Time’s Up Very Much Present At Golden Globes
It has been over almost a month since the 75th annual Golden Globe Awards on January 7th, but the historically lighthearted show’s political turn has not been forgotten. This year, Hollywood was not abuzz with who-won-which-award gossip, but rather with the strength and support of the Time’s Up campaign, and its significance. Multiple nominated actresses, including Emma Watson, Meryl Streep, and Amy Poehler, brought activists as their dates to the award show. Attending activists included Tarana Burke, the founder of the #MeToo movement, and Marai Larasi, the executive director of Imkaan, a UK based organization fighting to eradicate violence against “Black and ‘Minority Ethnic’” women and girls (more can be found at www.imkaan.org.uk).
The Golden Globes red carpet was a sea of black dresses and suits, with many actors, directors, and producers donning designer black ensembles to support the #MeToo movement. The accessory of choice was a Time’s Up pin, conveniently black and white. While the Globes are often considered a time for actors to experiment with colorful outfits before attending the much more subdued Academy Awards, this year celebrities united to support two important movements, and dressed completely in black.
Tarana Burke founded the #MeToo movement ten years ago to provide support for survivors of sexual violence, especially women of color from lower income communities. #MeToo recently gained international recognition when the hashtag blew up on social media, inspiring survivors to come forward and share their stories online. The movement illustrated the magnitude of sexual assault and abuse, bringing a typically taboo subject to the public’s attention.
In response to many survivors coming forward and outing numerous powerful sexual assailants in Hollywood, over 300 women in the entertainment industry founded Time’s Up. 700,000 female farmworkers provided statements of support for the organization’s initiative, uniting in solidarity for women in all fields. The Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund subsidizes the legal fees of survivors of workplace sexual assault while connecting them with qualified attorneys and public relations professionals.
After such a powerful statement at the Globes, Hollywood and the world at large waits with bated breath to see how the Academy Awards will compare. While the Golden Globes are often regarded as a way to predict the Academy Award frontrunners, it will be interesting to see whether they will also predict the show’s politics. Will the Academy Awards continue the trend of celebrity involvement in political activism? Will the Academy Awards red carpet be another ocean of black gowns? There’s only one way to find out! Tune in on March 4th for the Academy Awards at 8:00 PM EST.