The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements aren’t going anywhere. Amid recent reports that disgraced figures such as Charlie Rose and Matt Lauer are staging comebacks, there’s also been news of Ashley Judd suing Harvey Weinstein for derailing her career after she turned down his advances. Ava DuVernay, Viola Davis, and Shonda Rhimes are participating in Time’s Up’s campaign to bring R. Kelly to justice. And women and non-binary individuals in jazz are banding together to fight sexism in the world of professional music. Certain predators might be seeking the spotlight again, but the reckoning is still going strong.
According to The New York Times, Judd is suing Weinstein for defamation, sexual harassment, and for violating California’s Unfair Competition law, which prohibits “unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent business acts and practices.” Judd claims that Weinstein spread lies about her after she rejected him — lies that affected her career prospects. “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson is corroborating her story. He says that he had planned to offer Judd a major role in the film franchise, but reconsidered after Weinstein told him she was a “nightmare” to be avoided “at all costs.”
As the source notes, this case could be a game-changer if successful. “The lawsuit could clarify sexual harassment protections for those in nontraditional business relationships,” it explains. “Ms. Judd was not Mr. Weinstein’s employee in a conventional sense at the time of their encounter, but her complaint contends that she had a continuing business relationship with him.”
If she wins her case, Judd plans to donate any financial recuperation to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund “so that women and men in all professions may have legal redress for sexual harassment, economic retaliation, and damage to their careers.”
As for Weinstein, he has denied Judd’s assertions and the other allegations dozens of women have made against him. A documentary about the fallen mogul is being presented at the Cannes market this month. “Citizen Harvey” will “tell a deeper, more layered and complex story than has hitherto been told on screen on this subject,” Variety details. The Ursula Macfarlane doc is seeking a theatrical release, which will be followed by a premiere on BBC Two.
Like Judd, Time’s Up is taking on a serial predator. Deadline reports that Women of Color (WOC), a Time’s Up subcommittee that concentrates on issues affecting women of color, has published a statement demanding a proper investigation into R. Kelly. Over the past 25 years, the R&B artist has been sued for sexual misconduct, statutory rape, aggravated assault, and more; indicted for 21 counts of child porn; and accused of sexually abusing and imprisoning women.
“The recent court decision against Bill Cosby is one step towards addressing these ills but it is just a start,” WOC’s statement reads. “We call on people everywhere to join with us to insist on a world in which women of all kinds can pursue their dreams free from sexual assault, abuse, and predatory behavior.”
The statement also urges Kelly’s record label and the music corporations that profit from his music to stop doing business with him.
Time’s Up leaders such as DuVernay, Davis, Rhimes, Lupita Nyong’o, and Kerry Washington took to social media to support the campaign to stop Kelly, which has been dubbed #MuteRKelly. “Today we join the call to #MuteRKelly and insist on safety and dignity for women of all kinds,” Davis tweeted.
Today we join the call to #MuteRKelly and insist on safety and dignity for women of all kinds. #TIMESUP
WOC’s #MuteRKelly campaign demonstrates the power women can create when they come together. This power is also evident in the We Have a Voice Collective, a group of women and non-binary musicians in jazz and experimental music. Per the Times, We Have a Voice is planning to publish a Code of Conduct to contend with the pervasive sexism in jazz.
The code presents “what a more equitable workplace might look like and [sets] expectations for change.” It’s divided into two sections: commitments and definitions. “The commitments are a series of specific answers to the question, ‘How can we commit to creating safe(r) spaces in the performing arts?’ The definitions offer a small, detailed glossary explaining the meaning of ‘sexual harassment,’ ‘workplace,’ and ‘consent.’”
Nine organizations including Manhattan’s Winter Jazzfest, the Banff International Workshop in Jazz & Creative Music, and Biophilia Records have already adopted the collective’s Code of Conduct. We Have a Voice member Nicole Mitchell, a flutist, said she hopes that signing on to the code becomes “a mark of distinction, and a certain kind of elegance” in the jazz world.
Similar to Time’s Up, We Have a Voice is dedicated to intersectionality. The code references “safe(r) spaces” throughout its text to recognize that everyone has a different background and a different standard for safety.
“The beauty of this collective is that everybody has different things they can offer, different experiences,” drummer Terri Lyne Carrington remarked.
The same can be said of #MeToo and #TimesUp in general. As the movements have evolved and grown since the Weinstein revelations, they’ve highlighted just how critical it is to listen to everyone’s experiences — to recognize everyone’s voice. The movements’ gains also clearly suggest that there is no going back to the pre-October 2017 world. No matter how many perpetrators try to stage comebacks or shirk responsibility, things have changed. The fight for gender equality is here to stay.
WOC’s full #MuteRKelly statement is below, courtesy of Deadline.
To Our Fellow Women of Color:
We see you. We hear you. Because we are you.
For too long, our community has ignored our pain. The pain we bear is a burden that too many women of color have had to bear for centuries. The wounds run deep.
As Women of Color within TIME’S UP we recognize that we have a responsibility to help right this wrong. We intend to shine a bright light on our WOC sisters in need. It is our hope that we will never feel ignored or silenced ever again.
The recent court decision against Bill Cosby is one step towards addressing these ills but it is just a start. We call on people everywhere to join with us to insist on a world in which women of all kinds can pursue their dreams free from sexual assault, abuse and predatory behavior.
To this end, today we join an existing online campaign called #MuteRKelly.
Over the past 25 years, the man known publicly as R. Kelly has sold 60 million albums, toured the globe repeatedly, and accumulated hundreds of millions of plays on radio and streaming services.
During this time, he also…
- Married a girl under 18 years of age;
- Was sued by at least 4 women for sexual misconduct, statutory rape, aggravated assault, unlawful restraint, and furnishing illegal drugs to a minor;
- Was indicted on 21 counts of child pornography;
- Has faced allegations of sexual abuse and imprisonment of women under threats of violence and familial harm;
Together, we call on the following corporations and venues with ties to R. Kelly to join us and insist on safety and dignity for women of all kinds:
- RCA Records — The venerable music label currently produces and distributes R. Kelly’s music;
- Ticketmaster — The popular ticketing system is currently issuing tickets for R. Kelly’s show on May 11;
- Spotify and Apple Music — The popular streaming platforms currently monetizing R. Kelly’s music;
- Greensboro Coliseum Complex — The venue is currently hosting an R. Kelly concert on May 11.
The scars of history make certain that we are not interested in persecuting anyone without just cause. With that said, we demand appropriate investigations and inquiries into the allegations of R. Kelly’s abuse made by women of color and their families for over two decades now. And we declare with great vigilance and a united voice to anyone who wants to silence us — their time is up.
Together, We Are Strong,
WOC | TIME’S UP
