Time’s Up is a campaign at the centre of the social and cultural conversation right now. When watching Hollywood stars walk a red carpet, encouraging activism it can be hard to not look away. However, now some of the most acute stars have gathered to discuss the new movement and how it is changing further industries.
Last week, Oprah gave an iconic speech at the Golden Globes. She said: “When that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say ‘me too’ again.”
The next day, Oprah for President started trending. Yesterday morning, the talk show host sat down with Natalie Portman, America Ferrera, Shonda Rhimes, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kathleen Kennedy, Nina Shaw and Reese Witherspoon for a wide-ranging discussion about how women are treated around the world.
Winfrey, who serves as a contributor to CBS News, asks the group. “How do we as a society have a mature, nuanced conversation about how men and women should be relating to each other?”
Portman responds: “We are all humans. And I think it is treating people as fellow humans and it’s not because you have a daughter, wife or sister, it is because we are human beings. We deserve the same respect.”
Witherspoon said that having so many women standing together to tackle sexual misconduct is making it safe for everyone to open up about their own Me Too experiences. This even encouraged the Big Little Lies star to speak out about her own episode. “There are moments that you have to evaluate whether silence is going to be your only option, but now is not that time.
Ross stresses that Time’s Up is a campaign without a hierarchy. “We are all sort of workers among workers and women among women.” In the UK in fact, sexual offences on trains have more than doubled in the past five years.
Here is hoping that by speaking out, more women in industries where it is tougher to share their stories will be propelled to come forward.
If you have experienced sexual violence of any kind, please visit Rape Crisis or call 0808 802 9999.
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