She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement
Whether you are sympathetic to feminist causes or not, this is an excellent exposé of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, the ensuing #MeToo movement, and the impact of those events on Christine Blasey Ford's testimony against Brett Kavanaugh, as he was being considered for the Supreme Court. The book retells the complicated journey Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, reporters for the New York Times, took as they attempted to get the story about Harvey Weinstein's abuses of actresses and female employees, both verbal and sexual, many of which dated back decades.
As women, we're sadly accustomed to the power differential that often exists in workplaces and other social structures, so I can't say that the revelations that abuse occurred by men in positions of power was surprising. What did shock me a bit was the complicity of the legal system and government in creating and reinforcing a "hush money" system that compels victims into silence and dangles severe consequences over their heads to maintain it. In essence, you feel like these ladies are victimized not just once, but potentially repeatedly, since they often can't even talk to their own spouses, families, friends, therapists or lawyers, and most certainly can't speak publicly to warn others of the abusers' potential to victimize them. In essence, it's a system that makes the victims look like gold-diggers while reinforcing repeated predation without consequence to the offenders.
I thought that the strength of the book was in the coverage of the Weinstein scandal, but it seemed to lose a bit of steam in the retelling of Christine Blasey Ford's decades-old sexual assault experience leading up to her testimony before the Senate committee determining Brett Kavanaugh's selection to the Supreme Court. I actually felt bad for her, as she seemed to be portrayed as a woman who lost control of her own narrative and experience to those who had, possibly well-meaning but ultimately over-eager and potentially damaging, interests in putting her story in front of the American public. While I admired her independent spirit and her attempts to regain control of her own story, I ultimately wondered if what she went through in the public eye just damaged her further or if it brought any benefit to her or others.
Time will tell if any of the events of the book will bring lasting positive change for society. All said, it's a fantastic read, especially if you have interest in women's issues - though I will say that the issues discussed would apply equally to male victims of physical or verbal harassment as well.
★★★★
As women, we're sadly accustomed to the power differential that often exists in workplaces and other social structures, so I can't say that the revelations that abuse occurred by men in positions of power was surprising. What did shock me a bit was the complicity of the legal system and government in creating and reinforcing a "hush money" system that compels victims into silence and dangles severe consequences over their heads to maintain it. In essence, you feel like these ladies are victimized not just once, but potentially repeatedly, since they often can't even talk to their own spouses, families, friends, therapists or lawyers, and most certainly can't speak publicly to warn others of the abusers' potential to victimize them. In essence, it's a system that makes the victims look like gold-diggers while reinforcing repeated predation without consequence to the offenders.
I thought that the strength of the book was in the coverage of the Weinstein scandal, but it seemed to lose a bit of steam in the retelling of Christine Blasey Ford's decades-old sexual assault experience leading up to her testimony before the Senate committee determining Brett Kavanaugh's selection to the Supreme Court. I actually felt bad for her, as she seemed to be portrayed as a woman who lost control of her own narrative and experience to those who had, possibly well-meaning but ultimately over-eager and potentially damaging, interests in putting her story in front of the American public. While I admired her independent spirit and her attempts to regain control of her own story, I ultimately wondered if what she went through in the public eye just damaged her further or if it brought any benefit to her or others.
Time will tell if any of the events of the book will bring lasting positive change for society. All said, it's a fantastic read, especially if you have interest in women's issues - though I will say that the issues discussed would apply equally to male victims of physical or verbal harassment as well.
★★★★
You can find this and all my other reviews at: https://www.goodreads.com/curious-kat
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