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None of the Male Winners at the Golden Globes Talked About Time's Up in Their Speeches


To call last night’s Golden Globes ceremony powerful would be an understatement. Just six days after some of Hollywood’s most influential women launched Time’s Up, an organization dedicated to ending gender imbalance and sexual harassment in the workplace, the entertainment industry at large gathered for the annual Globes show—and it was unlike any previous year.

The female attendees, nominees, and winners used the evening to bring more awareness to Time’s Up and sexual assault survivors. Several brought important activists as their dates for the evening. Both Eva Longoria and Debra Messing called out E!—while on E!—for not giving Catt Sadler equal pay. Nicole Kidman and Laura Dern each gave moving speeches about the women’s movement. Elisabeth Moss read a Margaret Atwood excerpt following her win. And Oprah’s speech brought the house down—and Twitter to tears.

But one group of people stayed frustratingly silent: the men. None of the male winners mentioned Time’s Up or sexual assault survivors in their speeches last night. Not even Alexander Skarsgård, who won a Best Supporting Actor award for Big Little Lies…in which he plays an abusive husband. (In his speech, Skarsgård even referred to his female BLL cast mates as “girls.” Cringe.) Neither did Sam Rockwell, who portrayed a violent cop in Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri.

The divide between the male and female attendees last night was perhaps most apparent during James Franco’s speech for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for The Disaster Artist. He used the opportunity to thank what seemed like every man he’s ever known and physically pushed Tommy Wiseau—the subject of The Disaster Artist—out of the way when he joined him on stage. The night before, Franco hosted a dinner party for all the Globes Best Actor nominees. It was an actual boys’ club.

Twitter users noticed the men’s silence, too—and they weren’t happy about it.

Every man who appeared on stage last night had a chance to voice their support for women—and they missed it completely. In order for us to see real change when it comes to gender inequality and sexual harassment, we need to see loud, vocal support from both men and women. Now is not the time to be passive. Yes, it’s important that men listen and allow women to lead these conversations, but when they have an opportunity to rally behind them publicly—on live television, no less—they should take it.

There is a silver lining, though. Many of the men Glamour interviewed on the red carpet were quite outspoken about the Time’s Up movement. “I’m first and foremost a feminist,” Milo Ventimiglia from This Is Us told us. “Seeing a sea of black and knowing that we’re all speaking up for some great injustices that have happened not only in our industry but across many, many industries and many, many different businesses—it’s the time to speak up and stand up. Equality, equality, equality.”

Darren Criss added, “I feel really inspired by the amount of people who’ve turned out for the all-black. I thought there was going to be somber overtones to it, and I have been proved completely wrong. It’s more of a celebration of a communal resilience, and it’s less lamenting about things that have come to pass and more looking toward the future of what we can do together.”

If only we heard more quotes like these last night during the broadcast—when millions of people were watching. Just imagine that impact.

Related Stories:

Nicole Kidman’s Golden Globes Speech Was All About the “Power of Women”

Eva Longoria Just Doubled Down on Debra Messing’s E! Network Call-Out at the Golden Globes

Debra Messing Calls Out E! Network for Pay Inequity During the Golden Globes—While on E!





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Catt Sadler Leaves 'E!' After Learning Her Male Co-Host Earned Double Her Salary


If you tune into E! for some celebrity news over the next few days, you might notice that Catt Sadler, one of the network’s most popular and busiest hosts, won’t be gracing the small screen. And it’s for a very unfortunate reason.

As reported by People, Catt has decided to leave E! owing to a large pay disparity with her current E! News co-host, Jason Kennedy—specifically, that Jason was earning double the amount as she was for the same job. “Up until this point, I mean it really has been a dream job. Literally a dream job. I’m from Indiana, born and raised, and I had my sights set on E! and I’ve seen the world. I’ve had the best experiences,” Catt said in a statement. “I’ve gotten incredibly close with all of my coworkers. It’s like a family here and it’s been beautiful for the majority of my run. I pinch myself every day the job that I get to do. I have so much fun. It has almost been surreal. But then, this year happened.”

Specifically, 2017 brought forth a two-hour live daily show for Catt, Daily Pop, as well as her regular gig as co-host of the mega-popular E! News. When it was time to negotiate a new contract going into the new year, it was then she realized that “my male equivalent at the network who I started with the same year and have come up with doing essentially similar jobs, if not the same job, wasn’t just making a little bit more than me but was making double my salary and has been for several years.” When negotiations proved not to be fruitful for a pay increase that was equivalent to Jason’s, Catt then decided to leave.

“That was really hard to swallow, but you know information is supposed to be power and when my team began negotiations knowing what we knew, that was the barometer in which I expected to be paid, based on the law and based on what I know to be fair,” Catt explained. “And what I believe in my heart of hearts is reasonable … I’m a single mom of two kids. I’ve given my all to this network. I’ve sacrificed time away from my family and I have dedicated my entire career to this network. And when you learn something like that, it makes you feel very small and underappreciated and undervalued.”

What does the future hold for Catt? She’s not sure, but promises her fans will see her soon in some capacity—perhaps on a new network, even.

Related: Serena Williams Wrote a Powerful Essay About How Black Women Can Address the Pay Gap



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Louis C.K. and the Threat of Fake Male Feminists


Just a handful of weeks ago, we were celebrating the most diverse Emmy awards in history. Lena Waithe was the first black woman to win a writing Emmy, The Handmaid’s Tale took home 8 trophies, and Reese Witherspoon’s call to “bring women to the front” was met with a loud applause from the audience. It’s dizzying to recall how much the entertainment industry was patting itself on the back for being progressive when the two months since have begun to reveal a seedy underbelly that hasn’t changed as much as award ceremonies would like us to believe.

While Louis C.K.’s bad behavior has been rumored about for some time, the revelation that he, too, is a part of the problem underlies a new, troubling pattern among these stories of harassment and assault: that men have learned to fake a performance of ally-ship in order to serve their own purposes.

To many, Louis C.K. was one of the good guys. He attracted an audience of progressive men and women and often used feminist issues as fodder for his standup. Take this bit from his 2013 HBO special, for example, in which he wonders, “How do women still go out with guys, when you consider that there is no greater threat to women than men?” It’s hard not to cringe at the question now. He was seen as a prophet of nice dudes, a guy who got it. But…evidently not.

Besides the five women who have accused the comedian of grossly inappropriate behavior, there are still more women who have been used by Louis C.K. and who bear the burden of his crimes. Yesterday, comedian Tig Notaro, whose show One Mississippi was executive produced by the comedian, voiced a fear that he intentionally used their professional relationship because “it was going to make him look like a good guy, supporting a woman.” Notaro’s comment is similar to something Kai Cole, Joss Whedon’s ex-wife, wrote back in August. In an article for The Wrap, Cole wrote that Whedon, who has also been praised for writing overtly feminist content, routinely cheated on her with women in his professional circle for 15 years. More concerning, she says she felt like she was used as his “shield…so no one would question his relationships with other women or scrutinize his writing as anything other than feminist.” While Whedon has not been similarly accused of harassment or assault, the pattern is the same: By aligning themselves with women and seeming to promote equality, they were able to hide their bad behavior in plain sight.

Louis C.K. is far from the only shocking twist in this season of revelations. Kevin Spacey’s performance as the country’s first bisexual president in House of Cards was initially lauded as a step in the right direction for bisexual visibility on TV. Former head of Amazon Studios Roy Price won awards for groundbreaking Transparent, and yet he’s the same guy who passed on Big Little Lies because there wasn’t enough female nudity. Even Harvey Weinstein, whose improprieties opened the pandora’s box of horrifying allegations within the industry, produced a number of important socially progressive films (Carol, The Imitation Game, and Silver Linings Playbook, to name a few).

These men manipulated issues that are important to women and the LGBTQ community in order to attract audiences that they never respected in the first place. Even if representation of women has gotten better in recent years (and, objectively, it has), these cases make those gains feel like a smokescreen for what continues to happen in boardrooms and hotel rooms across Hollywood.

And yet Louis C.K.’s and Whedon’s betrayals cut especially deep. These are men who have worked overtime to gain the trust of female fans. Today, it’s not just the overtly sexist men that women in entertainment have to fear. Even the “good guys” are using different means to the same end: They’re profiting off of women’s bodies and ideas, coercing them into silence because they still hold all the power.

In his statement responding to the allegations, Louis C.K. admitted that he “wielded that power irresponsibly” and denied none of the accusations against him. For the most part, it seems that he knew what he was doing was wrong even as he was doing it. He understood that his behavior undermined his status as an ally to women. He just didn’t care…until he was caught.



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Four Women Say They Were Sexually Harassed By Male Colleagues in the House


As more women have come forward with stories of sexual harassment and misconduct by men in positions of power, numerous members of Congress have come forward with similar tales. Already four women Senators have shared their own “Me too” experiences and now three former and one current member of the House of Representatives are speaking out by harassment they faced during their time in office.

According to a new report from the Associated Press, the four lawmakers said that these incidents occurred when they were young and new to Congress, with incidents varying from “isolated comments at one hearing, to repeated unwanted come-ons, to lewd remarks and even groping on the House floor.”

Former Senator Barbara Boxer described one alleged incident in which a male colleague made a sexually suggestive remark to her during a hearing in the 1980s. The comment was met with laughter, per Boxer’s account, and was seconded by a committee chairman.

“This is about power,” Boxer said. “That was an example of the way I think we were thought of, a lot of us. … It’s hostile and embarrasses, and therefore could take away a person’s power.”

Congresswoman Linda Sánchez, who currently represents California’s 38th District, told the AP that in her early 30s, a senior colleague—who was married—”outright propositioned” her shortly after she joined the legislative body. Sánchez said she tried to laugh it off but began avoiding her male colleague. She did not identify him by name but revealed that he is still in Congress.

She recounted a separate incident in which another colleague “repeatedly ogled her” and on one occasion touched her inappropriately while they were on the House floor and tried to make it seem accidental. (She said that this man is no longer in the House.)

Like Sánchez, former Representative Hilda Solis—who now serves as a Los Angeles County supervisors—says she experienced “repeated unwanted harassing overtures” by a fellow lawmaker but chose not to go into detail.

“I don’t think I’m the only one,” Solis said. “What I tried to do was ignore it, turn away, walk away. Obviously it’s offensive. Are you supposed to be flattered? No, we’re adults. Not appropriate.”

After former Congresswoman Mary Bono joined Congress in 1998 following the death of her husband Sonny Bono, she experienced “increasingly suggestive comments” from a fellow representative. After he approached her on the House floor to tell her he’d been thinking of her in the shower, she confronted him and told him that she would not tolerate his behavior. She says that the man backed off but noted that he still serves in the House today.

Among the four women who spoke to the AP, none of them reported these incidents—and several of them were unsure of how they would even file their complaints.

Glamour reached out to the women interviewed for further comment on their experiences. Though several of the women declined to speak further about the alleged incidents, a representative Rep. Bono provided the following statement:

“It’s important to note that, over my 15-year career, there were very
few examples of inappropriate conduct. My male colleagues were almost
always highly respectful and would not tolerate any harassment of any
kind if they were to have witnessed it. But, it is an important dialog
we need to have. We need to both protect those who are affected by
sexual harassment and empower them so they may respond adequately and
quickly.”



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Why Jon Snow Is the Ultimate Male Feminist


Yesterday, news broke that Game of Thrones co-stars Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie, known in Throne-lore as Jon Snow and Ygritte, are now engaged. And six “Jon Snow and Ygritte: Best Moments” YouTube montages later, I got to thinking: Is Jon Snow a feminist icon? From his early days as Ned Stark’s “bastard” to his current status as King of the North (though he bent the knee to Daenerys, so this title is murky) Jon Snow has proudly stood beside his female cohorts as an equal. He’s become the paragon of how men who date powerful women—or have powerful women in their lives—should behave. He’s obviously attracted to power, which is fine. Wonderful, even! Because I’m not sure what year it is in Westeros, but here it’s 2017, and if dating powerful women emasculates you, you’re a cretin.

Jon and Ygritte actually started as enemies; their storyline kick-starts in Season 2 when they must huddle together for survival in brutal wintry conditions. Their relationship was a playful one, with Ygritte unloading jeer after jeer (“You know nothing, Jon Snow”). She was the strongest and most respected female wildling warrior, and it was her sharp, acerbic wit and unbending strength that bonded them. Even when we heart-wrenchingly watched the duo face off in the Battle of Castle Black, Jon nobly refused to hurt her. When a member of the Knight’s Watch struck Ygritte, leaving her to die, Jon holds her in his arms as her last breath passes her lips. It’s clear he held her to the highest regard—as a soldier, as a person, as a worthy opponent, and as a lover.

Currently in Season 7, Jon is engorged in a passionate Snowmance with Daenerys Targaryen, who is quite literally the embodiment of The Matriarchy (and, unfortunately, his aunt). Daenerys is exorbitantly accomplished, her full title being, “Daenerys of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Realm, Lady Regnant of the Seven Kingdoms, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons.” Casual. Most men aren’t just intimidated by her; they feel threatened, taking her accolades as a personal affront on their manhood and their ability to perform masculinity in its traditional sense.

But Khaleesi’s story is one of triumph through oppression. Since the very first episode, men have felt the need to dominate and control her. In the pilot, she challenges her brother Viserys for the first time; he lashes out, claiming he’d let 40,000 men and horses have their way with her if she didn’t marry the man of his choice (Khal Drogo). Khal Drogo, her first husband and leader of the Dothraki tribe, repeatedly rapes her and treats her as chattel throughout their “marriage” (which was customary of Dothraki leaders, until she usurped power). She has been assaulted, insulted, spit on, and betrayed by the male leaders of Qarth, the Good Masters of Astapor, the Meereeneese, The Sons of the Harpy, and The Wise Masters of Yunkai. Some rebels, like Dickon and Randyll Tarly, even chose to be burned alive by a dragon rather than kneel to her. But not Jon Snow. Sweet, beautiful Jon Snow, who turned into a pile of Carrie Bradshaw-like mush for her.

Though Jon refused to bend the knee to Daenerys when they first met, it was never about her, her gender, or what he believed her to be capable of. He remained respectful while maintaining his allegiances to the North. Their relationship, like Jon and Ygritte’s, bloomed from a place of mutual respect for each other’s strength and power. They were allies and equals before they were lovers.

The valiant, brave, honorable, sweet baby boy Jon Snow takes powerful women for what they are and understands the importance of elevating them. He emboldens his half-sister Arya’s proclivity for archery and combat, rather than berating her for breaching gender roles. At his most stubborn, when his half-sister Sansa saves his ass and outsmarts him in the Battle of the Bastards, he accepts his misjudgments and faults without being derisive or sexist. Most importantly, he doesn’t pick and choose what type of woman to support; he knows Sansa is feminine and cannot wield a sword, but he sees the power of her mind, while simultaneously emboldening Arya for her physical power. Snow is the embodiment of a strong male character free of the problematic machismo we see so often in real life and in entertainment.

I’d be hard-pressed to find a comparable male character, one who supports a female protagonist as unconditionally as Jon Snow does. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy’s best friend Xander is possessive, unsupportive, and judgmental of her. He never quite comes to terms with the fact that his friend, a girl, is more powerful than him—and isn’t romantically interested in him. Then there’s Fox Mulder from The X-Files, who repeatedly pulls the theatrical “you wait here while I go ahead” bravado even though his partner, Dana Scully, is laughably as capable as him—more so. Even Steve Trevor, in the latest iteration of Wonder Woman, has wisecracks about Diana’s female power. At times, it was a funny commentary on 20th-century sexism, but it was still gross and contemptuous. In The Hunger Games, both Peeta and Gale fought for Katniss like a piece of property. There’s the craven, bitch-boy Duke of Edinborough from The Crown, who’s the antithesis of Jon Snow. Then there’s the monotonous, unrelenting chauvinism that Olivia Benson deals with on Law & Order: SVU, House of Cards’ Claire Underwood’s daily verbal abuse from her apoplectic husband, Princess Leia, who was never even given her own lightsaber, and Hermione Granger who was infuriatingly under appreciated by Harry and Ron. And do not get me started on fucking Mulan.

While most male characters at least feel the need to comment on the “irony” of a woman in power, Jon Snow does not. Going forward, we need more who support and elevate female protagonists in the same way. Of course, this is a garish metaphor for our real-life female heroes. Looking back, Bernie Sanders could’ve taken some notes on aggrandizing Hillary Clinton after the 2016 primaries; Brad Pitt should’ve literally bent the knee to Angelina Jolie; and let’s not forget the female senators fighting to save healthcare for millions of Americans.

In other words, if you’re not getting the full Jon Snow experience from the men in your life, dump them. Or, as they say in Game of Thrones, “Valar Dohaeris.”



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Jennifer Lawrence 'Didn't Look' at What Her Male Costar Earned for 'Mother!'


PHOTO: Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images

Jennifer Lawrence has spoken out several times in favor of closing the gender wage gap. Despite her advocacy, however, the actress admitted this week that her strategy for achieving equal pay with her male costars, confusingly, doesn’t actually include comparing her earnings to theirs.

In an interview with the BBC while in London for the U.K. premiere of her new film, Mother!, J.Law said, “there’s still a lot of unfairness” in the difference between men’s and women’s wages. “We are making changes, the gap is very slowly closing,” she said. “But there’s still work to be done.” When asked whether she made sure her pay was equal to (or, perhaps, more than) that of Javier Bardem, her Mother! costar, though, Jen said, “I didn’t look at what Javier is getting. I just knew what I deserved and fought for that,” and joked that if she found out that Javier had in fact earned more than her, “There would be a phone call.”

While it’s definitely important to know your worth and demand adequate pay for it—and admirable that Jen is unapologetically doing so—it’s just as crucial for her to know what her male peers are earning so that she can ensure she’s being treated fairly. Jen’s idea of what she deserves may actually be less than what the studio decided to give Javier, and the only way the Oscar winner can be sure that she receives the same amount as her costar (or even more, considering writer and director Darren Aronofsky recently told Vulture that the entire film revolves around Jen’s character) is to ask flat-out what Javier earned.

The 27-year-old first spoke out on the issue of equal pay in 2015, when she penned an essay for feminist newsletter Lenny after discovering (via the late 2014 Sony Pictures hack) that she and Amy Adams had earned less than their male costars in back-end compensation for American Hustle. “I’m over trying to find the ‘adorable’ way to state my opinion and still be likable! Fuck that. I don’t think I’ve ever worked for a man in charge who spent time contemplating what angle he should use to have his voice heard. It’s just heard,” she wrote. “Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale, and Bradley Cooper all fought and succeeded in negotiating powerful deals for themselves. If anything, I’m sure they were commended for being fierce and tactical, while I was busy worrying about coming across as a brat and not getting my fair share.”

It took finding out what her male American Hustle costars earned in order for Jen to realize she was being taken advantage of—so it only makes sense that she should continue to keep an eye on all future male costars’ earnings to make sure it doesn’t happen again and to gain an even better idea of what exactly she should be asking for. It might seem unfair that she has to take on this responsibility herself, but until we finally close the gender (and race) wage gap, it’s on each of us to keep the higher-ups accountable.

Related: Jennifer Lawrence’s New Vogue Cover Is an Optical Illusion



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