Silencing the voice of the victim #MeToo
On Monday I decided to share some of my #metoo stories, and one of them was a reflection on the church I grew up in, Faith Baptist Church (Glen Burnie, MD -welcometo.faith ). As a teenager I was an avid and excited member of a youth group, as a kid that was an outsider most of the time, having a place where friends welcomed me was great. However, the youth pastor they employed Clyde Wesley Way (indicted of child molestation in NC) used his position of power to molest us, and influence us. From anything from wanting to show us masturbation techniques, to asking young boys if they wanted to feel his penis, and pubic hair to see what men grew up to look like. He would also come in and shower naked with us, and put his hands on us.
I shared this on the church’s facebook page and twitter because they employed this man while he still faced the same allegations. Then in 2004 they threw him a retirement party and silenced other victims.
All this to say when we say #metoo we are saying churches, and men hold extreme positions of power and even today use it to silence us who have been victimized. I would implore you to share your voice, and fight back.
