It has been 97 years since women were allowed the constitutional right to vote in the United States. It’s been 169 years since the suffrage movement began. The advancement of women’s rights in the United States has made tremendous strides, but there is still great work to be done. A major lingering issue is the installation of rape culture and the issue of consent, more-so, the belief that men have the intrinsic right to do what they want to women regardless of consent. Powerful men in the cooperate business world, Hollywood, and politics, still grope, rape, sexually assault, manipulate, and control women without any repercussions. Harvey Weinstein grossly envelops this issue at hand.
It is obvious that the overwhelming majority in Hollywood knew what was happening behind closed doors involving Weinstein’s predatory behavior and sexual assault, and yet, no one spoke out on the issue. “Innocent” bystanders who refuse to speak up are not innocent. Harvey Weinstein, 65, has been a sexual predator in Hollywood for decades. Weinstein silenced women with his fortune, forcing his victims to keep quiet, according to CNN, by “non-disclosure agreements and out-of-court settlements with confidentiality clauses in cases of sexual harassment and assault”, which means these documents in a court of law, force the victim to remain silent. Subsequently, the victim must settle out of court and vow to silence. If the victim ever spoke out, she would then be sued. The fact of the matter is women were paid off by Weinstein and forced to cooperate in silence, or else face the legal team of an exuberantly wealthy and terrifying Hollywood mogul.
The list of victims affected by Weinstein’s predations, as of Oct 30, 2017, includes 82 women. These allegations range from flashing genitalia, verbal harassment, explicit sexual language, threats of physical violence, groping, sexual assault, molestation, and rape. Weinstein’s accusers grow in numbers each day as women come forward with their stories. Women who have come forward with allegations of assault include Angelina Jolie, Mira Sorvino, Cara Delevigne, Heather Graham, Eva Green, Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, and Asia Argento.
These allegations against Weinstein are backed by Hollywood’s A-List. Tom Hanks confirms that Weinstein’s behavior was no well-kept secret in Hollywood. The entire industry was aware of Weinstein’s inappropriate conduct. Hanks told NPR that he knew, in his words, of the “shenanigans” that took place on movie sets and in dressing rooms. Hanks admitted that he never thought Weinstein’s behavior was as serious as rape, although Weinstein’s predatory antics were nonetheless very well known. Hanks told NPR that men “want influence.” Hanks said, “They want some degree of purchase to be able to have with their position.” Hanks explained the intrinsic “right” and belief that men have ownership of women’s bodies. Hanks said, “And they think somehow this is how it works: […] ‘I’m the boss, and you are going to have to please me somehow.’ That is not just in Hollywood; that exists absolutely anywhere.” Hanks was hopeful in his interview and admitted he thinks times are finally on the brink of changing. Hanks insisted the necessity for women to bravely come forward, outing and condemning sexual assault, because it leads by example. Society sees this. The victims of sexual assault will be more inclined to speak up because they can acknowledge sexual harassment is against the law. Predatory men, rather than continuing the cycle of sexual harassment, instead will be arrested. This must be the paradigm. This must be the end result until predators realize they will not get away so easily.
The growing list of celebrities possessing personal accounts to Weinstein’s behavior towards they themselves or to others is extensive. For semantic purposes, we will use the word extensive, but extensive does not begin to justify the amount of people aware and affected by Weinstein’s gross, predatory behavior.
Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o came forward and described her troubled encounters with Weinstein, which date back to when she attended Yale School of Drama. Nyong’o first met Weinstein in Berlin at an awards ceremony, and she was ecstatic to meet such a powerful and important person in the industry. Weinstein was at first very charming and witty. Nyong’o explained to The New York Times that her next encounter at an early afternoon lunch meeting was quite different. Weinstein demanded that Nyong’o drink alcohol during lunch, even when she politely refused many, many times. Weinstein became irate and demeaning, demanding that the waitress bring more vodka sodas despite Nyongo’s refusal. Nyong’o and Weinstein left the lunch and proceeded to go to his home. Even though Weinstein’s kids were there in the house, Nyong’o recalls Weinstein leading the next “meeting” to his bedroom where he said massages were to take place. Nyong’o was confused and felt unsafe. Nyong’o remembered a particular college acting class that incorporated massage as a technique, so she thought maybe it was not such a weird request. Nyong’o insisted she would massage Weinstein instead, so that she could remain in control. Weinstein agreed to this; however, he began taking off his pants shortly into the massage. Nyong’o said she was not interested in where this was going, she stood up, and declared that she was leaving. Nyong’o confessed that she wished she had someone to talk to at the time about the inappropriate and unsettling encounter. Nyong’o was left feeling ill and confused, and never told anyone.
Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd was one of the first women to boldly speak out against Weinstein as his myriad of accusations began to unfold in early October. Years ago, Judd recalls agreeing to meet Weinstein for a business meeting at a hotel, and inappropriately, Weinstein greeted her in a bathrobe, telling her she should watch him shower. Judd angrily denied this command, and left the hotel room.
Florence Darel
In the 90’s, Weinstein invited French actress Florence Darel to join him and his then wife Eve Chilton in their hotel room at the Paris Ritz Carlton. Darel believed they were to discuss an upcoming role, but eventually Weinstein bluntly told the actress that she must have sex with him in order to get any role in the United States. Darel was disgusted by this manipulative offer, and she fled the suite.
Rose McGowan
This past September, Rose McGowan came forward claiming that in 1997 she was raped at just twenty-three years old by Weinstein in a Park City, Utah hotel room. After the sexual assault, she was disgusted and afraid. Not knowing what else to do, McGowan told her management team about the sexual assault. McGowan wanted to fight, but taking down the formidable mogul was a difficult task. McGowan was offered hush money and her managers urged her to accept a settlement legally buying her silence. Friends close to her at the time said a light within McGowan dimmed after the whole ordeal. This summer, however, McGowan discovered there was not a confidentiality clause in the legal documents she signed years ago. This incited hope, and McGowan began to fight for her younger self- for the young woman who was once taken advantage of in the darkest way.
Gwyneth Paltrow
In an interview with The New York Times, Gwyneth Paltrow explains her tumultuous past with Harvey Weinstein, which began with her breakout role in the 1996 film Emma. Paltrow was twenty-two years old. Paltrow recalls Weinstein inviting her to his suite at the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel. What she thought was initially a business meeting, became something else altogether, and it turned very sour, very quickly. As Paltrow arrived at his hotel room, Weinstein invited her inside. Weinstein immediately began groping her and suggesting they move into the bedroom for massages. Paltrow refused and fled the hotel room. Paltrow told her then-boyfriend Brad Pitt about the incident, and Brad confronted Weinstein, which unfortunately made things turn even nastier for Paltrow. Weinstein found Paltrow on set, cornered her, and screamed at her, declaring she was not to tell anyone. At the time, Paltrow believed Weinstein would fire her. Inevitably, she kept quiet. Paltrow’s quote to The New York Times envelopes the dire message of this piece- the point that needs to be hard-pressed into every single person’s head: “We’re at a point in time when women need to send a clear message that this is over. This way of treating women ends now.”
The list of people aware of Weinstein’s misconduct and predatory behavior continues growing:
Molly Ringwald refused to work with Weinstein after her first (and only) movie with him in 1990, “Strike It Rich”. Weinstein refused to pay Ringwald the full percentage that she contractually signed for, and in result, she ended up suing Weinstein.
Quentin Tarantino knew about the settlement between Weinstein and Rose McGowan, and recently told The New York Times that he was aware of Weinstein’s predatory behavior well before this huge scandal unfolded this fall.
Kate Beckinsale, was not even a legal adult, just seventeen years old, when she was flashed by Weinstein. Beckinsale arrived at his room for what she thought was a meeting, yet instead she came face to face with his genitalia exposed in an united bathrobe. Weinstein begged her to come in for a drink, but Beckinsale refused and fled the room confused and disgusted.
Men believe that they can get away with sexually assaulting women because they have money, influence, and power. Power is synonymous with control. The sad thing is, in our society, men can. Predatory men will stop their behavior is if they fear the same fate as Weinstein. Men will think twice if their entire empire is at stake. Weinstein lost his company, his name, his credibility, and is facing possible jail time. No one in Hollywood will be caught dead working with Weinstein again. No one wants to even be associated with him. The only way to stop powerful men from continuing this pattern of assault is for them to be scared out of their minds to lose everything. Women must keep coming forward, and bystanders must speak up, report, and defend the abused. If stories similar to Weinstein’s keep unfolding in the media, exposing other sick men, then maybe these moguls will be inclined to stop. It is naïve to assume predatory men will stop sexual misconduct on the grounds of right versus wrong, instead, they’ll stop to save their asses from losing their company, life savings, and namesake.
Any person, victim or observer, who comes in counter with predatory behavior must immediately report it. Countless men and women in Hollywood were aware of Weinstein’s sexual misconduct, yet they never spoke out against it. His assistants, co-workers, and employees never reported it. Men must be an ally for women. By not speaking out against Weinstein’s known assaults, those people were condoning his behavior. Media outlets need to decimate the reputation of men who commit sexual assault. Corporations must refuse to work with rapists and sexual predators. Vocalizing against any sexual misconduct must become the norm.