This year’s Golden Globes was full of political messages. Not only was the #MeToo movement heavily discussed, but also the newly founded #TimesUp movement. Attendees wore black in protest of the recent surge of sexual offenders in Hollywood.
While this was a nice gesture, what was the point in celebrities (men in particular) wearing black to a black-tie event? More importantly, what is the value of performative solidarity?
Many people took to social media to criticize the black dress code, citing the fact that many who showed up in black have worked with known sexual offenders. Justin Timberlake, for example, showed up in black with his wife and expressed support for #TimesUp, but he’s set to star in Woody Allen’s new movie. Others questioned how many celebrities wore black to use their platform to make a statement, and how many wore black because they knew they’d be criticized if they didn’t.
Actress Blanca Blanco showed up in red, and when asked about her decision, stated, “The issue is bigger than my dress color.” She continued to express support for the #TimesUp movement and said that her wearing red did not make her against the movement. In a way, she accomplished the same thing as the other celebrities in attendance by vocalizing her support rather than showing up in black.
While being interviewed on the red carpet or while making acceptance speeches, many female attendees spoke up about the movement they were supporting, or just generally about gender equality. The female celebrities used their platforms to bring issues to light, such as actress Debra Messing. She called out E! News for not paying their female co-hosts as much as male co-hosts ... while being interviewed by E!
The male attendees, however, were notably silent on such issues. As Blanco said, the issue is bigger than what you are wearing, so showing up in a black suit to a black-tie event doesn’t make you a feminist icon.
The biggest issue people had with the Golden Globes was the performatism of the protest. Had Harvey Weinstein not been called out, he would have been invited and he would have shown up in black, expressing full support for the #TimesUp movement all while hiding the predator he truly is. How many predators showed up in black?
In continuing with the wave of 2017, we should expect to see more male celebrity names trending over some allegations. For now, the male celebrities can comfortably say they were there and they were in support. But for those who were only there to make face, their time will come.
It's hard to find celebrities in Hollywood who haven’t worked with a sexual offender. Harvey Weinstein had such a wide reach in the industry, which is how he was able to harass so many women. However, it's also hard to say which celebrities were aware of his despicable behavior. Many celebrities have come forward to say they regret working with people like Weinstein and Woody Allen.
While slightly performative, the Golden Globes was still a beautiful start to a new age of Hollywood. The women who came forward to explicitly express support for what they believed in will lead us into a more inclusive and safe future of Hollywood.
If all award shows follow the lead of the Globes, maybe we can start to move closer to gender equality and the end of unquestioned sexual assault.
