Watch Natalie Portman's stirring 'Power of Women' speech

"If a man says to you that a woman is crazy or difficult, ask him, ‘What bad thing did you do to her?’"
 By 
Marcus Gilmer
 on 
Watch Natalie Portman's stirring 'Power of Women' speech
<<enter caption here>> at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on October 12, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. Credit: Getty Images

On Friday evening, Natalie Portman delivered a stirring speech at Variety's "Power of Women" event that resonated beyond the audience as video of the speech spread across the internet, delivering the message of "Time's Up."

Beginning with a blistering condemnation of Harvey Weinstein -- "Harvey Weinstein, the man whose name has become synonymous with 'serial rapist,' might never suffer any legal consequences" -- Portman transitioned to a discussion on the lack of gender parity in the entertainment industry and beyond.

She meticulously dispels the myth women leave the workforce across all industries to focus on families: "There are too many that don't choose to have children, do not yet have children, or have grown children to account for the gaping lack of women in leadership positions in almost every industry."

And there was plenty of discussion of harassment in the workplace, the fallout from such harassment, and the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund which was used to help Melanie Kohler to defeat a defamation suit brought by director Brett Ratner, whom Kohler accused of rape.

Portman's powerful speech resonated with viewers who took to Twitter to share their thoughts and admiration.

Portman has remained a vocal representative of the "Time's Up" movement, aiding the movement's fundraising efforts, sharing her own stories of harassment and intimidation in the entertainment industry, and that legendary call-out from the stage of the 2018 Golden Globes.

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Marcus Gilmer

Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.

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