Let’s break it down quickly: Harvey Weinstein has a long history of sexually harassing and assaulting women. If you’ve been a woman in his presence over the last two decades, chances are you’ve faced some level of pressure, intimidation, or outright aggression that jeopardized your safety and dignity. He is undeniably a predator.
When the news first emerged, my reaction was one of disbelief:
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Really? What a jerk. Yep.
As I dug through the accounts of his misconduct, I envisioned Weinstein as a rampaging rhinoceros, fueled by a wild sense of entitlement, barreling through life in search of his next victim. We’ve encountered that type, haven’t we, ladies?
We won’t even delve into his pathetic excuse of an apology—it’s been dissected and criticized by so many that it hardly warrants further discussion. All I want to address is how men are reacting to this situation. The comments from various male figures, along with the general male response to the “Weinstein scandal,” have been astonishing.
There’s this overwhelming shock that a man of his stature could be so predatory. According to Ethan Jackson, there are “two Weinsteins.” Wow, what an epiphany! It’s hard to believe that a wealthy white male studio head could turn a blind eye to another wealthy white male’s despicable behavior, as long as it serves their financial interests. Nice work, Ethan. Just leak your thoughts to a publication and donate to a charity, and you’ll be just fine.
Everyone seems to agree that this behavior is unacceptable! Disgusting! It’s almost as if Thesaurus.com crashed once the news broke, as publicists scrambled to find synonyms for “ew.”
They all have daughters, sisters, mothers, and wives! Is that the only way for men to recognize sexual assault as abhorrent? My goodness, it makes you wonder what these individuals thought before they encountered those women.
Here’s the scoop:
Once there was a man named Brady who invited young girls to his room alone, answering the door in a bathrobe and wielding his inappropriate desires. Now, we’ve finally met these daughters, sisters, and wives. Moving forward, let’s remember: women are people too. Are we all on the same page?
It’s almost comical to witness men rallying together, declaring their disdain for rape as if they’re competing to prove their morality. They’re expressing shock, outrage, and admiration for the brave survivors who came forward, all while promising to speak up next time. Honestly, if I hear one more wealthy man declare he’ll never let this happen again, I might just burst with frustration.
Gentlemen, I hear you. You’re appalled. You have daughters. You genuinely want to express solidarity with women. You believe we must do better for our female counterparts. All of this is commendable, but here’s the reality check: I’m skeptical. Many women are.
We simply can’t afford to trust your outrage. I know countless “nice guys,” yet I only truly trust a few. No matter how kind you are, how many female friends you have, or how often you’ve enjoyed romantic comedies, 99.9% of the women around you are holding back their full opinions. We’re waiting for the moment when you might slip—when you’ve had too much to drink or make an offhand comment that reveals your true nature.
Believe me, we want to trust you, but your astonishment at Weinstein’s actions tells us three things: 1) You don’t engage with women about our experiences, 2) You don’t listen to us, and 3) You don’t fully believe us when we express our discomfort with men like him.
Let’s be honest: conversations like this have played out countless times. A female actress might voice her concerns about meeting Weinstein alone, only to have a male colleague dismiss her worries, assuring her it’s fine because “it’s Harvey.” This isn’t shocking, Chad; it’s exhausting.
If you’re truly on our side, show us by listening. Your shock isn’t helpful. Instead, it demonstrates a lack of understanding about the reality many women live in. If you want to advocate for women, stop expressing disbelief and start believing our stories.
You want men to denounce such behavior when they see it? That’s a low bar. Obviously, in the wake of a high-profile case like Weinstein’s, who would openly endorse his actions? We all knew that was going to be a given.
When you label him a “monster,” you create distance between yourself and him, giving yourself a false sense of righteousness. Just because you’d never physically assault a woman doesn’t absolve you from examining your own behavior. Everyone has some element of misogyny ingrained in them.
So, take a moment for self-reflection, because we all have room for improvement. You might think you’re a good person, but it’s crucial to recognize the ways you may still perpetuate harmful attitudes.
If you want to support women, let’s ditch the shock. Unless you’ve just emerged from a time capsule, you should already be aware of the prevalence of abuse in Hollywood and beyond.
It’s time to stop being surprised. Instead, listen to women. Believe us.
In summary, the anger surrounding Harvey Weinstein isn’t just about one man; it’s a reflection of a culture that allows such behavior to persist. Men need to engage, listen, and reevaluate their own attitudes to foster a safer environment for women.
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