Deakin expert: Hollywood sex saga will change our workplaces
THE recent global spotlight on Hollywood’s casting couch will be the catalyst for a change in workplace relations and policy, predicts a Deakin University professor.
Celebrity culture expert Professor David Marshall believes the global conversation sparked by allegations of sexual harassment against Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein and several other high-ranking industry individ- uals speaks of a chance for lasting change.
“Given the number of cases, the evidence that it was chron- ic and over a long period time, and given that some of the most respected female actors of Hollywood, such as Angeli- na Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow, have spoken out, one would hope that it will move across different work environments and change the culture in a fundamental way,” he said.
“There is no question it will produce new policies and frameworks for administering policies in the workplace beyond Hollywood. The key element is how these new policies are both developed and enforced to allow for more equitable work environments for women.”
Every day it seems the list of accusers against Weinstein grows as Hollywood’s darker side is thrust into the light.
Actor Kevin Spacey was recently fired from his starring role in Netflix’s House of Cards after several people came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct.
The term casting couch refers to gaining favour from someone in a position of power by granting sexual favours.
The allegations have prompted thousands of men and women to share their stories of sexual harassment on- line, with the hashtag #metoo trending on Twitter last month.
“I think this is a breakthrough moment for the way Hollywood operates and it will indeed change things there fundamentally,” Prof Marshall said.
“For the rest of the culture that suffers similar gender inequality and sexual harassment in the workplace, it appears to also be making a difference.
“The next step is the conversion into workplace policies, but also workplace practices.”