A little over a month ago, I wrote an article discussing the sexual assault allegations around Harvey Weinstein. In mid-October, I would never have guessed that the allegations against Harvey Weinstein would have opened the floodgates for so many more celebrities to be accused of sexual crimes. Over the past month we have seen sexual assault/misconduct allegations come out against Kevin Spacey, Roy Moore, Al Franken, Charlie Sheen, Charlie Rose, John Lasseter, and 3 people named by Corey Feldman.
I'm writing, again, on this subject because I have noticed a change in the air since these allegations began pouring out. Besides the recent Virginia election, I couldn't tell you a major political event that has happened in the past month (aside from the heat on Al Franken and Roy Moore). I consider myself "politically involved" but, since so many people have been accused, sexual assault allegations dominate the mainstream media. The news on North Korean missiles and NFL ratings has been pushed aside for a new daily article on another allegation.
I say all this to tell you that I am loving it.
I don't mean to sound insensitive. I don't love the fact that women, men, and child actors have been sexually assaulted. The majority of allegations don't have concrete evidence against the accused, so I can't speak to the validity of the accusations, but anyone who feels that they have been sexually violated deserves to be heard.
What I love is the way that these accusations have come to galvanize the laypeople of America. For the most part, everyone has responded to these allegations how we should: we think the people accused are gross pigs. Everyone, aside from the occasional Twitter troll or general crazy person, can agree that sexual assault is awful.
The accusations against Roy Moore and Al Franken have also helped to break some political lines in this regard. Roy Moore (Alabama Republican currently running for Senate) received the first allegations, prompting left-leaning politicians to force a response from the right. Within about a week, liberal Senator Al Franken was accused of groping and assaulting 2 separate women.
The Moore/Franken combo has helped to make everyone realize that this isn't a "party" issue; sexual assault has no party lines. A slew of left-leaning people have now come out in opposition to Bill Clinton's past sexual assaults (such as Clinton biographer Joe Klein, who now states he was a "Clinton enabler"). While this seems like a late apology to people who always saw Bill Clinton as the womanizer he has shown himself to be, it is definite progress. What Roy Moore and Al Franken are being accused of is heinous, and it's nice to finally see people come together to call out bad apples, no matter if you sympathize with their politics or not.
It's highly likely that the more we uncover cases of sexual assault, even more will follow. Corey Feldman is currently working on a documentary he says will reveal a whole pedophile ring in Hollywood. We must not forget the feelings we have now. After the mainstream media is done reporting these allegations, we need to remember that these are the things that people can rally around and stand against together. Coming together to call out abhorrent behavior in our society might be what all of us need to start seeing each other as "people" again instead of dividing ourselves even further.
