Top stars unite for fight
THREE hundred actresses and entertainment executives, including Emma Stone and Natalie Portman, have unveiled a plan to combat sexual harassment in Hollywood and beyond.
The Time’s Up campaign is also demanding an end to discrimination against women. The group has raised $16.6 million for a legal defence fund to help less privileged women such as nurses and restaurant workers protect themselves from sexual abuse.
Time’s Up is requesting that women walking the red carpet at the Golden Globes ceremony this weekend raise awareness of sexual harassment and inequality by wearing black as well as speaking out about the issues.
The group builds on the momentum of the #MeToo movement, which began after Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexual misconduct over 30 years by some 100 women. The allegations include three rapes.
Since then abusers have been outed in politics, the media and beyond around the world. Other stars who have joined Time’s Up include Ashley Judd – who was among those to accuse Weinstein – Eva Longoria, Reese Witherspoon, America Ferrera and Rashida Jones. The group also involves female agents, writers, directors, producers and entertainment industry executives.
Time’s Up took out a full page advert in the New York Times which said: “The struggle for women to break in, to rise up the ranks and to simply be heard and acknowledged in male-dominated workplaces must end; time’s up on this impenetrable monopoly’.
The group aims to draft legislation to penalise companies that tolerate persistent harassment and to discourage the use of nondisclosure agreements. It also wants gender parity in studios and talent agencies.