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HURRICANE HARVEY
Prior to October, Harvey Weinstein’s public persona was of a powerhouse producer with a notorious temper. Then, his dark secret exploded like an atomic bomb — the New York Times and The New Yorker published reports that detailed dozens of allegations that the producer had sexually harassed, assaulted and raped numerous women throughout his career.
From there, the floodgates opened, and many suggested that Weinstein’s secret hadn’t been so secret after all. From interns and production assistants to A-list actors like Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie, a truly countless number of women came forward with their stories of how Weinstein had used his power to take advantage of them.
As a result of the enormous batch of allegations, Weinstein was fired from the Weinstein Company. His public statements alternated be- tween apologies and carefully crafted legalese that denied any wrongdoing. In an effort to distance himself from his brother, Bob Weinstein said he knew nothing about the allegations in their decades of working together. From there, The Mist showrunner Amanda Segel alleged that Bob Weinstein had made inappropriate sexual comments to her while they worked together.
If one can describe any aspect of this horrific story as a silver lining, it would be that more and more victims of sexual misconduct felt empowered to speak out. Actors like Terry Crews and Rob Schneider came forward with their own stories of sexual harassment from directors, while actress Heather Lind alleged that former President George H.W. Bush groped her during a photo op. Across social media, the #MeToo campaign thrived as people shed their fears and opened up about the horrible experiences they had suffered in Hollywood and beyond.
The ripple effect traveled through the music industry too, as allegations emerged regarding misconduct from former Real Estate member Matt Mondanile, former Brainfeeder electronic producer the Gaslamp Killer, and former Captured Tracks recording artist Alex Calder. Following allegations that he raped his former girlfriend Jessicka Addams, Marilyn Manson bassist Twiggy Ramirez was fired from the band.
The sheer number of allegations suggest what most already knew and some were unwilling to admit — despite a rise in performative “wokeness,” there is still an unacceptable amount of misogyny in the entertainment industry. And while responses to the stories and the brave people who told them were mixed, it still felt like a cultural shift. People are no longer going to keep dark secrets for powerful men, and their bravery will lead to real change.