Called Time's Up, the movement's initiative includes drafting legislation to punish companies that tolerate sexual harassment.
- Jan 2, 2018
AceShowbiz - Women in Hollywood are welcoming the new year with a resolution. In response to the sexual harassment that rocked the industry in 2017, more than 300 women have launched Time's Up, a movement which aims to promote equality and safety in the workplace. Among them are Selena Gomez, Margot Robbie, Emma Stone and Reese Witherspoon.
The movement was announced on Monday, January 1 through an open letter published in The New York Times. "We want all survivors of sexual harassment, everywhere, to be heard, to be believed, and to know that accountability is possible," so the letter read. "We also want all victims and survivors to be able to access justice and support for the wrongdoing they have endured."
"We particularly want to lift up the voices, power and strength of women working in low-wage industries where the lack of financial stability makes them vulnerable to high-rate of gender-based violence and exploitation," it continued.
The movement's initiative includes a $13 million legal defense fund to help women in blue-collar job and farm work. It also consists of drafting a legislation to punish companies that tolerate sexual harassment and to discourage the use of non-disclosure agreements to silence victims.
Shonda Rhimes, the executive producer of "Grey's Anatomy", explained that the reason why the women made this movement was the difficulties that women had to "speak righteously about the rest of anything if we haven't cleaned our own house." She added, "If this group of women can't fight for a model for other women who don't have as much power and privilege, then who can?"
As the first step of the movement, they have been urging women who attended the upcoming Golden Globes Award on Sunday, December 7 to wear black clothes and use the red carpet to speak out against gender and racial inequality. They also ask the women to raise awareness about their initiative and the legal fund during the red carpet.
"This is a moment of solidarity, not a fashion moment," Eva Longoria said. "For years, we've sold these awards shows as women, with our gown and colors and beautiful faces and our glamor. This time the industry can't expect us to go up and twirl around. That's not what this moment is about."
