300 stars of cinema campaign to stand up for all women
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 £9.6million 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 on Sunday 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 including in the UK.
Stars who have joined Time’s Up include Ashley Judd – who was among those to accuse Weinstein – Eva Longoria, Reese Witherspoon and America Ferrera.
The group also involves female agents, writers, directors, producers and entertainment industry executives.
Yesterday 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 maledominated workplaces must end; time’s up on this impenetrable monopoly’.
In a letter of solidarity, the 300 women said: ‘To every woman who has had to fend off unwanted sexual advances [at work] and to women in every industry who are subjected to indignities and offensive behaviour that they are expected to tolerate in order to make a living: We stand with you. We support you.’
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.
Representatives for Weinstein have said that ‘any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied’ by the producer.