Time's Up (organization)
 | |
| Founded | January 1, 2018 |
|---|---|
| Focus | Sexual assault[1] |
| Website | www |
Time's Up is a movement against sexual harassment and was founded on January 1, 2018, by Hollywood celebrities[2] in response to the Weinstein effect and #MeToo. As of February 2018[update], it has raised $20 million for its legal defense fund, and gathered over 200 volunteer lawyers.[3]
History
In November 2017, the Alianza Nacional de Campesinas wrote a letter of solidarity to the Hollywood women involved in exposing the sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein. The letter, published in Time, described experiences of assault and harassment among female farmworkers. The letter stated that it was written on behalf of the approximately 700,000 female farmworkers in the United States.[4]
Partly in response, Time's Up was announced in The New York Times on January 1, 2018. The announcement cited the letter of support from the Alianza Nacional de Campesinas and the desire to support women, men, people of color, and the LGBT community who have less access to media platforms and funds to speak up about harassment.[1] At its founding, the following initiatives were announced:
- A $13-million legal defense fund, administered by the National Women's Law Center, to support lower-income women seeking justice for sexual harassment and assault in the workplace
- Advocating for legislation to punish companies that tolerate persistent harassment
- A movement toward gender parity in studio and talent agencies
- Calling for women on the red carpet at the 75th Golden Globe Awards to wear black and speak out about sexual harassment and assault
Mark Wahlberg and William Morris Endeavor, his talent agency, donated more than $2 million to Time's Up in early January 2018 in the name of Wahlberg's co-star Michelle Williams from All the Money in the World. This occurred after it was revealed that Williams (who is represented by the same agency) received $800 for 10 days to redo certain scenes in the movie, while Wahlberg received $1.5 million for the same 10 days of work.[5]
Some (including Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, Kesha and Cyndi Lauper) who attended the Grammys in 2018 wore white roses or all-white clothes to express solidarity with the Time's Up movement.[6] Lorde wore an excerpt from a work by Jenny Holzer, printed on a card stitched onto the back of her dress; the excerpt read, "Rejoice! Our times are intolerable. Take courage, for the worst is a harbinger of the best. Only dire circumstance can precipitate the overthrow of oppressors. The old & corrupt must be laid to waste before the just can triumph. Contradiction will be heightened. The reckoning will be hastened by the staging of seed disturbances. The apocalypse will blossom."[7][6] Lorde wrote, "My version of a white rose — THE APOCALYPSE WILL BLOSSOM — an excerpt from the greatest of all time, Jenny Holzer."[6]
Founding signatories
On the website is an open letter to women of the world, standing in solidarity and affirming the signatories' action to tackle sexual harassment and assault. The letter was signed by almost 400 predominantly British and American women in the entertainment industry and the DMK cosmetics foundation.[8] Signatories include Shonda Rhimes and the actresses from her headliner ABC shows Grey's Anatomy and Scandal, including Jessica Capshaw as well as her mother, Kate Capshaw, who has individually spoken out with husband Steven Spielberg on the "national and global problem" that needs to be tackled "as an imperative."[9]
References
- ^ a b Buckley, Cara (1 January 2018). "Powerful Hollywood Women Unveil Anti-Harassment Action Plan". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "Reese Witherspoon, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Aniston: See Who's Given $500k, More to Fight Harassment". People Magazine. January 2, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
- ^ Lockett, Dee. "Time's Up Has Already Raised $20 Million, Helped Over 1,000 People". Vulture. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
- ^ "700,000 Female Farmworkers Say They Stand with Hollywood Actors against Sexual Assault". Time. November 10, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
- ^ "Mark Wahlberg and Agency Will Donate $2 Million to Time's Up After Outcry Over Pay". Retrieved 2018-01-26.
- ^ a b c Lesley McKenzie. "Jenny Holzer, the feminist artist behind Lorde's Grammys gown message, isn't a stranger to the fashion world". Latimes.com. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
- ^ fosco lucarelli (2016-04-28). "'Rejoice! Our times are Intolerable'. Jenny Holzer and her '15 Inflammatory Essays' 1979-82 – SOCKS". Socks-studio.com. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
- ^ "Original signers of the letter" (PDF). Time's Up Now. January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- ^ "Steven Spielberg speaks out on Weinstein scandal and Catherine Deneuve slamming the #MeToo movement". NME Magazine. January 12, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
