Hollywood continues to extinguish any hope for sexual harassment reform. The most notorious offender at the moment, Harvey Weinstein, is the embodiment of all that is wrong with past and present Hollywood.
For decades, Weinstein was a revered figure in the film industry, having cofounded both Miramax and The Weinstein Company.
Yet, he was not the least bit ethical on his path to prominence. Like many men in power before him, Weinstein used his position for both financial and sexual gains.
It is reported that 47 women have come forward about his sexual misconduct, with some reports dating back to the early ‘90s. With sexual allegations against studio heads rising from dozens of actresses, this business should finally be recognized for what it really is: a systematic suppression of sexual harassment by cinema tycoons.
This should not be the norm for Hollywood; the ability for wealthy, high-level executives to harass and assault those working for them is not what the industry is about.
On Oct. 12, Amazon Studios Chief Roy Price was suspended and subsequently resigned following sexual harassment allegations made by Amazon producer Isa Hackett. Price repeatedly made lewd comments to her, which set off the investigation.
This was after another incident in 2015 that Hackett reported to the company at the time. Amazon, being the huge e-commerce leader that it is, would be smart to deal with what they’d consider nothing more than a public relations disaster as soon as possible.
Unsurprisingly, this wasn’t the case — until Hackett detailed the attack during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that Amazon finally acted by suspending Price.
To Amazon, a suspension makes up for two years of a prolonged sexual harassment claim.
This lenient approach the company took toward the allegations is both unsurprising and frustrating when considering Price’s position and connections within the firm. A powerful, wealthy figure breaking the law and getting away with it is the oldest trick in book — and Hollywood loves to act it out.
The film industry’s response to these allegations is just another footnote in the history of silencing of victims; there is a lack of support for women who accuse high-level executives, their bosses, of harassment. Consider Roman Polanski; he was found guilty of rape with Samantha Geimer, a 13-year-old promising actress, during a photoshoot in 1977. He escaped his sentence by fleeing the country without reassurance to Geimer that he would be captured. Additionally, Judy Garland was propositioned for sex more than once by multiple MGM studio moguls, one of which was head of the studio, Louis B. Mayer.
Some might argue that these past allegations are simply that: a thing of the past. Sexual harassment is no longer an issue because men’s attitudes toward women in the cinema world have become more developed. There is growing reform toward sexual relationships in the workplace, and movie industries are aware of that.
Still, there exists a grave absence of ethics in the Hollywood. Actresses such as Reese Witherspoon commented on the lack of support for actresses, highlighting the forced silence she experienced after being abused at the age of 16. She was forced to keep quiet, fearing that by sharing her attack, she would be jeopardizing her career.
Self-preservation remains a huge factor in lack of reform, and justifiably so. No one wants to risk losing their career for speaking out against an accredited Hollywood tycoon.
There should be more than just a perception of enlightenment toward women in Hollywood, and this industry shouldn’t put them in a position where they’ll have to prioritize their careers before exposing a dangerous predator.
Weinstein’s highly inappropriate behavior runs deep through Hollywood’s history; scads of offenders and zero justice for the victims prolong the oppression that refuses to be removed from the film industry. This awful repetition of history should not be allowed to thrive today. At the moment, show business seems to be stuck with Weinsteins and Prices, which obstructs any progress on ridding the industry of aggressors and denouncing those who still commit those crimes today behind studio walls.