Rose McGowan is justifiably angry. For years, she’s been trying to get people to pay attention to her story, to take her seriously as a victim. This is an example of the power Harvey Weinstein wielded – her career has been stalled for years, more than a decade, because she dared to say no to him, dared to complain, dared to never forget. Rose’s Twitter feed is very interesting these days – she’s calling out the men who have enabled and continue to enable Harvey Weinstein and the other Harveys out there. She’s saying outright that The Weinstein Company’s board needs to resign. She’s saying outright that all of the men whose careers were nurtured by Weinstein – men like Colin Firth, Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Daniel Day Lewis, Ryan Coogler & more – need to step up and speak out against Weinstein. Here’s more, from an interview she did with The Hollywood Reporter:
Rose McGowan on Sunday night spoke about the entire “bro nature” of Hollywood hours after it was announced that Harvey Weinstein had been fired from his own company. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, McGowan said the old way Hollywood functioned in regard to the treatment of women is done.
“Men in Hollywood need to change ASAP,” McGowan told THR. “Hollywood’s power is dying because society has changed and grown, and yet Hollywood male behavior has not. It is so not a good look. In the way cooler than Hollywood world I live and work in, I am actually embarrassed to be associated with it. The men of Hollywood need to know they own no woman. The days of Entourage-like behavior and thinking is as dated as your largely bro nature.”
With Weinstein out, McGowan said the next step was crystal clear, in her mind.
“I’m calling on the board to resign effective immediately,” she said. “And for other men to stop other men when they are being disgusting.”
McGowan, who early Sunday night shared the painting St. Michael Trampling the Dragon by Raphael (St. Michael is the patron saint of the warrior and of chivalry) on Twitter, also told THR that she had a message for females in Hollywood.
“And for the women in Hollywood, free your minds,” she said. “There are no ‘rules’ you have to play by. We affect the world’s mind because we are creating and disseminating thought propaganda. There is a great responsibility to be better than you have to be. Stand for women. Stand for truth. Stop hurting us. Rise.”
You know what’s slightly painful? The realization that Rose would like to speak even more freely about Harvey Weinstein specifically, but she still can’t do it, probably because of a non-disclosure agreement as part of her settlement with him in the 1990s. She’s still afraid of being sued, and let’s face it: she has good reason to be scared. He would totally sue her. He’s keeping a list, I’m absolutely positive.
As for the idea of TWC’s board needing to resign – three board members (all men) did resign last Friday. The Wrap reported yesterday that now that TWC has officially pushed out Harvey Weinstein, they want to rename the company, something without “Weinstein” in the name. Because sure, this is PURELY A BRANDING ISSUE. JFC, dudes. I get wanting to change the name of the company, but deal with the most immediate concerns, like the fact that you’re about to be sued by, like, half of your former female employees and probably dozens of actresses.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Yes, she’s absolutely right.
Yup she is 100% correct.
Semi-related but yesterday on a friend’s FB page, women were snarking on Hucakbee Sanders’s appearance.
So some dude decides to chime in and tell us “gals” (yes he used that word) that he can’t believe we are picking on another woman’s looks.
I couldn’t help it, I had to ask him why he was bringing our gender into it and if he would give the same condescending lecture if it was a group of men talking shit about a woman’s appearance.
Dude wanted to drop into the thread under the guise of “sticking up for women” when it was so transparently not about that, it was about lecturing and shaming women for not behaving in a way that he deems to be “feminine” i.e. above men. I ended my reply by saying “If you want to stick up for women, you don’t do it by issuing a patronizing lecture to a group of women. You do it when you are in a room full of men when no women are there to witness it. And no, you don’t get a cookie for defending a woman in front of other women.”
But as I said, it wasn’t about defending women at all, for him. It was about lecturing us for not behaving in a “ladylike” way. Had to tell him to stay in his damn lane, especially after calling us “gals”. Ugh.
Well why is it ever okay to snark on how a woman looks ? I have Turner Syndrome and I know I’m unattractive, yet it seems I always have to be reminded of it. I hate that kind of stuff and I usually do say something also.
Then I would assume your point should be “it’s never ok to snark on another PERSON’S looks”, not “why is it ever ok to snark on a woman’s looks?”
or the point that he was making which was “it’s never ok for women to snark on another woman’s looks” which is not a feminist stance IMO.
Fair enough, it is never ok to snark on people’s looks. I get it so often , I can’t help having a disorder that makes me look a tad odd. I’ve had to read Facebook comments about how ugly I am, how is that ok for people to do?
So is that honestly a fun thing to tear apart a persons appearance, I mean it’s not something they can help.
Sorry if I come across as rude but that sorta thing upsets me because I see it so often. I try to be a good role model for younger girls with my disorder, I model and I like it but I hate that they have to read such rude things in the comments about someone who looks a bit like them .
Does any of this make sense? I’m not trying to be bitchy or anything , lol so sorry if it seems I’m just ranting at you .
Thank you Lucy. I think there is enough to mock trump and co about besides their looks. It bothers me that even melania And ivanka who are really fine looking get torn about here for their minor imperfections. And the others might not look like models but most people don’t. I don’t think we should jump to mocking appearances really ever, for the reason you have explained. When should we mock a persons appearance? To your friends discretely about a guy you’ve broken up with who was a jerk. Otherwise, why bother being snarky about these things, life is short.
Agreed. I’ve known about Rose’s story for a while (first from blinds then other stories). Like I said I cannot imagine the toll it’s taken for her to keep her silence. To know that this guy was preying on others. To see him praised in Oscar speeches and interviews. I can’t imagine.
Same here.
@Lucy, solidarity vibe. I’ve had a rare disorder most of my life but it didn’t blow up until mid 30s. But up to that age and since, if not for makeup, people would run. It’s disfiguring. I’ve had jokes and comments about wearing makeup but I was trying to look presentable or normal. Nothing was pink or flashy but always there would be someone trying to harm my career, or friendships, even family.
I never make fun of people’s appearances. Not even Trump. Also had a sibling with weight issues due to diabetes. Same reason. I just wanted to say you’re not alone and I’m glad you spoke up about this.
She’s right. Sad to say but if women complain about the way women are treated it’s all eye rolls and contempt from men who harass. It’s only when it gets bad enough for men to a) notice and b) think it’s actually bad enough to say something that anything ever happens.
It’s sad but true, many men (especially those who don’t respect women/hurt women) will hear a Greek chorus of women saying something and ignore it, but if a man speaks up, suddenly they pay attention. In order to stop harassment, we need male allies. Although I cringe at the thought of all the statements which will a) feign ignorance and b) start by saying “as a father of daughters…”
And imagine if men were harassed by other men like women are. If another guy blocked them into a corner and masturbated into a flower pot!!! Do they ever really really think how this really feels?
not to derail the current conversation, but as I understand it, men in Hollywood have their own abusers/predators. The thing with Bryan Singer comes to mind. I’ve heard and read several things over the years that seem to suggest behavior pretty much identical to the Wienstein stuff. The main difference being that they are usually presented without any names being directly attached, whereas rumors about Harvey have always been very direct and specific.
so, not trying to preach, but we shouldn’t forget that abusers and victims come in as many forms as there are people.
I do agree with what I think is your larger point, that if more men stopped to think about what it would be like to be pressured sexually by someone physically and professionally more powerful, they would change their perspective on how serious issues like this are.
I agree. Hollywood is a mans world. Hollywood men need to be looked at more critically, because they currently are looked at less critically than the women in Hollywood.
Especially the men behind the machinations of Hollywood deserve to be put on the spot.
As far as I know only Kevin Smith has spoken about the news.
X 1000000
Let’s face it, men as a group are problematic and don’t care what happens to women. The guardian reached out to 25 male actors/directors and no one cared to reply. More than “male allies”, women need to stick together.
“The guardian reached out to 25 male actors/directors and no one cared to reply”…
This is really depressing. Maybe more men should ask the women in their lives if they have ever been sexually violated (and I bet the majority of these women would say yes BTW), then maybe they would find their collective anger about what is happening to women they actually know.
I read a quote in the LA Times a couple of days ago that Daniel Day Lewis made about Harvey Weinstein…..
“There’s only one part of you that works — the ability to pick scripts and pick movies. Otherwise, you’re a complete disaster as a person”.
That’s an awesome quote.
Just when I thought I couldn’t love him any more!
1) When I see Rose with her shaved head standing like that I get this momentary rush of emotion… at first I couldn’t identify it, but now I’m beginning to think it’s pride? If that makes any sense? Like something in her stance and the expression on her face in that pic just makes me feel powerful and fearless, like that’s what she’s projecting and you can’t help but pick up on it and feel it for yourself.
2) I seriously want to start a kickstarter to raise money for legal fees for Rose to spill all and share her truth, NDA be damned. I’m sure women everywhere would donate money to the cause. I have a feeling that out of all the stories about this man, hers might be the most shocking, appalling, and damaging.
This. I watched Charmed because my BFF loved it. I was more of an Alyssa Milano fan. But reading Rose’s Twitter, I have such respect and admiration for her now. And where are her Charmed co-stars like Holly Combs and Alysaa? Their silence is deafening.
Rose said only one former co-star has reached out to her. A man. (The guy is from my hometown and his grandparents lived down the street from us. So proud he chose to speak up and support Rose.) More men, and women, need to do this.
Very few if any men will speak up for a woman, that’s been my personal experience.
Rose has demonstrated how intelligent, strong, brave she is.
That has been my personal experience as well.
Same. And it hurts more when there are women defending those same men. I’m still learning how to spot them. Enablers are just as bad in my book.
Yup and that’s why unfortunately I don’t have male friends anymore, save one. Never had a man truly stick up for me, other than my husband. Not even (and most especially) my father.
A few years ago, I was in a theater on Broadway. I was in NYC on vacation, alone. This guy sits next to me, looked like a decent businessman just off work. So I figured it’s safe to exchange pleasantries. I literally only asked if he was looking forward to the play. One 6 word question. He took that as an invitation to start touching me, rubbing my arms, and asking me where my hotel was.
I excused myself to go to the bathroom, and ran to an usher, explained the situation and asked for a different seat. He gave it to me, and came back after the play to make sure the creepy dude didn’t follow me.
That’s men believing and supporting women. More men need to do that. It doesn’t even require confrontation. But sadly, most men can’t even believe and support, let alone battle for, women.
I so so so HATE having to have spent the last fifteen years of my life not smiling at men, not making conversation, not being polite and occasionally not even being pleasant just because it’s the only way to avoid men taking it as an invitation.
You’re so right Rose.
Well done for keeping up this fight. It clearly hasn’t been easy and it never is.
Yup, she is correct I believe it is called the bystander approach. I first heard about the bystander approach from a Ted Talk by Jackson Katz.
From the Washington Coalition of sexual assault programs: “The bystander approach is a promising approach to sexual violence prevention as it encourages the community to take ownership of sexual violence as a problem and speak up when they witness potentially dangerous situations or sexist language. Other benefits of this approach include reducing victim blaming, includes everyone (gets men involved in a community issue, not a women’s issue), and gives the community an opportunity it foster social change. Even so, it can be intimidating to become an active bystander – there are social pressures and personal safety that come into play”.
She is spot on here. I love that she refuses to be silenced.
From obituary for Bob Hoskins in the DT. Pity there aren’t more like him:
“Kate Hardie, who played Cathy in the 1986 film Mona Lisa aged just 17, also disclosed how the actor had protected her from being exploited as a teenager.
Now 45, she said she had been “very vulnerable” due to the subject matter of the film, but that Hoskins had stayed on set to chaperone her even on his time off”
That is one hell of a good statement. I love the fact that she acknowledges the influence of the American entertainment industry on how people see the world. Too often the excuse for H’wood crap is that it’s all just make-believe put out by people who don’t want to get real jobs, when in fact it creates a cultural background radiation that mutates people’s worldviews. She understands that entertainment culture is important, and that we have a responsibility to demand and do better.
Brava, Ms. McGowan.