Tag: Reaches

Categories
Health

Monica Lewinsky's Defy The Name Campaign to End Bullying Reaches Millions


Nearly one in three American students in grades 6–12 have experienced bullying. And that bullying, a study in the journal Pediatrics estimated, causes 1 in 5 teen suicides. It’s an experience that’s all too real for young people around the country, but it’s also one that can be carried long into adulthood. And perhaps nobody knows that reality better than Monica Lewinsky and her plethora of A-list friends.

Lewinsky, now a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, kicked off the anti-bullying campaign, #DefyTheName in October with a PSA featuring Andy Cohen, Lena Dunham, and Kelly Rippa. The goal? Take the power out of name-calling and the discuss the damage it can cause. And though the campaign officially ended, it’s made a massive impact, reaching more than 1 billion media impressions and growing, the campaign tells Glamour.

“It’s been extraordinary to see the snowball effect of people bravely stepping up to participate in this campaign—whether they changed their names on social media, mentioned the names they had been called in their posts or shared the PSA,” Lewinsky shared in a statement with Glamour.

[embedded content]

And it didn’t stop at the video. Throughout the month, celebrities came out in droves to support the cause by changing their handles on their social media to include the names they’ve been called.

Lewinsky herself kicked things off by changing her own handle to “Monica Big Mac Ditzy Bimbo That Woman Lewinsky.”

Stacey London, host of What Not To Wear, added in her own with “Stacy “Uglier than Elephant Man” London.”

Olivia Munn jumped in with “Olivia The New Girl In School No One Likes Munn.”

QuestLove shared his with “Quest Superdweeb Love.”

Rachel Bloom added in hers with, “Rachel Weird Loser Who Needs A Bra Bloom.”

And Alan Cumming added in his own, defying the name, “Alan Useless Cumming.”

Lewinsky is no stranger to name-calling—following the national scandal involving then-President Bill Clinton more than 20 years ago, Lewinsky became a target. Today, she still deals with the aftermath of what she calls a “traumatic” experience.

“For some people, [the campaign] was even the first time they had ever talked about the pain of having been bullied with name-calling. I’m incredibly grateful the campaign was healing for many—that’s exactly what I had hoped for,” Lewinsky says. “We don’t have to let the words other people choose to call us, define who we are or how we see ourselves.”

Related Content:

Monica Lewinsky’s New Anti-Bullying Campaign Tackles Name-Calling Head-On

Monica Lewinsky Walked Out of an Interview After Being Asked About Bill Clinton

Monica Lewinsky Reckons With #MeToo in a Powerful New Essay: ‘I’m Not Alone Anymore’





Source link

Categories
Health

Michigan State University Reaches $500 Million Settlement With Larry Nassar Abuse Victims


Less than three months after disgraced doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced to decades in federal prison for the sexual assault of hundreds of young women and girls, Michigan State University has agreed to pay $500 million to the women he abused.

Though the settlement is not yet finalized, the agreement — made by lawyers on behalf of 332 of the victims — was approved Tuesday by the university’s trustees. In January, Nassar was convicted of having used his position as Michigan State doctor and a physician for the United States Olympic gymnastic team to prey upon young women and girls for years, abusing them under the guise of legitimate medical treatment.

“This historic settlement came about through the bravery of more than 300 women and girls who had the courage to stand up and refuse to be silenced,” John Manly, a lawyer representing many of the victims, told The New York Times. “It is the sincere hope of all of the survivors that the legacy of this settlement will be far-reaching institutional reform that will end the threat of sexual assault in sports, schools and throughout our society.”

PHOTO: JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP/Getty Images

Larry Nassar

The trial earlier this year generated international interest, captivating viewers across the nation and the world over the seven day duration. Hundreds of women testified against Nassar in a courtroom presided over by Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who was heralded by some and accused by others of undermining justice during the proceedings.

Michigan State was accused of covering up Nassar’s abuse and ignoring complaints about him for years; in the aftermath, the university’s president resigned and William D. Strampnel — a former dean of Michigan State University’s osteopathic medical school and Nassar’s longtime supervisor — was charged with criminal sexual conduct, misconduct by a public official and two counts of willful neglect of duty.

“Michigan State is pleased that we have been able to agree in principle on a settlement that is fair to the survivors of Nassar’s crimes,” said Robert Young, a lawyer for the university, told the Times. “We appreciate the hard work both sides put into the mediation, and the efforts of the mediator, which achieved a result that is responsible and equitable.”



Source link