The culture of 'sexual harassment' in Hollywood

The Harvey Weinstein sex scandal continues to spread, causing Hollywood to face major changes in its future behavior.

On October 5, the New York Times published an article exposing a series of sexual harassment cases by Harvey Weinstein - the owner of Weinstein Company - over three decades. In the following days, many other actors such as Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Léa Seydoux also denounced the tycoon born in 1952.

After Harvey Weinstein was fired from the company and investigated by the police, the scandal continued to spread. The New York Times commented: "The fall of Harvey Weinstein has opened many 'flood gates' in Hollywood." Many similar cases to Harvey's were continuously exposed.

On October 17, Roy Price, the head of Amazon, resigned a few days after being accused of sexual harassment by producer Isa Hackett. On the same day, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein's younger brother, was accused of sexual harassment. On Variety, producer Amanda Segel said Bob repeatedly made advances on her while she was working on Weinstein's Spike series. On Elle, Jennifer Lawrence said she was sexually harassed and forced to lose weight. Reese Witherspoon also accused a director of sexually assaulting her when she was 16 years old.

Roy Price (right) resigned after being denounced by Isa Hackett (left).

The whole recent development is considered by many European and American newspapers as marking a big change in Hollywood.Beyond condemning Harvey Weinstein and others, the larger issue at stake is the changing culture of the American film industry — where sex for roles is the norm and women are expected to keep quiet.

Mary Parent, vice president of Legendary Entertainment, said: "We all know we can't change the past. All we can do is change the future." Variety commented: "We are at a time of change - a time when the inexcusable crimes that have sown fear in so many women (and some men) can no longer be ignored."

Gretchen Carlson - Fox News host - shared. "Women used to be afraid to speak up because there was no benefit, but not anymore. When I took the risk of 'jumping off the cliff', I believed that others would see and know that I could do it too. I am proud to see a woman can make a difference and make the rest stronger." Carlson is also a person who dares to speak up, once forcing former Fox News chairman Roger Ailes to spend 20 million USD to settle after a sexual harassment case in 2016.

Actresses Rose McGowan (right) and Ashley Judd used Twitter to condemn Harvey Weinstein.

The effectiveness of social media is man issue that Variety has been talking about.In the past, Mr. Harvey has successfully covered up scandals many times thanks to his connections with some newspaper heads. However, after the New York Times article, social networks exploded in a flow of information that the 1952-born tycoon could not control.

The hashtag #MeToo has been used by many women on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share their experiences of harassment or assault. The movement was started by Magic actress Alyssa Milano, who tweeted on October 16: "If you have been sexually harassed or assaulted, tweet 'Me too' in response."

According to the New York Times, the hashtag was used more than 500,000 times on social media in the first 24 hours after Milano's post. Some of the celebrities who responded included singer Lady Gaga, actors Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin and Evan Rachel Wood.

More broadly, the Harvey Weinstein case is a sign that the methods used by Hollywood’s powerful to cover up their crimes are no longer effective. “The democratization of information dissemination is finally moving faster than the ability of a media mogul to bury it,” Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow told the New York Times.

Variety cartoon about Harvey Weinstein.

"His accusers are not only going on television or in newspapers, but in many cases they are abandoning mainstream media and sharing on Twitter or Instagram. The judgment of Mr. Harvey is coming with the speed and fury of the digital age, which can cause problems for the harassers who have not been exposed," Variety commented.

In addition, the cooperation of Hollywood film agencies can also contribute to the fight against sexual harassment. On October 14, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided to strip Harvey Weinstein of his membership. The Guardian quoted the organization: "We want to send a message that the era of willful indifference and shameful acquiescence to sexual assault and harassment in the film industry is over."

"Such an extremely unpleasant problem must not be allowed to occur in our society. The leadership continues to set ethical standards of behavior and every member of the Academy must set an example of that. The Academy is not a court of inquisition, but can contribute to determining standards of behavior."

Many tycoons like Harvey Weinstein are accused of using their power to sexually harass young actors.

The Producers Guide of America also decided to expel Harvey Weinstein and declared: "Sexual harassment in any form is unacceptable. This is a systemic and pervasive problem that requires immediate action by the film industry to stop." The strong statement from the units is seen as a warning to the tycoons that they could suffer the same fate as Harvey Weinstein if they commit wrongdoing.

However, there are also opinions that Hollywood's culture of 'sexual harassment' is unlikely to change in the near future.The fundamental problem, says Salon writer Melanie McFarland, is that men dominate the film industry. In the 250 highest-grossing films of 2016, women made up just 17 percent of executives, 13 percent of writers, and 7 percent of directors. Men still have a big say in hiring, promotions, and dealing with harassment.

* Meryl Streep once called Harvey Weinstein "God" when he was at his peak.

“There is a culture of gender inequality that permeates every level of the film industry, from studio owners, to stars, to the press who try to keep sick behavior under wraps,” she said. Producer Gail Berman agreed, saying that harassment would be less likely if there were more women in positions of power.

Bridemaids director Paul Feig said: "Harvey and other powerful people have weight because they hold the path to promotion, hold the key to other people's dreams and hopes. Many people think they have to endure and stay silent, because with one phone call, the bosses can blacklist them."

"You can change the rules and policies, but if the culture of Hollywood or any industry is designed to protect people like Harvey, the rules won't help," Shaunna Thomas, founder of the anti-harassment organization, told Variety. In the long run, she believes that changing the attitudes of those in power is the key to eliminating sexual harassment.

According to VNE