On Jan. 7, 2018, celebrities attending the Golden Globes Awards Ceremony wore black for victims of sexual harassment following recent allegations against many people in high power positions in Hollywood and across America. Participants in this show of support included both male and female Hollywood insiders.
There was little discussion about who was wearing what, and no one was in danger of being mentioned on the “worst dressed” list following the show.
There was an unofficial ban on criticizing clothing worn by those walking the red carpet. This can be inferred by the fact that no magazines or publications of any sort were established. All of this was an effort to highlight gender inequality and harassment.
Since the breakout of the accusations against film producer Harvey Weinstein, many victims across the nation have been emboldened to speak out about their experiences. Within days, #MeToo, a hashtag used under peoples’ photos on social media by those who shared their stories of abuse or harassment, began to trend. Many high profile people began posting their experiences, including Reese Witherspoon, Alyssa Milano, Ashley Judd, Viola Davis, Sheryl Crow, Molly Ringwald, Simone Biles and Lady Gaga.
The question that follows is: does this effort translate into real change? One can hardly watch a news report without a report concerning sexual harassment in the workplace.
Earlier this month, an initiative of 300 women in the entertainment business joined together to create a group of celebrities supporting women’s equality called “Time’s Up.” The group hopes to raise awareness and help women gain equality in the workplace. “Time’s Up” is setting up a legal defence fund to assist underprivileged women in protection from and the reporting of sexual harassment and sexual abuses.
They welcome change with their mission statement, “the clock has run out on sexual assault, harassment and inequality in the workplace. It’s time to do something about it.”