“We have inherited a social system based on male domination of politics and economics. We call for the replacement of the cultural ethics of domination and control with more cooperative ways of interacting that respect differences of opinion and gender.” –Green Party 10 Key Values

The #MeToo Movement has launched a powerful conversation about the toxic Patriarchy which dominates our political, social, environmental and economic landscape and how we overcome it.

Below are powerful statements from Green Party Women on how they view this movement and what they have to say about how we “transform the relationship between men and women from one characterized by exploitation, violence and dominance to one based on equality and mutual respect” (Green Party of Minnesota Platform).

“Ain't I a woman? These words resonate with me now more than ever.  Feminism is not about pink hats and fragility but is about strength, courage, and solidarity. Respect for all women and the struggles they face, especially those who are the most oppressed.

Our elected officials abusing their power and diminishing those who have earned their place just as they have is inexcusable. #Metoo is about telling our own narrative and owning our story as part of the healing process.

Intersectionality in this movement must be front and center of everything that we do and the leaders of our movement must be rooted in solidarity and not white supremacy, misogyny and misogynoir tactics.”

-Sam Pree-Stinson, Coordinating Committee Member, Green Party Minnesota

“The #MeToo movement has already changed the public discourse around sexual harassment and rape culture in positive ways. But when such deep changes start happening, backlash soon follows, especially when politics are involved.

Women who spoke out about being sexually harassed by Minnesota legislators have experienced the backlash of their political party, the DFL, attempting to silence them by withdrawing support from their political work and campaigns. Even though their experiences and testimonies were not about former Sen. Al Franken, their demands for justice, respect and a safe work environment were seen as contributing to the loss of a Democrat in the Senate when Franken decided to resign after being accused by a number of other women of unwanted touching.

The DFL’s subtle punishment of the courageous women who came forward must be added to the list of undemocratic and unjust results of a system that has room for only two parties, where being dominant is the biggest concern. Women have always been asked to wait until “later” for justice, equality and fairness--in this case, until the Republicans no longer dominate in government. Those DFLers who withdrew their support from the women who spoke out made it clear that the balance of power in the Senate is more important than justice and truth.

To me, as a Green, their bravery is not only admirable and honorable, but their contribution to shifting the way everyone thinks about what is acceptable and what is not acceptable in the way men treat women moves us toward a world of equity and respect, and that is the world I want to live in.”

-Betsy Barnum, Steering Committee, 5th Congressional District Green Party

"The #MeToo movement has made us take a good look at ourselves. The brave women who have come forward are my hero's.

We must all do our part to support these women and the women who continue to share stories of harassment, sexual abuse, shame, and fear. We must begin doing the work to reclaim our lives, our daughters, our mothers and our sisters lives."

-LaTrisha Vetaw, Green Minneapolis Park Board Commissioner, At-Large

“The backlash against women who speak out about sexual harassment and abuse saddens me, especially when the backlash involves women not supporting other women. I wish that all women from any political affiliation could feel supported by other women to be courageous and brave enough to express their anger and disgust without fear of retaliation.

The #Metoo movement touches on every industry and workplace women traverse. If we aren’t willing to face the sacrifices and take the time to rebuild what was revealed by women who have the courage to speak, but rather are willing to sacrifice our integrity to maintain power, because the power wielded by the man who is the offender is more valuable than justice for the oppressed and abused, we are not just unkind and unsupportive, but actively working against ourselves.

It may look like to some women like a loss of ground to stand with those who speak out, if the ground they want to gain is only reflected in partisan political control. But the real loss is much greater, a loss of trust among women and a loss of an opportunity to take a huge step forward for all of us, men and women both.”

-Kristina Mattson, Member, 4th Congressional District Green Party

"In 1966, the organizers of NOW, The National Organization of Women, recognized that equality demanded economic independence for women, requiring a social restructuring that wouldn’t simply create employment opportunity for women but create economic value for the work done by women. Community work and childrearing would have to be shared more equally by husband, wife, and society.

Industrialization and technology are male spaces and war is the ultimate manifestation. The politics of wealth and power has functioned to exclude women from these spaces.

“A woman's place is in the home:” a notion that has trivialized the role of women in society for centuries, perhaps since the dawn of property rights. Female spaces are the foundations of society: family, childcare, education, health care, and social organizing.

We have created a narrative of gender conflict where women fight for economic and social status by gaining entry to male spaces in a society that continues to devalue nurses, teachers, social workers, and childcare, highly skilled and demanding professions that offer little social mobility. We sexualize women, but deny them the right to fairly negotiate; rather, dominating them through false narratives about a protected class. Those protections would generally be unnecessary if women had true equality in American society.

As a transgender woman I have lived experience in both genders. I have experienced both sides of the issue: the indignity of being discounted, minimized, and ignored as well as the loss of due process perpetuated by the false allegations of political and economic agendas. 

The #MeToo movement is a symptom of broader social issues.  We must welcome the discussion but we must avoid suppressing the broader discussion. We must change the social narrative around gender equity, not by pressuring women into male spaces, but rather by valuing what women do, defining solidarity, not by class status but according to common purpose. We need to shift the narrative of wealth and power towards one of cultural evolution."

-Paula Overby, Candidate for US Senate seeking Green Endorsement, Author of The Transgender Myth – Through the Gender Looking Glass

“As people (mostly women) have come out to say #MeToo, we will not and must not continue to sit by and be silent.

We stand with those who are abused, harassed, demeaned, or have faced any other form of oppression. Listen to each other’s stories and recognize each other’s humanity. We must stop the victim blaming.”

-Megan Kuhl-Stennes, Former Steering Committee, 5th Congressional District Green Party and Current Candidate for Hennepin County Commissioner District 4