Lupita Nyong’o opens up about her disturbing experience with film vet Harvey Weinstein. Harvey was recently fired from his company by his board and removed from the Academy of film and television due to many women coming out about sexual harassment they faced with Harvey. Being a top executive in the business making many iconic films and tv shows like “Kill Bill”, “Project Runway”, “The Butler” and so many more, Harvey had access to power.
“Harvey led me into a bedroom — his bedroom — and announced that he wanted to give me a massage”
Unfortunately when white men gain power history shows abuse, rape, and theft are a few things they get in to with very little fear due to their money and power. Money and power has been the top reasons millions of women have stayed in abusive marriages, and kept quiet when sexually assaulted. Actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow, Rose McGowan, Ashley Judd, and Angelina Jolie have come out against Harvey citing sexual harassment, and now Lupita Nyong’o shares her story.
Lupita Nyong’o On Harvey Weinstein:
“Harvey led me into a bedroom — his bedroom — and announced that he wanted to give me a massage. I thought he was joking at first. He was not. For the first time since I met him, I felt unsafe. I panicked a little and thought quickly to offer to give him one instead: It would allow me to be in control physically, to know exactly where his hands were at all times.
Part of our drama school curriculum at Yale included body work, using massage techniques on one another to understand the connection between body, mind and emotion, and so I felt I could rationalize giving him one and keep a semblance of professionalism in spite of the bizarre circumstance. He agreed to this and lay on the bed. I began to massage his back to buy myself time to figure out how to extricate myself from this undesirable situation. Before long he said he wanted to take off his pants. I told him not to do that and informed him that it would make me extremely uncomfortable. He got up anyway to do so and I headed for the door, saying that I was not at all comfortable with that. “If we’re not going to watch the film, I really should head back to school,” I said.
I didn’t quite know how to process the massage incident. I reasoned that it had been inappropriate and uncalled-for, but not overtly sexual. I was entering into a business where the intimate is often professional and so the lines are blurred. I was in an educational program where I was giving massages to my classmates and colleagues every day. Though the incident with Harvey had made me uncomfortable, I was able to explain and justify it to myself, and shelve it as an awkward moment. His offer to me to be a part of the HBO show was a very attractive one and I was excited about it, especially as I would be graduating in another year. I didn’t know how to proceed without jeopardizing my future. But I knew I would not be accepting any more visits to private spaces with Harvey Weinstein.” NYTIMES
Sexual harassment is not ok, and many Women and Men often never speak out. TheBLACKMedia encourages all to speak to someone. If you’ve been sexually assaulted call the police, speak to a parent, teacher, pastor, whomever. Fear will happen, but your life matters.
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