Women open up about wearing black at The Golden Globes to protest sexual harassment

Esquire.com: Women wore black to the 2018 Golden Globe Awards to protest sexual harassment and raise awareness for Time’s Up, a new initiative fighting sexual misconduct in Hollywood and beyond. As the stars took the red carpet for the ceremony, many explained the powerful reasons why they went all-noir for the awards show.

Meryl Streep: “I think people are aware now of a power imbalance and it’s something that leads to abuse, it has led to abuse in our own industry. We want to fix that and we feel emboldened in a thick black line dividing then from now.”

Debra Messing: “I am wearing black to thank and honour all of the brave whistle blowers who came forward, shared their stories of harassment, assault, and discrimination. I’m wearing black to, to stand in solidarity with my sisters all over the globe and I’m here to celebrate the rollout of this incredible initiative Time’s Up. We want diversity, we want intersectional gender parity, equal pay. I was so shocked to hear that E! doesn’t believing in paying their female co-hosts the same as their male co-hosts. I miss Cat Sadler. So we stand with her. That’s something that can change tomorrow you know, we want people to start having this conversation that women are just as valuable as men.”

Allison Brie: “I am wearing black to stand in solidarity with all of the women who have come out about being sexually harassed and abused. I’m so in awe of the bravery it took for the first few to come forward. They are heroes.”

America Ferrera: “It’s our job right now, the time is now for us to do the work that will make women and all people more safe and more equal in their work places and in their lives.”

Michelle Williams: “Really the most exciting thing is, I thought that I would have to raise my daughter to learn how to protect herself in a dangerous world and I think because of the work that Tarana [Burke, creator of #MeToo] has done and the work that I am learning how to do, we actually have the opportunity to hand our children a different world. So, I am moved beyond measure to be be standing next to this woman. Tears in my eyes, smile on my face.”

Reese Witherspoon: “It just became clear that with all of the news that’s been coming out that it couldn’t just be business as normal. We wanted to stand up and do something for all people to say time’s up on discrimination, harassment and abuse in the work place.”

Eva Longoria: “And this isn’t a female issue, it’s a power issue and so saying time’s up to ending the abuse of power and recognising the women that came forward. They kicked that door open for this conversation to happen. Roseanna Arquette, Ashley Judd, Salma Hayek, Olivia Munn, Asia Argento; there’s so many amazing women who’s lives were changed because of this. So we want to make sure that doesn’t happen again, with this movement. Tonight is not a moment, it’s a movement.”

Kerry Washington: “The reason we’re here, the reason we didn’t just stay home is because we feel we shouldn’t have to sit out the night, give up our seats at the table, our voice in this industry because of bad behaviour that wasn’t ours. We get to be here to celebrate each other and support each other and stand in joy and solidarity and say we are looking out for anybody who feels marginalised in the workplace, whether you’re a woman or man, because of your sexual orientation, age, race, gender, we’re here to support you. Which is part of the reason why we’ve formed the legal defence fund, which has already raised $15 million, 60 countries, all 50 states and Puerto Rico, people have just been donating because the legal defence fund is to go to people who have faced assault or prejudice or abuse in the workplace and don’t have access to legal representation. So we’re committed to making a change not just in our industry, but every industry.”

Katherine Langford: “What we’re doing is supporting work that’s already been done by so many people for such a long period of time, but tonight is special for the Time’s Up movement, which is supporting equality not just for women but also for men and all non-binary people across every industry. And the reason we’re wearing black is to show solidarity with everyone.”

Sarah Jessica Parker: “It’s been thrilling, it’s been thrilling. I am incredibly excited, impressed by the work that is being done. I know you have spoken to a lot of my sisters tonight, who have been in the trenches, but I think it is an enormous show of support tonight. I think it speaks to the appetite, to the climate that exists. This is a conversation that as complicated as it is, it seems to be welcomed by everybody. I know it has affected your network. I know that there, there have been conversation that have been challenging for all of us. But I think it’s incredibly timely, exciting. Parity, equality, safe work environments shouldn’t be controversial. So I am delighted thrilled to be here and talk about this rollout for Time’s Up. It’s an honour and privilege to work amongst women that I’ve admired for so long and never even thought I’d get to meet. And to see them do this sort of work and commit themselves is really quite something. It’s more important to know that it is across industries. It is about women in all industries and men quality, parity, safe work environment, really simple, for everybody in the country. It is an exciting and daunting job and we are all dying to dive into the work ahead.”

Viola Davis: “I think it’s a coming out. You know, it’s all of these women just embracing their authentic voices and standing in solidarity with each other. One of the things I want to express to the public: I think people feel like Hollywood could be out of touch at times. But for me I’m here because I hear the voices of women who said me too, which, one of them was me. I hear those people who are nameless, faceless every day who don’t have a platform to talk about their sexual assault and rape, and I hear those voices. It’s like someone says there’s no prerequisites to worthiness. You’re born worthy and I think that’s a message a lot of women need hear. The women who are still in silence because of trauma, shame due to the assault. They need to understand that it’s not their fault and they’re not dirty. That’s my message tonight.”