Ever since actresses announced their decision to wear black to the Golden Globes in protest of Weinstein and all the other sexual predators that Hollywood had allowed to thrive (until now), there was more than a lot of criticism.
The criticism was mainly that wearing black was just a “silent protest” and we as women had stayed silent long enough. But Rashida Jones thinks that criticism is BS and she’s here to defend the blackout.
Rashida recently explained,
“This is not a silent protest. I don’t think why we wear black is divisive as much as it is being discussed and debated without all the facts. Many women on the red carpet will discuss what’s important to them about their choice to protest and wear black. We wear black to stand in solidarity with our sisters and to say time’s up on this imbalance of power and the abuses that come with it, regardless of what industry you work in. It’s time for every workplace to look more like our world, where women have equal representation.”
The Golden Globes blackout was planned by the newfound organization Time’s Up, which was founded by more than 300 women in the industry to fight against systematic sexual harassment. In addition to the protest, Time’s Up has also been raising money for a legal defense fund to help less privileged women fight harassment in court.
Members of Time’s Up include Rashida, Reese Witherspoon, America Ferrera, Eva Longoria, Shonda Rhimes and more. While the organization is spearheaded by women, a few male celebrities have also made hefty donations, including Justin Timberlake and Aziz Ansari.
While the organization Time’s Up is certainly a step int he right direction, as is the way Hollywood has continued to fire sexual predators like Harvey Weinstein, Ed Westwick, and Kevin Spacey, it still begs the question — is it enough?
Folks like Rose McGowan have claimed that if the actresses really wanted to protest they would boycott the Globes altogether. But if the women use their red carpet interviews to speak up about the issue at hand, then perhaps attending really is the right choice after all.
Rashida added,
“I’m in awe of the passion and determination and thoughtfulness of the women I’ve been working with. It’s so powerful to experience this moment all together. The deep-rooted inequality in our industry felt impenetrable, and, in an instant, we felt hope that this moment could possibly affect real change, in our industry and beyond.”
