In October 2017, one of the world's most powerful movie moguls, Harvey Weinstein, was accused of a litany of sexual crimes. He is currently serving a very lengthy jail sentence that will almost certainly see him spend the last days of his life behind bars.
Just weeks after the initial allegations against Weinstein became public, a two-word hashtag began to spread on social media: #MeToo. First used as far back as 2006 by the Black activist and sexual assault survivor Tarana Burke, the hashtag then became the epicentre of a global movement for change. Millions of women across the world used the hashtag to speak out about the sexual harassment and assaults they had suffered at the hands of men over the years.
I was working in a newsroom when this story first broke and it's no exaggeration to say that it was the sort of seismic event that stopped everything else in its tracks. At the time, it felt like a revolutionary moment that would change society's attitudes to women and vigilance around predatory men forever.
Nearly a decade later, though, has anything really changed – especially in the creative industries? Oscar winner Cate Blanchett told PORTER this month that she didn't believe the movement made a significant enough difference in the film world – despite it being the industry that housed Weinstein for so many years.
“Everyone talks about the #MeToo movement as if it's well and truly over, and I think well, it didn't really ever take root, to be honest,” she said. “People were seeking to dismantle and discredit those voices that were only just beginning to come out from under the floorboards into the light. I find it quite distressing the way that it hasn't taken root.”
Cate Blanchett says there's more to be done around #MeToo in Hollywood
(Credit: Gage Skidmore)
#MeToo made the world aware of some massive issues and pushed some horrific “open secrets” out into the glaring light of day. But that was only the beginning of a long process that needed to happen in order for the arts to become a safer place for women and those in other marginalised groups.
In our new series 'The #MeToo Legacy', we're hoping to find out what changes have been made and what's still to be done in various sectors of the arts. We've spoken to an intimacy coordinator about how the film and television industry turned this new role into a must-have on every major production and chatted to Sphinx Theatre about the ways in which the theatre world has already changed and must continue to develop in the future.
The professional wrestling industry in the UK had its own #MeToo reckoning in 2020 and, in the years since, it has had to rebuild itself from the ground up. We spoke to some of the promoters making that happen and the people fighting to make sure the previously unregulated industry becomes safer for everyone wanting to get in the ring and strut their stuff.
We've also delved into the art inspired by #MeToo, highlighting some of the books and films that have arisen since that hashtag broke the internet.
The impact of #MeToo is still being felt across the world and, hopefully, the brave decisions made by all of the women who spoke out will continue to have a material impact on society. Certainly, in the arts world, the safety and security of women is increasingly and rightly at the forefront of every decision that gets made – though, of course, there's much more that can be done.
In working on this series, we hope to shine a light on those who are blazing a trail and breaking ground on the initiatives and ideas that will develop a safer and more equitable creative world for everybody – whoever they are.
Explore The #MeToo Legacy
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