Draining the pus is the start of healing — known for 3,500 years.
While #metoo is flooding the Western world, especially famous women bravely sharing that they too were sexually harassed, there is total radio silence from the corner of perpetrators. There is much harassment but there are no harassers? I’ll try to be an inspirational worthy first — so, the too in the #bymetoo hashtag is not actual yet.
Before I bring up all kinds of horrors connected to sexuality, allow me to stress that sex itself is innocent and holy. It is a beautiful way for people to connect deeply and end their existential loneliness forever. Of course this means that sexuality should not be defiled, and not wasted on things like experimentation or casual contacts. But it should also not be seen as something lowly or dirty, something to avoid at all costs, as if worthiness lies in full abstinence — it does not.
What I did wrong:
- I slept with a grownup (A) and in the middle of the night I started up something sexual.
- We even agreed beforehand, only to seek closeness, not sex. Also without this agreement I would have violated A, beginning sex without permission, but on top of that, I broke my word.
- I stopped within four seconds, realizing it was wrong, but I did not say sorry, not then and not the next morning. I shamefully ignored it as if it didn’t happen, would go away by itself. I withheld those enormously healing words “I’m sorry.”
I’m not a monster:
- Hardly anyone is. A had previously told me having a hard time being sexual, so suddenly I though “I could help.” Luckily, A did not react at all, making me realize that this was unhelpful and wrong, and I stopped cold in my tracks.
- It was kind of reassuring that A told me later (see below) that it was confusing that this had come from someone like me — A also saw this as unfitting for me — still liked me.
The above two paragraphs are no justification, and when I met A again and tried to rebuild what I had destroyed, I never “explained myself,” since I wanted the focus to be on A, not on me.
What I did right:
- I took therapy on what I had done. A lot of therapy. I was sure we would meet again and I wanted to be ready to try undo as much as possible of hurt I caused.
- I realized that I was prone to the thought that this was not so bad, it lasted four seconds max, but that on the other end, for A it wasn’t over when it was over.
- I waited until we met in person again, didn’t try something by phone or letter, because I wanted to listen and support rather than talk myself. Support is best in person.
- We did meet again and I immediately told A: I would like to talk, if that’s OK with you.
- A happily agreed, and I said: I want to say that I’m deeply sorry about what I did.
- I did not describe how I remembered it as I wanted to make space for how A remembered it.
- Then I said: I took therapy on this to never do this again to anyone and I do not need to talk about it now. Rather, may I invite you to tell me how it was for you?
- So A talked. I tried to listen without being consumed by guilt, and instead focusing on what A was telling me. I reminded myself that while being loving (listening) I could do no new harm.
- After A’s recounting, I asked for more details. A talked about feelings, especially confusion. I was in no hurry.
- After that, I asked for anger. A’s a very loving person, so that was not easy to express, also because A liked me. I said: I will remember that you like me while you show your anger. That made it safe to share.
- I realized that in several ways I had been more powerful than A and that my behavior had made A powerless. So I focused on empowering my friend, not being a control freak who must be in charge always. I tried not to steer or stifle anything (besides myself).
- Afterwards, A profusely thanked me but I made clear that I had done no favor but rather an obligation, and I thanked A for the shown courage and honesty.
- I realized that probably I had not undone everything.
- I did help repair something; its’ hard to tell if it was enough.
- I have slept with people since and never repeated my damaging mistake. In any setting, I have never done anything sexual again without full prior consent.
- I have continued to receive therapy on when I was violated when I was young and worked so hard on it that it became easy to counsel others on their sexual history — which I did.
- Now, 30+ years on, I admit this mistake publicly in the hope of being an inspiration and a force for goodness.
Reflections
It is daring to come forward as a victim of sexual harassment, since much of the blame and shame — unrightfully so — has been heaped on victims. As much as many perpetrators deny guilt, many victims feel guilty (instead?). It is even more courageous to come clean when you caused this form of violation. I feel that in the writing, we may show (not too much!) that we were not monsters — without justifying our mistake, as I tried to model above. We should not do so immediately when we talk directly with the people we hurt; maybe — much — later.
We must make sure that when we go public, we do not reveal our victim(s), not even through hints that are understandable for people who know us best. It’s their prerogative to come forward or not, and to decide to whom they disclose what happened and to whom not.
We should focus on comfort and healing for our victim(s) and the world. When they are ready, they will forgive us; but we should not ask for it. Our “sorry” is only to help them heal.
Neither do we need to prove our goodness by trying to get in trouble with the law for it. Healing is needed more than punishment. So, many #bymetoo bearers may need to write anonymously. Yet, when we know of a predator roaming around, we have no choice but go to the police, since not doing so is enabling them and permitting more hurt to happen and preventing healing from what was done already. Their profuse apologies may be fake and dangerous to take for real.
The majority of our effort should be towards people we wronged, personally saying that we are sorry, paying for their therapy, saying we will never do this again and taking therapy ourselves to make the promise be serious and hold. That is more important than just broadcasting our #bymetoo the world over.
Note: Our goal should NOT be:
- To parade as brave,
- To parade as innocent,
- To parade as likable,
- To parade as the “real” victim,
- To parade as a (guilt-ridden) monster.
Rather, when owning such mistakes, the focus should not be on us, perpetrators. Our goal must be to give, not to receive, to help heal the world. Doing so is our responsibility, not a generous kindness.
Tomorrow part 2, a large collection of afterthoughts.
The following day part 3, more confessions of #bymetoo
MM is a prolific and creative writer and thinker, previously a daily blog contributor to the TOI. He often makes his readers laugh, mad, or assume he's nuts—close to perfect blogging. He's proud that his analytical short comments are removed both from left-wing and right-wing news sites. None of his content is generated by the new bore on the block, AI. *
As a frontier thinker, he sees things many don't yet. He's half a prophet. Half. Let's not exaggerate. Or not at all because he doesn't claim G^d talks to him. He gives him good ideas—that's all. MM doesn't believe that people observe and think in a vacuum. He, therefore, wanted a broad bio that readers interested can track a bit what (lack of) backgrounds, experiences, and educations contribute to his visions. *
This year, he will prioritize getting his unpublished books published rather than just blog posts. Of the 15 (!) books he has in mind, the next two are about homosexuality in Judaism and new rabbinics. Next year, he hopes to focus on activism against human extinction. To find less-recent posts on a subject XXX among his over 2600 archived ones, go to the right-top corner of a Times of Israel page, click on the search icon and search "zuiden, XXX". One can find a second, wilder blog that also may contain updates to Times of Israel posts, to which one may subscribe, here: https://mmvanzuiden.wordpress.com/ or by clicking on the globe icon next to his picture on top. *
He's getting ready to publicize books on: "Free Will, "Judaism and Homosexuality, "His parents in the Holocaust, "Judaism, "A New Torah Translation and "A New Hebrew Grammar, "Co-Counseling, "Vegan Facts, "Immortality, and more. *
Like most of his readers, he believes in being friendly, respectful, and loyal. However, if you think those are his absolute top priorities, you might end up disappointed. His first loyalty is to the truth. He agrees that in a post-truth world, that's irrelevant, but then this is for the record. He will try to stay within the limits of democratic and Jewish law, but he won't lie to support opinions or people when don't deserve that. (Yet, we all make honest mistakes, which is just fine and does not justify losing support.) He admits that he sometimes exaggerates to make a point, which could have him come across as nasty, while in actuality, he's quite a lovely person to interact with. He holds - how Dutch - that a strong opinion doesn't imply intolerance of other views. *
Sometimes he's misunderstood because his wide and diverse field of vision seldomly fits any specialist's box. But that's exactly what some love about him. He has written a lot about Psychology (including Sexuality and Abuse), Medicine (including physical immortality), Science (including basic statistics), Politics (Israel, the US, and the Netherlands, Activism - more than leftwing or rightwing, he hopes to highlight reality), Oppression and Liberation (intersectionally, for young people, the elderly, non-Whites, women, workers, Jews, LGBTQIA+, foreigners and anyone else who's dehumanized or exploited), Integrity, Philosophy, Jews (Judaism, Zionism, Holocaust and Jewish Liberation), the Climate Crisis, Ecology and Veganism, Affairs from the news, or the Torah Portion of the Week, or new insights that suddenly befell him. *
Chronologically, his most influential teachers are his parents, Nico (natan) van Zuiden and Betty (beisye) Nieweg, Wim Kan, Mozart, Harvey Jackins, Marshal Rosenberg, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and, lehavdil bein chayim lechayim, Rabbi Dr. Natan Lopes Cardozo, Rav Zev Leff, and Rav Meir Lubin. This short list doesn't mean to disrespect others who taught him a lot or a little. One of his rabbis calls him Mr. Innovation [Ish haChidushim]. Yet, his originalities seem to root deeply in traditional Judaism, though they may grow in unexpected directions. In fact, he claims he's modernizing nothing. Rather, mainly basing himself on the basic Hebrew Torah text, he tries to rediscover classical Jewish thought almost lost in thousands of years of stifling Gentile domination and Jewish assimilation. (He pleads for a close reading of the Torah instead of going by rough assumptions of what it would probably mean and before fleeing to Commentaries.) This, in all aspects of life, but prominently in the areas of Free Will, Activism, Homosexuality for men, and Redemption. *
He hopes that his words will inspire and inform, and disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. He aims to bring a fresh perspective rather than harp on the obvious and familiar. When he can, he loves to write encyclopedic overviews. He doesn't expect his readers to agree. Rather, original minds should be disputed. In short, his main political positions are among others: anti-Trumpism, for Zionism, Intersectionality, non-violence, anti those who abuse democratic liberties, anti the fake ME peace process, for original-Orthodoxy, pro-Science, pro-Free Will, anti-blaming-the-victim, and for down-to-earth, classical optimism, and happiness. Read his blog on how he attempts to bridge any tensions between those ideas or fields. *
He is a fetal survivor of the pharmaceutical industry (https://diethylstilbestrol.co.uk/studies/des-and-psychological-health/), born in 1953 to his parents who were Dutch-Jewish Holocaust survivors who met in the largest concentration camp in the Netherlands, Westerbork. He grew up a humble listener. It took him decades to become a speaker too, and decades more to admit to being a genius. But his humility was his to keep. And so was his honesty. Bullies and con artists almost instantaneously envy and hate him. He hopes to bring new things and not just preach to the choir. *
He holds a BA in medicine (University of Amsterdam) – is half a doctor. He practices Re-evaluation Co-counseling since 1977, is not an official teacher anymore, and became a friendly, powerful therapist. He became a social activist, became religious, made Aliyah, and raised three wonderful kids. Previously, for decades, he was known to the Jerusalem Post readers as a frequent letter writer. For a couple of years, he was active in hasbara to the Dutch-speaking public. He wrote an unpublished tome about Jewish Free Will. He's a strict vegan since 2008. He's an Orthodox Jew but not a rabbi. *
His writing has been made possible by an allowance for second-generation Holocaust survivors from the Netherlands. It has been his dream since he was 38 to try to make a difference by teaching through writing. He had three times 9-out-of-10 for Dutch at his high school finals but is spending his days communicating in English and Hebrew - how ironic. G-d must have a fine sense of humor. In case you wonder - yes, he is a bit dyslectic. If you're a native English speaker and wonder why you should read from people whose English is only their second language, consider the advantage of having an original peek outside of your cultural bubble. His posts are spell, grammar, and style polished by AI, but all written by himself. *
To send any personal reaction to him, scroll to the top of the blog post and click Contact Me. *
His newest books you may find here: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AMoshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&s=relevancerank&text=Moshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1
