every year Time Magazine picks a Person of the Year, and many were worried that Donald Trump may take the top prize based solely on the idiocracy he'd brought to

the White House over the past 365 days. Thankfully it wasn't him. Instead, it was a number of people who made the #MeToo Movement what it is today, including Burke

herself. They were dubbed "the silence breakers."

#MeToo proved to be an ever-changing force. Many in Hollywood banded together at the start of 2018 for the next step in the plan to take down sexual assault. Reese

Witherspoon, America Ferrera, Natalie Portman, and a few other hundred actors called out those in entertainment even more with their Times Up initiative.

In the early days of 2018, a woman who'd gone on a date with Aziz Ansari posted about it on Babe.net. It sparked a lengthy conversation about what's assault and

what isn't. The former "Parks and Recreation" star did receive some backlash at first but after rereading the woman's words on repeat, there were many who felt like she'd just

had a bad date. In turn, that sparked another conversation about the true definition of sexual assault. A debate we could have all day.

In January 2018 Stop Sexual Assault in Schools gave #MeToo a makeover and presented #MeTooK12 to the world. With a surprising amount of sexual harassment going on between students in

K-12, some awareness had to be brought to it.

A presidential election overshadowed the first wave of #MeToo in 2017, but by 2018 many new mothers were coming forward about being assaulted in the hospital while they were trying

to breastfeed their babies.

It's no secret that the military has long been a hard realm for women to crack. They weren't allowed on the front lines until the 21st century, and because of

that, they weren't becoming the higher ranking officers. On top of all of that, women in the military have combated years of sexual abuse. In the wake of #MeToo, our

sisters in the military started their own #MeTooMilitary, and there was even a #MeTooMilitary Stand Down at the Pentagon on January 8, 2018.

Growing up, many of us were told that when a boy plays rough with us, it's a sign that he likes us. That can then play a huge role in

our lives when we get older and are mistreated by grown men. Sharing stories showcased to many women around the world that the ideas they'd grown up with were 100%

wrong.

Not everyone was on board with #MeToo right away. Germany didn't really take notice until January 2018 after the weekly magazine Die Zeit ran a story about allegations against TV

director Dieter Wedel.

India was very lax when it came to rape. Not until a literal gang of rapists murdered a woman were better laws set in place in 2012, so the women

of India were ready for #MeToo. They spoke up and out, some even getting a case made against marketer Mahesh Murthy at the beginning of 2018.  

Ivanka Trump's father is one of the worst people when it comes to the #MeToo movement. Despite that fact, she has praised it BUT told NBC News, "I'm

proud of the women who are standing up in the face of accusers with credible evidence and credible stories, and we've seen a lot of those recently." With Ivanka, you

better come with all the evidence or she ain't having it.

There are two events that will ultimately define the '90s; the OJ trial and Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. In February 2018, Lewinsky revealed that she'd always viewed her

relationship with Clinton as consensual but everyone's stories provided her with a "new lens" when looking at how things went down in the Oval Office.

Over 200 girls and young women stepped forward saying that Larry Nassar, the USA Gymnastics national team doctor, had sexually assaulted them on some level during his 18 years with

the Olympic Gymnastics team. For some reason, these allegations were not given their time of day until 2017, when Nassar got a 60-year federal sentence in July. However, that was

nothing compared to what came in January and February of 2018. He received two more sentences that could see him serving 80 to 175 years. Many applauded the women who

not only came forward but were brave enough to take the stand.

Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey were two of the biggest names that came out of the #MeToo movement. That is until a "Transparent" actress piped up about Jeffrey Tambor's bad

behavior behind the scenes. Despite being the main character on the show, Amazon announced in February 2018 that the actor would not be returning to the hit series.

With all the support that #MeToo got, it was bound to have a backlash. An Austrian filmmaker named Michael Haneke was one of the haters. He called the whole thing

a "witch hunt" in the entertainment industry.

We can't be all too surprised that the former actress and model Brigitte Bardot would call those involved with #MeToo "hypocritical." The woman has said asinine things in the past,

most of which were very racist against foreigners in France.

Many know Terry Gilliam for his part in the comedy troupe Monty Python, but a new generation will forever recognize him as the man who called the #MeToo movement "silly."

His comment was not met with open arms. Many clapped back, including "The New Normal's" Ellen Barkin. The actress tweeted, "My hard won advice: never get into an elevator alone

with terry gilliam" in March 2018. Someone could soon have some accusations out against him...

Cardi B, the rapper everyone has come to love for her inescapable wacky realness, opened up about the #MeToo movement in the April 2018 issue of Cosmopolitan. When asked to

give her thoughts about the whole thing, she came to the aid of a sector of women she doesn't think the movement reps well; video vixens. She said, "A lot

of video vixens have spoke about this and nobody gives a fuck. I bet if one of these women stands up and talks about it, people are going to say,

'So what? You’re a ho. It don’t matter."

Interesting enough, with so many men being taken down in various professions, women swept in to take their places. The number of women in higher positions has started to rise.

While the initial wave of involvement with #MeToo opened the gates, many are now wondering #NowWhat because when it comes to the end of sexual assault and awareness we have

come a long way, but we've got quite a way to go.