Notes on not knowing: male ignorance after #MeToo

The essential premise of #MeToo is that, while large numbers women are subject to sexual harassment and assault, this reality not known or understood by unnamed others. This article interrogates the non-knowing that points but does name, asking: who exactly know, why? These questions provide starting point elaborate concept male ignorance. While lexicon has been fleetingly deployed in canonical feminist works – where it denotes something so obvious require explanation, functioning instead as a kind common sense I develop here might be put greater use dedicated analytic. work Charles Mills, particularly his writings on white ignorance, provides critical precedent regard. Following Mills foregrounding ideological operations knowing, conceive ignorance structure concerted if unconscious epistemic occlusion which both stems from serves protect privilege. As such, plays crucial role securing overall relation domination oppression within gendered lives lived. itself multiple variety stakeholders, argue surrounds assault draws attention seeks undo constitutes paradigmatic manifestation, one cisgender heterosexual men have particular stake.