I read Salma Hayek's essay "Harvey Weinstein Is My Monster Too" today and it left me feeling heartbroken, disturbed and surprisingly empowered. For anyone who has seen the movie Frida, which happens to be one of my very favorites, you can probably attest to Selma's impeccable portrayal of an extremely strong woman who has endured immense amounts of physical and emotional suffering. It broke my heart when I realized that much of her beautifully tragic "acting" was at least partially very likely the result of having to work on this movie alongside a man who sexually harassed and threatened her on numerous occasions.
It is so important that victims continue to speak their truth and that we work harder to create a safe space for them to do so. I've seen many people online eluding to the fact that the majority of these recent accusations are happening years after the alleged incidents took place, implying that they could be speaking out for attention or monetary resolve. These are not isolated incidents, and I can only imagine the guilt and shame that many victims take on before they see that other women (and/or men) have been targeted as well. Why wouldn't women (and men) hesitate to speak out about sexual assault when so many have been made to believe that trivial factors such as their choice of clothing played a part in their attack? When will we realize that this is a problem that doesn't start with the victim? When will we acknowledge this as a serious issue so we can actively work towards prevention of further misconduct?
These issues do not start or end with Harvey Weinstein. We need to understand that the movies we watch, the music we listen to, the politicians we support, etc., all play a role in creating or manipulating our attitudes towards rape culture/sexual misconduct. Renowned and respected artists are even guilty of romanticizing or making jokes about situations that would be legally classified as rape, or at the very least sexual misconduct. You can google search songs about date rape and find a compiled list of very popular artists with lyrics ranging from subtle to outright "put molly all in her champagne, she ain't even know it. I took her home and enjoyed that, she ain't even know it." To assume this wouldn't subconsciously manifest the idea that being taken advantage of while under the influence is the fault of the victim or socially acceptable would be naive. For these reasons I believe women and men alike need to be much more selective in where we put our attention and our dollar. In order for the culture to shift we have to consciously and collectively choose to make it happen. To clarify, I am not saying that music, comedy or political leaders are solely responsible for creating rapists or abusers. I do believe however, that we are largely a product of our environment and that words are very powerful. If we continue to become numb to sexual misconduct via glorifying the objectification of women, we will continue to create an environment where predators feel safe to act on their sadistic impulses.
Her essay below: