The Gestalt Prayer

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/14/opinion/sunday/harvey-weinstein-dowd-hollywood.html

“It’s not just in show business, it’s every business,” he said. “It’s about men who use power to get an advantage over women. It’s gross, it’s unacceptable, but unfortunately, it’s pretty persistent.”

Women in Hollywood say social media, plus the anger about Trump getting into the Oval Office instead of Hillary, were propelling forces in the fire raining down on Weinstein.

“I hope it’s a witch hunt,” said a top Hollywood woman. “I hope it’s a purge. There are people we have to get rid of in our business. Everyone knows them.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/opinion/blythe-danner-martha-plimpton-harvey-weinstein.html?_r=0
To the Editor:

I cannot remain silent while Maureen Dowd disparages my daughter, Gwyneth Paltrow, for the manner in which she chose to handle Harvey Weinstein’s attempt at a sexual encounter when she was 22 (“Harvey Weinstein, Hollywood’s Oldest Horror Story,” column, Oct. 15).

After her initial shock, Gwyneth left the room immediately, and, despite the fact that Mr. Weinstein threatened her if she ever spoke of what happened, she reported it to her agent and to her boyfriend at the time, Brad Pitt, who confronted Mr. Weinstein.

Gwyneth did not “put aside her qualms to become ‘the first lady of Miramax’ ” back then, as Ms. Dowd would have it. She continued to hold her own and insist that Mr. Weinstein treat her with respect. She had learned from her father, the producer and director Bruce Paltrow, how to stand up for herself. Bruce received the first Diversity Award from the Directors Guild for helping women and minorities in our business. His daughter wasn’t the only woman he taught to fight for herself.

As a longstanding member of the industry, I am much aware of the many years of its prejudiced and unacceptable behavior toward women. No one would argue that Harvey Weinstein isn’t finally getting what he deserves. But I hope that this is the point of no return where change will occur, not only in our industry but also others.

I suggest that the pundits stop casting aspersions on the women who have confronted unwanted sexual advances in the manner each sees fit and concentrate on the constructive ways to prevent this behavior in the future.

Victims of these crimes in the workplace, or anywhere they occur, are not obliged to look inward and examine their commitment to feminism in order to combat them. Not conforming to conventional, commercial standards of beauty, or having healthy self-esteem, doesn’t protect one from sexual violence any more than being “Hollywood pretty” or insecure is an invitation to assault.

We must stop framing this as an issue for women to emotionally grapple with, as if it had anything to do with them. It is not women’s responsibility to end systemic harassment by being better feminists or dressing modestly.