Feminists denounce Deneuve claims men are being ‘targeted’
French women’s rights activists have denounced an open letter signed by movie star Catherine Deneuve and others that said men are being unfairly targeted by sexual misconduct allegations.
In a text published on the Franceinfotv website yesterday, feminist Caroline De Haas and more than 30 activists strongly criticise the letter.
“This letter, it’s a bit like the awkward work colleague or annoying uncle who doesn’t understand what’s happening,” they say, claiming Deneuve and other signatories are using media exposure to make sexual violence appear “normal”. Deneuve was among about 100 performers, scholars and others who signed an open letter on Tuesday saying the “legitimate protest against sexual violence” stemming from the Harvey Weinstein scandal has gone too far and threatens hard-won sexual freedoms. The letter was published in France’s Le Monde newspaper.
Deneuve, who has said men should be “free to hit on” women, is one of 100 French women who wrote an open letter, warningaboutanew“puritanism” sparked by recent sexual harassment scandals.
It deplores a wave of “denunciations”, following rape allegations made against US movie mogul Weinstein.
A group of French feminists condemned the letter, accusing the signatories of trivialising sexual violence.
Mr Weinstein denies all allegations of non-consensual sex, but has admitted that his behaviour has “caused a lot of pain”.
“Men have been punished summarily, forced out of their jobs when all they did was touch someone’s knee or try to steal a kiss,” the letter said.
“Rape is a crime, but trying to seduce someone, even persistently or clumsily, is not – and nor is men being gentlemanly a chauvinist attack.”
The authors argued that there was a new “puritanism” afoot in the world.
They said that while it was legitimate and necessary to speak out against the abuse of power by some men, the constant denunciations have spiralled out of control.
According to the writers, this is creating a public mood in which women are seen as powerless, as perpetual victims. “As women we do not recognise ourselves in this feminism, which beyond denouncing the abuse of power, takes on a hatred of men and of sexuality.”
Deneuve is the most prominent of the signatories, but other well known figures include actress Christine Boisson, conservative journalist Élisabeth Lévy and Brigitte Lahaie, a 1970s porn star who is now a talk-show host.