In December 2014, model Beverly Johnson wrote a powerful essay about how she barely succeeded in escaping being raped after Bill Cosby drugged her with only a few sips of a laced cappuccino. Since this time, we’ve seen dozens more of Cosby’s victims come forward and tell their tales, most of which revolve around being drugged as well. All of these women’s stories are both individual and startlingly similar at the same time. In Beverly’s essay, she hammered home the point that no one should feel sorry for Cosby. He got away with his antics for decades, and now he seems taken aback that people think he did something wrong. He has since admitted (as revealed in a somewhat dated deposition) that he gave women Quaaludes but had “consent” to do so as part of the seduction process.
It doesn’t get any easier to read about this story, right? Fast forward to yesterday, and Beverly is promoting her new memoir called The Face That Changed It All: A Memoir. She dropped by Good Morning America with an unexpected statement:
What she would say to Cosby today: “I forgive you.”
On the dozens of nearly identical reports about Cosby: “No one has the right to another’s body or sexuality. I hope that the lesson is that rape and any form of sexual assault is wrong, that silencing women’s voices is wrong and that protecting a predator over the assaulted for the sake of protecting power is devastating.”
Her continued experience: “It’s changed my life in the way of how I feel about violence on woman, about what I can do. This has given me a different purpose in life. It totally changed my life. It will forever be part of who I am.”
Her thoughts on resolution: “I’m going to leave that to the justice department. I just feel that he’s a lighting rod for a much bigger conversation and that conversation would be the rape culture in America.”
[From People]
Cosby sure doesn’t deserve anyone’s forgiveness, especially since he won’t even own up to the wrongness of his acts. But he surely watched this GMA segment with his team, and I hope he (at least) squirmed upon hearing her words. Beverly took back the power in her own way, and she did not apply her decision to any of Cosby’s other victims. Her memoir should be a good read.
Screencaps courtesy of YouTube; photos courtesy of WENN
Forgive if you wish but don’t forget, he cant be allowed to get away with sexual assault upon sexual assault.
I don’t think she’s forgotten or will forget, I thought that was pretty clear.
“…he’s a lighting rod for a much bigger conversation and that conversation would be the rape culture in America.”
That’s not forgetting. But I understand the forgiveness – she’s made it through her own feelings about it and moved beyond the paralyzing trauma and rage. Bedhead nailed it perfectly: “Beverly took back the power in her own way.”
This sounds like Beverly’s own personal journey towards wholeness. Her decision to forgive Cosby is helping her take back more of her power. I applaud this calibre of strength because forgiveness is one of the hardest things to do in life.
Yeah, this seems to be more about her than him. She isn’t letting him off the hook – just moving on. But I’m sure he’ll interpret it as some sort of validation.
I don’t think i could stop myself from bringing that douche down. She’s a better woman than I am. Love her!
Forgiveness is all about healing yourself and has nothing to do with the perp. It is incredibly hard to do, but it saves the soul (or whatever that thing is at your core). Part of the reason why it might be easier for her to forgive is that he didn’t actually succeed in raping her. He attacked her but she fought back and fled, so her memories and scars might not be as horrific as others’. Or they might. I’m just speculating. Anyway, she has reclaimed her narrative and her power. Good.
Agree. I think forgiveness helps to heal the victim. It doesn’t mean “I like you again” or “I’m ok with what you did.”
Forgiving for her own sake to shut the door on the experience may help her. One definition of forgiveness is relinquishing the right to seek revenge, which doesn’t mean the victim must (or possibly can) forget what happened to them but does allow the victim to put the blame in it’s proper place – on the perpetrator. That also means that the victim accepts that it wasn’t their fault and that can only be positive, especially living in a society where even now victims can still blame themselves (Chrissie Hynde) or have others blame them for what happened to them (Damon Wayans). Rape is never the victim’s fault, ever and anything that supports that message is a positive outcome in the midst of a horrible, horrible story.
Beverly Johnson is truly an inspirational and strong woman. I love her and definitely look forward to reading her memoir. She seems to have found some peace with what happened to her, or is at least working towards that. I hope that other Cosby victims find strength and peace as well.
However, Cosby is a despicable human being who deserves to be shunned forever – especially since he refuses to see anything wrong with his actions and mindset.
Listening to this public radio (wnyc Leonard Lopate show) with the lovely Beverly – I’m gonna add the link, if not just look on the wync site for her –
http://www.wnyc.org/story/what-it-took-become-first-black-supermodel-vogue/
Love her, she’s an inspiration the way she was came out and told the truth about Cosby.
She’s a stunning woman.
On another note , Sigh, I hate that she felt the need to get those bad implants. She is so naturally beautiful.
Oh well, she still very beautiful,regardless.
For some people forgiveness is about their personal healing process. I think that is the case for Beverly.
I think so, and hope so, too. That takes an incredible amount of strength, and I hope it brings her some peace.
“Beverly took back the power in her own way, and she did not apply her decision to any of Cosby’s other victims.”
Take note, Chrissie Hynde.
Seriously though, what an inspiring woman. As others have said, forgiveness is often a way to lift a burden off your own chest. She doesn’t want to bear the full intensity of her anger or pain forever; she wants to move past it and acknowledge that her experience changed her, but it didn’t break her.
Sadly, I can already hear the people coming out of the woodwork to claim that this book is her attempt to capitalize on it (when I’m sure it’s been in the works for a long time). Money was the only argument anyone could muster to invalidate these women’s claims, and ironically, it’s love of money that actually kept them silenced for so long. Too many people wanted to preserve their cushy jobs and keep an industry giant profitable. When people accuse his victims of “doing it for the money”, they’re getting it all backwards; it’s money that suppressed their stories. I’m excited to read hers.
In the header pic doesn’t she just Favor Whitney Houston??? I never noticed that before
…anyways good on her if this helps HER process not that Cosby deserves it or any of the other victims are obligated to follow suit in any way
Now that you mention it I see more of Aunt Dionne.
I also hope she gets peace and he gets tormented for the rest of his life. I know that’s blunt but that’s life.
I like that she doesn’t need him to admit to it, either.
Her freedom isn’t contingent on Anything.
Eff him.
Forgiving is not forgetting. If this is what she needs to do to move forward, good for her.
Comments aside, can we just all nod our head to how incredible she looks? She was born in 1953, so she’s 61 or 62 yrs old. She’s obviously had some work done, but holy crap she is smoking regardless, surgery can’t do all that.