Fred Hiltz: Me Too

#MeToo is an internet placard wielded by those who wish to advertise their disapproval of sexual harassment.

It was on conspicuous display at last night’s Oscars, which is ironic since Hollywood, in its persistent profiting from sexual exploitation, bears an uncanny resemblance to a whorehouse. The Oscars are a yearly self-congratulatory saturnalia of the brothel owners and their accomplices. The producers and directors are the pimps, the actresses – and actors, these days – the prostitutes, and the rest of us the johns, eager to salivate over the latest display of, not Jennifer Lawrence’s talent or intellect since they don’t exist, but the rest of her.

The Anglican Church of Canada in the form of its leader, Fred Hiltz, is embarrassingly eager to demonstrate its relevance by jumping on the latest bandwagon. And, in this case, perhaps it is fitting since the main preoccupation of the church has become sex: homoerotic sex.

Unhappily, #MeToo when brandished by Anglicans has a more poignant ring to it: that of a societal runt, ignored and unchosen, whimpering “me too” as it is left behind, chasing impotently after the cultural fads it can never compete with and for which it is supposed to be a corrective.

From here:

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, identified two ways that the church can respond to #MeToo and help combat sexual misconduct.

Firstly, the church must express its solidarity with those who are coming forward and sharing their experiences.

“I think we need to especially support the front-liners who are breaking the silence and instilling in others the courage to come forward and tell their stories,” the Primate said. Noting the “overwhelming” prevalence of predatory behavior on the part of many men, he added, “I think the church needs to be solidly standing beside women who are coming forward to tell their stories and to demand justice and to look for healing.”