Currently, the focus is on Hollywood and Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of harassment, attacks, and/or rape by over 70 women. This evil industry. Hollywood.
Shocking, no?
No, carnales. Before the Weinstein story broke, Bill Cosby, the sweater-wearing, jello-eating [alleged] rapist, was accused of attacking or raping 41 women. Did we forget about him? To date, he has not been convicted. People still defend him.
Why was I not told about this horrible story? When did it happen? His trial took place in June of 2017. For those not keeping track, that was earlier this year. Our cultural amnesia regarding this issue is stronger than the crimes of the many [alleged 2, electric bugaloo] offenders. Our willful blindness to it is our eternal shame.
It saddens me to be the bearer of bad tidings, but Hollywood didn’t create the epidemic of sexual violence in the world. It may have invented the casting couch, but this happens everywhere.
But okay, specifically, what is it like for an actress in the industry?
Well, for one thing, your sexuality is viewed as a currency.
Actresses, unless they are famous names, are considered “mother” types — over the hill — when they turn 25. To promote themselves, actresses are frequently expected to show skin or look sexy in pictures to be considered valuable. You only pose wearing glasses or reading books every once and a while, lest someone think you are ugly or getting uppity and starting to have ideas. Seriously, you get looked at suspiciously for having thoughts or expressing complex opinions.
“Man, she was one hot mami until I saw that bitch reading a book.”
Some women do like to express themselves in this way and be sexy, but it is a requirement for all in the industry. It what’s expected… at auditions, in movies and TV, in plays.
If a woman does this to get by, who can blame her? As it turns out, nearly everyone, including other women. If someone told you you had to wear a red, white, and blue striped ball hugger thong to work most days or lose your job, what would you do? You could quit, ey? But what if nearly every job had that same requirement or worse? Then what, vatos?
These babosos will say that chicas who have a bold sexuality lack self-respect or are putas and that they should stop being teases and put out right now.
All of this is part of what those feministas call the Patriarchy. The Patriarchy is a system within our society that says that men get to make the rules and women have to do what they are told. It also frequently means that no matter what women do, they are in the wrong. The patriarchal control of women makes it easy for chauvinist pinche cabrones to both drool over unclothed chicas and call them sluts. It’s like Christmas every day except Santa brings you women you can hassle for sex.
This is what those feministas call objectification. Man, these feministas got names for everything. It’s almost like they know what they are talking about!
Objectification works like this:
if a woman’s being and life is reduced to a naked picture, who has to show her respect? She’s a thing and not a person. She exists purely for your visual entertainment and, for guys like Harvey Weinstein, your personal pleasure. Now it’s a little more complicada with [alleged, alleged, alleged CULO!] rapists like ol’ Harv, but it’s about power and control. Women don’t have a say over their own lives and bodies. You don’t have to go through the trouble of listening to or understanding them because, shit, who cares? And forget asking for permission to do what you want to do to them. As a famous [self-confessed, ALLEGED] rapist once said, they’ll let you do anything, even grab ’em by the pussy!
This cultura, rape culture as they call it, makes it OK to treat mujeres as servants, ornaments, and orifices. In Hollywood, it’s shut up and give us what we want or never work again, but this kind of mierda happens in a lot of industries. It also happens to men too, don’t think that having a pingon will always save you from that. Two words: Kevin Spacey, OK, make it three words: Kevin Spacey [allegedly].
If even after all this you still don’t believe, tipo, do an experiment, but only if you can handle it.
Tell las mujeres in your life that you won’t judge them and it’s safe to tell you the truth. That they have your support. Mean it. Be prepared to hear some things that you won’t like and will make you feel angry. Remember that it wasn’t their fault. Ask them if they have ever had a man try to take advantage of them or harass them. Ask them. Yes, even your abuela.
You will almost certainly be surprised by what they say.
- Dolores Quintana is a Chicana actor and activist who lives in Los Angeles and who works in immersive theatre and independent film. She occasionally pours the contents of her brain out in written form to bedevil those who stand against righteousness. Please feel free to come and argue with her on Twitter