#MeAt14: People share photos of their 14-year-old selves
(RNN) – People on Twitter shared snapshots of themselves at age 14, the age a woman was when she said Senate candidate Roy Moore molested her 40 years ago.
In the Washington Post‘s story Thursday, four women claimed Moore dated them as teens, including Leigh Corfman, who claimed he plied her with alcohol, kissed and fondled when she was 14.
Moore, the GOP candidate to replace Attorney Gen. Jeff Sessions as U.S. senator from Alabama, has denied the claims and threatened to sue the newspaper.
Despite the allegations, some backers of Moore refuse to believe the women’s stories. Alabama state auditor Jim Ziegler used the example of Mary and Joseph in the Bible in an attempt to justify a 30-year-old dating a 14-year-old.
The thread #MeAt14 was started Catherine Lawson of Raleigh, NC, a lawyer and Republican.
Can’t consent at 14.
Not in Alabama.
Not anywhere. #MeAt14 pic.twitter.com/AFUw1Ru4X2— Catherine R L Lawson (@catlawson) November 10, 2017
“We need to affirm there are lines we won’t cross in the name of party labels,” she told The News & Observer.
The hashtag was amplified by Lizz Winstead, co-creator of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.”
This is me at 14. I was on the gymnastics team and sang in the choir. I was not dating a 32 year old man. Who were you at 14? Tweet a pic, tell us who you were and pic to the top of your page #MeAt14 #NoMoore pic.twitter.com/HPVzMgaD8h
— Lizz Winstead (@lizzwinstead) November 12, 2017
Actress Alyssa Milano and TV personality Katie Couric were among those who posted photos of themselves at age 14, providing snapshots of how innocent their lives were like back then.
I was eating a lot of chocolate chip cookie dough and learning to do the “hustle” and not worrying about a 32 year old man trying to hustle me. #MeAt14 pic.twitter.com/xp7UPiiZdq
— Katie Couric (@katiecouric) November 12, 2017
#MeAt14 I worshipped my brother. I loved my dog, Pucci. I loved OMD. I had Big hair. I was happy. I was innocent.
Please share your #MeAt14. pic.twitter.com/ccPyVHgcVS
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) November 12, 2017
As “Lucy” in Good Man Charlie Brown, struggling w my crush on the upperclassman to my right cuz I was probably “too young” for him. #MeAt14 pic.twitter.com/tbjHyoTZCi
— Donna Lynne Champlin (@DLChamplin) November 13, 2017
Some people discussed the sexual abuse they were subjected to as teens, and its effect on their lives.
A picture around the age when as a teen #MeAt14 when I was sexually assaulted, over 40 years ago. Still remember it to this day, though at the time I did not report it, nor tell anyone, since I didn’t know it was assault. I do now,
That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen @MooreSenate pic.twitter.com/EjcxBluzCg— Timothy McBride (@mcbridetd) November 11, 2017
This girl was a dreamer w/ambitions of becoming a marine biologist & someday meeting David Bowie.
This girl became a broken mess after a 46yr old molested her for 2 years. There are reasons for laws re age of consent. Thankfully my State’s Attorney thought so as well. #MeAt14 pic.twitter.com/cmNgpeLDmL
— Christiana Lo (@IsThisWhoYouAre) November 12, 2017
I was already a victim of sexual violence by this time. Too many 14-year-olds are caught in a system that protects and enables perpetrators at the expense of safety and justice. #MeAt14 pic.twitter.com/SyAEPEqHsX
— Dani Bostick (@danibostick) November 12, 2017
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