Harvey Weinstein Sexual Harassment Scandal Sparks Anti-Sexual Harassment “Me Too” Movement
Sexual harassment allegations against the noted Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, reported on this day, ignited a tidal wave of similar allegations against prominent men in arts and entertainment, the news media, and politics. The result was a steadily growing list of men fired or suspended, or who resigned from their positions.
After only two months, the sexual harassment scandal continued, with new names added to the list every week. The allegations against the many individuals ranged from unwanted touching to rape. The scandal signaled a change in the social and political climate in the U.S., with more women feeling encouraged to go public their experiences, some of which happened decades earlier
The pivotal event was a New York Times story about allegations against Harvey Weinstein on October 5, 2017. Two moths later, the list of women had grown to over 80 women, Weinstein was quickly fired by The Weinstein Co., which he and his brother had founded. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which operates the Oscar Awards, expelled him in mid-October. Weinstein was arrested by New York City police on May 25, 2018, and charged with rape. In 2020 he was convicted of one count of first decree and one count of third degree rape. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison. In 2021 he was also facing possible extradition to California to face prosecution of additional sex-related crimes.
Other arts and entertainment figures against whom allegations were made over the next two months included James Levine, Director of the Metropolitan Opera (December 3rd); actor Kevin Spacey, against whom their were multiple accusers, and who was suspended by Netfilx in early November; and writer-director James Toback, against whom there were an astonishing 238 accusers.
Prominent news media figures included Matt Lauer, co-host of The Today Show on NBC, who was fired on November 29th; PBS and CBS talk show host Charlie Rose, against who there were 9 accusers; Michael Oreskes National Public Radio News Director, who was fired on November 1st; and Mark Halperin who was fired by NBC News.
Political figures included Democratic U.S. Senator Al Fanken of Minnesota, against whom there were four accusers; and Roy Moore, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Alabama.
By mid-2018 there appeared to be no end to the continuing scandal. The many revelations led to the creation of the MeTooMovement to support other victims of sexual harassment and to work for needed legal changes. Visit the MeTooMovement web site.
In 1986 the U.S. Supreme Court, in Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, held that sexual harassment was employment discrimination in violation of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Read the book by the two New York Times reporters who investigated Harvey Weinstein’s sexual abuses: Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement (2019)
Find resources at the Me Too Movement web site here
Learn more about the Me Too Movement: Laurie Collier Hillstrom, The Me Too Movement (2018)
Read Catharine MacKinnon’s pioneering work on sexual harassment: Catharine MacKinnon, Sexual Harassment of Working Women: A Case of Sex Discrimination (1979)