Amber Tamblyn confronts male ‘redemption’ after sexual misconduct in her latest 'NYT' op-ed
Actress Amber Tamblyn is back with more insight on the sexual harassment and assault scandal hitting Hollywood hard.
In her latest New York Times op-ed on Thursday, Tamblyn, who wrote about women coming forward with stories about sexual assault in September, jumps into the discussion about forgiving men accused of sexual misconduct, only just as they were finally starting to be called out for their abuses of power.
In the op-ed, Tamblyn argues that it's too soon for that forgiveness conversation. "Why do we need to talk about the redemption of men when we are right in the middle of the salvation of women?" writes Tamblyn. "Not even the middle, but the very beginning?"
Indeed, it may seem like decisions are coming quickly. Matt Lauer was fired within a few days of a report of inappropriate sexual behavior; Kevin Spacey was scrubbed from a film within weeks of multiple sexual misconduct allegations. But Tamblyn doesn't see the response as unjustly swift.
According to Tamblyn, the worries about a talent drain from all the men stepping down aren't real. Tamblyn says, "We’re in the midst of a reckoning. It’s what toxic masculinity’s own medicine tastes like. And people should allow the consequences to unfold."
Change is hard, but in the wake of all the exposed, systemic, long-running sexual harassment, change is the new normal. Men need to step aside, argues Tamblyn. "The power of celebrity and cultural approval must disappear for the time being so that all women see and believe that consequences do exist," Tamblyn wrote.
Tamblyn spells out the new rules, which men (and women) can accept or keep needlessly fighting against:
You’re either with our bodies or against our bodies. The punishment for harassment is you disappear. The punishment for rape is you disappear. The punishment for masturbation in front of us is you disappear. The punishment for coercion is you disappear.
The time for male redemption will come, but not yet. The focus now is still very much about supporting women and victims.
And for Tamblyn, the choice is clear, "Pick a side. Choose us."
Topics Activism
Sasha is a news writer at Mashable's San Francisco office. She's an SF native who went to UC Davis and later received her master's from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. She's been reporting out of her hometown over the years at Bay City News (news wire), SFGate (the San Francisco Chronicle website), and even made it out of California to write for the Chicago Tribune. She's been described as a bookworm and a gym rat.
