Over the last couple of months, sexual harassment has dominated the public airwaves. Starting with the fall of Harvey Weinstein and continuing with entertainer-turned-senator Al Franken resignation from public office, a very large and uncomfortable spotlight has been shone on what most of us have suspected for years, that people in power will use that power—and their penises, if they have them—to take advantage of others.
It wasn’t just a flash in the pan like other instances where victims of sexual assault and harassment have gone public and then nothing happens. It has snowballed into something epic where people who have been operating with impunity are losing their jobs or being pressured to get off the stage, even if they’re the stars of television shows or have been in office for more than a half-century. It has forced us to have the conversation we’ve been putting off forever and a day, that it’s not okay to solicit sex in exchange for favors, and yelling “Woo hoo! Hot buns!” at a woman walking down the sidewalk in a tight skirt is not cute or manly.
Hopefully, another snowballing conversation is on the horizon, this time about bullying. The conversation got a start this weekend when a Facebook video posted by mother Kimberly Jones showed her 13-year-old son, Keaton, in tears as he describes the bullying he endures. Kids at school shoved ham down his pants and poured milk on him. They made fun of his nose and told him he had no friends.
Here’s some of what Keaton had to say in the video:
“Just out of curiosity, why do they bully?” he asks tearfully. “What’s the point of it? Why do they find joy in taking innocent people and find a way to be mean to them? It’s not OK.
“People that are different don’t need to be criticized about it. It’s not their fault. If you are made fun of, just don’t let it bother you.”
This kind of demeaning harassment is nothing new to most of us. Plenty of people endured childhood bullying—myself included—and many of us found the light of the end of the tunnel. However, many of us didn’t. Some committed suicide. Some turned into bullies themselves, or even worse. Some turned into those sexual harassers and rapists we’ve been denouncing over the last couple of months.
The video has been seen more than 22 million times since Friday, and it has caught the attention of national celebrities. Big names like Katy Perry and Justin Bieber have thrown their support behind the movement dubbed “Stand With Keaton.” Chris Evans invited Keaton to see the world premiere in Los Angeles of the latest Avengers movie. Players with the Tennessee Titans offered Keaton four tickets for him and his family to see their game on New Year’s Eve.
My favorite response came from actor Mark Hamill. Here’s what he tweeted:
“Keaton-Don’t waste time wondering why a bully would be so mean-They’re sad people who think hurting others will make them feel better because they really don’t like themselves-They’re just jealous because you’re so smart & handsome.”
This came from Luke Skywalker, folks. You’d better be paying attention.
Actually, paying attention in general is what we should be doing. While I’m not advocating we should move on from the sexual harassment scandal, the topic of bullying needs its own bright and long-enduring spotlight. While it’s great that Keaton Jones is getting these accolades and being shown that the bullies are wrong about him, he is not the first one to endure bullying. Schoolyards are full of kids who, for one reason or another, have turned to torturing other kids to make themselves feel better. The reason the conversation on sexual harassment has gone on for so long is because new victims have come forward, and new perpetrators have been revealed. We have one boy going public; hopefully others will come forward and tell their story.
Bullying and harassment are allowed to flourish because they take place in dark nooks and crannies. There’s a cure for darkness—a big old honking light bulb.
If we don’t keep the conversation going, then Keaton’s story will fade in time and be forgotten. The topic of bullying will reemerge, but instead of a young boy from Knoxville, Tennessee, pouring his guts out, it could be a dead victim who took his or her own life because action wasn’t taken to end the nightmare. If we don’t talk about it, nothing will change.
What do you say? Are you ready to spread the conversation?