The phrase “me too” remains in the spotlight as women continue to embrace a feeling of empowerment, including women in South Florida.
“I was tired of walking around angry and the scales of justice have been like this for so long, and it has to go like this before we can come to balance," Helena Capps said.
Diane Robinson, the minister at Unity Church in Palm Beach Gardens, says "me too" is giving women strength, but it’s also bringing up past events and emotions for many women who relate all too well to the hashtag. She wanted to use this time to give local women the opportunity to finally talk about their experiences and support each other in the healing process.
“I had sexual abuse in my life too that started when I was five," Robinson said. "You just can’t imagine how it has an effect on everything you do for the rest of your life.”
Many victims suffer in silence from shame and blame.
"It was understood that’s the way things are," Capps said.
That cycle was broken with the words "me too" echoing across the nation at the end of 2017.
"They have a stage. They have a voice," Robinson said. "That is my voice that doesn’t get heard.”
On Saturday at Unity Church in the Gardens, Robinson led women through discussion, prayer, meditation, a labyrinth walk and other activities to release emotions that have been harbored for years.
“In order to move forward, you have to let go of what you don’t want," Robinson said. "So that’s what we did."
"It’s more empowering," Capps said. "It’s not dissecting what we did or didn’t do to invite such vile behavior."