Harvey Weinstein, the co-founder of the two film studios, Miramax, and the Weinstein Company, was accused of sexual assault against numerous female celebrities. These women include Angelina Jolie, Cara Delavigne and Gwenyth Paltrow.
These allegations come after The New York Times disclosed sexual assault allegations going back three decades. The Times reports Weinstein had settlements with “at least eight women.” This included actress Ashley Judd.
The Weinstein saga was a widely-kept secret in Hollywood. Celebrities like Skeet Ulrich, the father of Jughead Jones on Riverdale, admitted he knew about Weinstein’s assaults.
Ulrich told Cosmopolitan, “most people knew” about Weinstein’s misconducts but Ulrich kept silent because he felt he would lose his career if he told.
Weinstein’s accusers felt the same. He had the power and the women felt their career would be in jeopardy for coming out against the man behind Hollywood hits like, Good Will Hunting, Scream and Pulp Fiction.
Now, women and men are talking about sexual assaults and harassments they’ve experienced by other Hollywood executives.
At an Elle Women event, Reese Witherspoon talked about being sexually assaulted at the age of 16 by a director.
At the same event, Jennifer Lawerence talked about her experience with a producer who told her she needed to lose 15 pounds in two weeks, or else she would be fired like another young girl who did not lose the weight in time.
Both stories are horrific, but not helpful in the grand scheme of things since the women didn’t name their accusers. The celebrities who are not naming their assaulters are not making a long-term change.
If these powerful Hollywood executives are not exposed for their wrong-doings, then who is to hold them accountable? Things will not change in Hollywood until these people can are named and ultimately fired from their positions.
Young women are in danger if sexual predators continue using their power and status to take advantage of young actors.
Recently, men and women have been doing just that. Accusations have been made against celebrities, producers and politicians like Ryan Seacrest, Sylvester Stallone, Roy Moore, Brett Ratner, Jeffrey Tambor, Al Franken, Kevin Spacey, and more.
This needs to continue. As more people come out, others will feel safer to tell their story as well. The result? Hollywood will be safer for generations to come.
Weinstein is not the only man accused of assault in Hollywood and this scandal is not going to serve a purpose besides keeping him out of the business, but what about everyone else?
People need to keep exposing these manipulators or else no change will come and maybe we will see this controversy repeat itself in the next few years.
If these names stay in the news and in people’s mouths, things will change. For example, after multiple people came forward accusing Kevin Spacey of sexual assault, Netflix fired him from the final season of House of Cards.
Changes are still needed in Hollywood and the change will come if men and women publically outing their accusers continue to talk about the issue.
Hollywood will be safer and the good people will fill the positions of power, rather than manipulative ones.