Linked fate, #MeToo, and political participation

Popular accounts suggest the surge in political participation post-2016, particularly among women, was driven by the #MeToo movement. But emerging research demonstrates few people report being politically mobilized, or moved to political action, by the #MeToo movement, which raises the question of how to reconcile these narratives. We hypothesize a sense of linked fate is a critical intervening variable. While anger has been shown to increase political participation, anger does not translate directly to participation for everyone. We argue those who see their fates as linked to the fate of women are more likely to overcome these barriers and more likely to be mobilized by the #MeToo movement. Using original survey data, we find support for our hypotheses; those with a sense of linked fate were more likely to report #MeToo increased motivations to participate in political activities, including engaging in protest and running for office. Translating anger into political action may be more difficult for some people, and overcoming that high bar may require a sense of collective identity for activation.