Between the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, the ongoing conversation around equal pay across all industries and the fight for gender parity on a wider, more inclusive scale, the issues affecting women are front and center in 2018. This renewed focus on sociopolitical issues that uniquely affect women mean that we, as a society, are learning how to feel more comfortable opening up with our stories and fighting for the equal treatment of ourselves and others. It’s now a time where women are actually being listened to — a great thing no matter which way you look at it.
Even though the stories of sexual misconduct or mistreatment have made many uncomfortable (despite the fact that it’s very necessary), there are actually some famous men who are sticking up for women. They are using their power and position in society to support women, to proclaim that they believe women and to create initiative-driven groups like the #AskMoreOfHim campaign, which aims to challenge men “to use their privilege and platforms for good” and counts Justin Baldoni, David Schwimmer, How to Get Away With Murder‘s Matt McGorry and David Arquette as members.
It’s time to recognize the men who have voiced support for women and are taking a step back to listen to women in order to benefit us in the best ways possible. This isn’t about men wearing pins, it’s about men who are doing more, and here just a few who should be applauded.
Chris Evans Is a Real-Life Captain America
Chris Evans is basically Captain America in real life, especially when it comes to supporting women. In a March profile for The New York Times, Evans spoke about #MeToo in a profound way.
The Marvel star admitted he's been thinking more about "gender inequality and the distribution of power," in addition to looking into how he can be a better ally to women in Hollywood. He even read Rebecca Solnit's The Mother of All Questions, which led him to realize he needs to do less talking and more listening.
"The hardest thing to reconcile is that just because you have good intentions, doesn’t mean it’s your time to have a voice," he explained.
That's exactly what more men need to be doing — listening. Men can be better allies if they follow in Evans' footsteps by taking a step back and actually listening to what is going on and what women have to say.
Benedict Cumberbatch Truly Cares About Women
Benedict Cumberbatch is taking major action in hopes of ensuring more of his female co-stars get paid just as much as he does. The gender pay gap continues to be an issue, but Cumberbatch is trying to change that.
While chatting with the Radio Times in May, he said, "Equal pay and a place at the table are the central tenets of feminism. Look at your quotas. Ask what women are being paid, and say: 'If she’s not paid the same as the men, I’m not doing it.'"
In June, the Patrick Melrose star also opened up to Deadline about the wage gap and his production company, SunnyMarch, which is largely run by women. "I’m proud that [partner] Adam [Ackland] and I are the only men in our production company; our next project is a female story with a female lens about motherhood, in a time of environmental disaster." He continued, "If it’s centered around my name, to get investors, then we can use that attention for a raft of female projects. Half the audience is female!"
The Doctor Strange star also said it's time for people, especially men, to actually do something about the pay gap and acknowledge it. "It will take a great deal of effort, not just from women trying to break through but also men offering parity," he told Deadline. "I just think people need to know that men are supportive of this. I can only speak for myself, so I'm not speaking for mankind, but just to say that I think it's incumbent on me and my position to seek and understanding, and what has to start with all this is transparency about such issues."
Thomas Sadoski Leapt to Jessica Walter’s Defense
Thomas Sadoski, known for his role in CBS' Life in Pieces, was loudly applauded after he defended Arrested Development's Jessica Walter.
On May 23, The New York Times released a roundtable discussion with the Arrested Development cast where they talked about the new season on Netflix, the sexual harassment allegations against Jeffrey Tambor that got him fired from Transparent (he's denied the sexual harassment claims, but he has admitted to being "difficult" and "mean" on sets) and how Tambor allegedly verbally harassed Walter on the Arrested Development set.
During the NYT conversation, Walter opened up about how Tambor made her feel; rather than coming to her defense, her male costars, including Jason Bateman and Tony Hale, basically defended Tambor's actions (Bateman and Hale later issued apologies). Well, Sadoski was disgusted and took to Instagram to express his feelings.
"This is Jessica Walter," he began his lengthy post. "She is a national goddamned treasure. It was an honor and a privilege to work with her." He then ripped anyone who thinks they can treat people, both men and women, disrespectfully. "I don’t give a fuck who you think you are or how good you think you are or how awesome you think your buddy/daddy is: screaming at someone isn’t 'part of the business'. It’s bullshit. It’s unhinged bullshit behavior and it has NEVER been acceptable."
He later wrote, "It certainly isn’t acceptable for some man-baby millionaire to do so on a cozy ass tv show set. And it is even less acceptable for his male cast-mates to excuse it away IN FRONT OF THE PERSON THAT IT HAPPENED TO….(wait for it)….WHILE SHE IS TRYING TO EXPLAIN HOW TRAUMATIZING THE EXPERIENCE WAS. What in the halfpenny fuck is happening?!"
And this is exactly why Sadoski was applauded.
Justin Baldoni Wants to Make Men Better
Justin Baldoni has consistently made headlines for being an advocate for women. In April, the Jane the Virgin star sat on a co-ed panel for gender issues and admitted that Hollywood is a "boys' club" that begins when "you're 4."
He said, "We've been taught growing up that our allegiance is to other men, no matter what." He then discussed how men are taught to think about women at a young age. "'No girls allowed,' 'Girls have cooties,' and then what? 'Bros before hos,'" he reflected. "It was not until I was 32 years old that I even realized that even the word ['ho'] itself [was problematic]. This is the culture that millions of boys are being raised in today, and what we're seeing now is what it turns into when the power dynamic comes into play."
Then, like Evans, he said, "We have to listen. It sounds so simple, but it's not. We have to listen to the point that we hear."David Schwimmer Is Holding Men Accountable
Friends alum David Schwimmer and filmmaker Sigal Avin created a series of short films about workplace harassment for the #ThatsHarassment campaign. "I certainly understand why, right now in the current climate, men are reluctant to come forward and speak — which is a shame, because nothing’s going to be accomplished without dialogue," Schwimmer said on Megyn Kelly Today in January. "So, part of our goal is to really try to bring men into the conversation."
At the end of January, Schwimmer also wrote an op-ed for NBC News explaining why the #ThatsHarassment campaign is personal to him. It's mainly because he saw the sexual harassment his mother, sister and other women in his life have faced. So, Schwimmer is now trying to help in any way he can. He's also served on the board of directors of the Rape Foundation for the past 15 years.
As he wrote for NBC News, "I really noticed that women were being more openly demeaned and discredited, and then, with a presidential candidate boasting of committing sexual assault on audio tape, I thought, 'This is real. This is unacceptable.' I'm the father of a 6-and-a-half-year-old daughter; if I'm going to do something about this for the future generations, now is the time."
John Legend Is a Legend
In no surprise whatsoever, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen donated $200,000 to Time's Up in honor of the U.S. gymnasts, who bravely came forward and spoke out against their doctor, Larry Nassar, for sexually abusing them. In February, Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 125 years in prison for three counts of criminal sexual conduct.
Legend has also openly spoken out against men abusing their privilege and power over women. In March, he told The Sunday Times (via ABC News), "My manager, she’s told me stories about sexual harassment, dealing with record execs taking liberties, even when they are pretty powerful. Men who have power need to do a lot better than this." He continued, "We witness casual sexism so much and don’t get outraged about it enough. Saying 'it’s harmless' or 'boys will be boys' makes it worse."
Legend is also ready to raise his son, Miles, in the era of #MeToo and Time's Up. He told People in May, "I think it’s kind of a special privilege for me to raise a young man. I want to try to give him the best advice and be a good man. Particularly right now, a lot of us are trying to figure out how to raise good men in this era when a lot of bad behavior by men is being exposed. We want to make sure we’re raising young men that grow up to be kind and empathetic and emotionally intelligent, and also good leaders and successful in everything they do."
Mark Ruffalo Is Calling It Like He Sees It
Mark Ruffalo is no stranger to voicing his opinions, and the same can be said when it comes to him schooling privileged men on how they need to change.
While speaking with BuzzFeed's online morning show AM to DM in January, Ruffalo said about why more male celebrities aren't speaking up, "I think it’s really important. I mean, I think that they’re afraid."
He explained that men actually might be scared to say something regarding sexual misconduct. "It’s a fragility there," Ruffalo said. "A fear of saying the wrong thing and then being called out, but you know, we have to drop our fear and our fragility, because when you’re privileged, you have a voice, and right now men are privileged. [Men] have a privilege over women, it’s just the way it is. And so, we have to make a space inside of our privilege, a safe space for women to speak up."
Terry Crews Can Relate to Women
After the sexual misconduct allegations against Harvey Weinstein were made public by the NYT in October 2017 (he has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex and is currently facing rape charges in New York City), Terry Crews came forward with allegations that he was sexually assaulted by talent agent Adam Venit. Crews alleges that Venit groped him at a party in February 2016. Venit has not publicly commented on Crews' allegations.
Since making his sexual assault allegations public, Crews has been extremely vocal about people needing to be held accountable for their actions.
"For everyone saying time is up, is it really up?" the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star asked Variety at the Sundance Film Festival in January. "[Adam Venit]’s working. There’s no repercussions." He continued, "I have to say I was victimized but I’ve made the choice to not become a victim. And that’s the thing: I did everything I’m supposed to do, with the police, the law enforcement. I’m doing everything I’m supposed to do in regards to lawsuits, and I plan on going all the way because until you hold everyone accountable every time, nothing will change.”
What Crews said holds true for both men and women who have faced any form of sexual misconduct. And he makes a valid point: Until violators are held accountable, nothing will change.
#MeToo Hit Close to Home for Anthony Bourdain
Before he died in June, Anthony Bourdain was a huge advocate of #MeToo. His girlfriend, Italian actor and director Asia Argento, alleged that Weinstein sexually assaulted her in an exposé published by The New Yorker in October 2017. (Weinstein denied all allegations in the article.)
As soon as Argento came forward, Bourdain stood by her. He tweeted soon after The New Yorker's piece went live, "@AsiaArgento I am proud and honored to know you. You just did the hardest thing in the world." The No Reservations star even cooked for some of the women accusing Weinstein of sexual misconduct, including Argento, Rose McGowan and Annabella Sciorra.
Bourdain believed Argento and every other accuser who bravely came forward. He didn't question but showed support, which is, unfortunately, sometimes rare to find. On May 25, after Weinstein was arrested in New York, Bourdain tweeted, "When you went on record, @AsiaArgento you were sure this day would never come, that you would be crushed, that you were alone. And yet you did it anyway. #perpwalk."
Even during a January appearance on The Daily Show, Bourdain got real honest with Trevor Noah about how #MeToo and Argento's allegations had an impact on him personally. It made him do a lot of self-reflection and showed him how much men need to change.
"I came out of a brutal, oppressive business that was historically unfriendly to women," he admitted. "I knew a lot of women, it turned out, who had stories about their experiences — about people I knew — who did not feel I was the sort of person they could confide in." After Argento came forward and Bourdain starting speaking with accusers, he told Noah, "So I think, like a lot of men, I’m reexamining my life."
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