The New York Times: When I was 21, I went into the office of a producer of the television show I was starring in to discuss a big problem. By this point I had been acting for more than a decade, and the show was very successful and beloved. Still, I was nervous about facing the firing squad of Emmys that sat behind him and saying what I had to say.
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This article highlights again the issues in the entertainment industry regarding giving women in the industry power, whether that power is in the role that they or doing in believing that they have a right to speak up for their passions, comfort, and ideas. What I really liked about Amber Tamblyn's writing is that she ends it not on a sad or hopeless note, but instead on a not of change and community. It is easy to speak about sexism in the entertainment industry and feel like too little has changed in too long of a time and end it at that. But what is more difficult and more effective is when we talk about those issues and then about a way to fix them. Tamblyn uses the concept of a choir as a metaphor for the women in her own community speaking up together, and that is a metaphor and message that we should all be able to get behind.
This was an extremely inspirational piece. I'm sure the vast majority of women, myself included, see themselves reflected in these stories. Society, and the Patriarchy, teaches us to fear things. To fear men, to fear our own strength, to fear independence. When I saw the line, "For women in America who come forward with stories of harassment, abuse and sexual assault, there are not two sides to every story, however noble that principle might seem," I was worried she'd say the man in the situation doesn't get a side of the story. But how she illuminated the fact that it's the victim who is "interrogated," that really blew me away. The terms she put each situation she gave as examples of not being believed proves that sexism exists, and it's rampant. The article as a whole was depressing to me. But the closing, a call to action for women to raise their voices, be a part of the choir, and with strength and unity, change the tune, that was invigorating.
I find it outrageous when people place blame on the victim. No one asks to be a victim and women should not be afraid to speak up in uncomfortable situations because of the fear of the blame being placed upon them. The entertainment industry mirrors society in that it Has a very patriarchal system. It seems as if all of the high ranking positions are occupied by men, making it difficult for women to climb the hierarchy and become part of the main stream narrative. Because of this, women, afraid to lose their current positions, do not report incidents such as sexual assault. This is something that is inherently wrong as any human being has the right to know that their feelings and experiences are valid and are not to be swept under the rug.
Amber Tamblyn says that women must "become a choir" so that the "tune is forced to change". I want to make a comparison to Greek choruses used on stage because each individual chorus member is unable to make a huge difference on stage but, as a whole, the Greek chorus adds an element to the performance that is invaluable, impactful, and unforgettable. THAT is what women can do when we band together.
I applaud the author for her courage in speaking out on an issue that has been overlooked and accepted for far too long. Sexism in the entertainment industry has taken form in much worse things than gender bias, its harbored in assault and harassment. The reason why people like Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman to win an oscar for direction, are greatly praised for being a first is because of obstacles women have to overcome in order to climb the ladder. I've always heard the idea of sexual favors creating opportunities, and it's been kind of a joke, but also kind of not. It's really disheartening that a person could walk in to a casting office and be the perfect person for the role, but not get the role unless they perform a sexual favor. The truly awful part is that in a business as heartless as this one, woman have no other choice but to give in. Withholding a job from someone unless they provide you with sexual favors isn't a fair trade, its assault. I agree with the author when she says to speak out, its important to know that it exists and its also important for young artists to know that this is not the proper way of conducting any business, especially one that prides itself on being morally conscious.
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