Life Coach, Tony Robbins, Apologizes After he says Controversial Statements Toward the #MeToo Moveme
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“I was with someone the other day, very famous man, very powerful man, he’s saying how stressed he is because he interviewed three people that day, one was a woman, two were men. The woman was better qualified but she was very attractive, and he knew, ‘I can’t have her around, because it’s too big of a risk.’ And he hired somebody else. I’ve had a dozen men tell me this.”
This statement from life coach, Tony Robbins, is one of his many comments from a March self-help event that #MeToo supporters are challenging him on.
The #MeToo movement started in 2006 to help sexual violence survivors heal. According to metoomvmt.org, the movement’s vision “was to address both the dearth in resources for survivors of sexual violence and to build a community of advocates, driven by survivors, who will be at the forefront for creating solutions to interrupt sexual violence in their communities.” This hashtag went viral last year after actress, Alyssa Milano, tweeted it then encouraged other sexual assault and harassment survivors to do the same. The #MeToo goal is to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions and to implement “long term, systemic change.”
At a recent Unleash the Power Within self-help event in San Jose, CA, Nanine McColl, an event-goer, and Robbins argue for 10 minutes about what the #MeToo movement means. Another event-goer records the exchange and puts it on Youtube.
Keep in mind, all of this happened on March 18, 2018. Now This News first reported the exchange between McColl and Robbins on April 6, 2018. It only took one day for this video to go viral.
McColl begins the conversation by telling Robbins that she thinks he misunderstands the #MeToo movement. Robbins cuts her off mid-sentence and says, “Not for you, personally. I’m not misunderstanding you. You can educate me. I’m telling you I’ve read these. My life is about helping people …. I’ve read so many, thousands. Have you read thousands? Or are you going to tell me what your experience with the #MeToo movement is?”
Later in the video, McColl tells Robbins, “You are a leader and an influential man, and you are doing a disservice, in my opinion, to the #MeToo movement.”
#MeToo movement’s creator, Tarana Burke, took to Twitter to praise McColl’s bravery, but also to scold Robbins. Burke claims that Robbins’ “people” reached out to her within 24 hours of the event to give her context of what he said. She said the story about his friend who wouldn’t hire the woman is “deplorable” because that’s blaming the movement and not the “sexist” man.
At one point in the video, Robbins tells McColl to come up to him and stick her fist out to him. He starts pushing her back while explaining how her pushing him back against his physical actions does not make her safer in any way.
Burke was not the only person who used Twitter to share their disapproval of Robbins’ remarks and actions. Twitter user, Rebel Scum, who’s Twitter bio says she is a Vanity Fair writer and best-selling author, says his actions and remarks in the video are the red flags women are trying to call out with the #MeToo movement.
While many Twitter users were taking sides on the issue, Tony Robbins used Facebook to make an apology for his statements on Sunday, April 9, 2018. In the apology (link here), he says he is “committed to being a part of the solution.”
Robbins’ apology contained statements such as, “Let me clearly say, I agree with the goals of the #MeToo movement and its founding message of ’empowerment through empathy,’ which makes it a beautiful force for good.”
Robbins also mentions that he has spent the past 40 years of his life as a life coach to help others with growth. He also shares that his growth began when he was a victim of childhood abuse. He ends with, “the teacher has to become the student and it is clear that I still have much to learn” and commits to being part of the solution of the #MeToo movement.
Robbins gained support from Twitter too. Users said his years of helping people should not be forgotten because of one mistake.
Hub City TV
On federally funded college campuses, the #MeToo movement is a big topic in Title IX offices.
Hub City TV reporter, Halle Mosely, went to the Title IX office on The University of Southern Mississippi’s campus to see what they had to say about sexual assault.
USM’s Director of Title IX, Dr. Becky Malley, says the bill was originally created to make sure there was equal access to student athletic programs for women but has evolved into a much bigger bill that now says you can’t be treated different because of your sex, gender identity, or pregnancy status.
Dr. Malley says, “Any university receiving federal funds, including USM, has an office identified where any employee or student who feels like they are being treated differently because of their gender or sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status can come consult with us for a resolution.”
While the #MeToo movement is rooted in people coming forward to say they were sexually assaulted or harassed in order to encourage others to speak up, there are still people that don’t feel comfortable doing that. Dr. Malley says the main reason is that they are just trying to deny that it actually happens which ends up hurting the survivor much more.
