When we’re feeling angry, feeling distraught, feeling completely gutted — as we have been for the past week following the news about Harvey Weinstein and so many (too many) related stories — it’s always helpful to talk out our feelings.
So Kristen and I got on the line last night together, and put together this special episode of Spawned: a raw, unfiltered, honest, stream-of-consciousness conversation between two friends about Harvey Weinstein, sexual harassment, predators, power structures, the intersection of politics, why men need to speak up, and how we cope with our own difficult memories and experiences.
We discuss women who dare to speak out at risk to their reputations and careers (and who deserve their names to be known and their courage to be commended), the tangled web of complicity, what men can and should do, how we’re talking honestly about this with our kids — and the heartless, totally unacceptable, deafening silence from the White House about all of it.
As Kristen put it, the flag and the national anthem are getting more respect than women right now from this administration. That’s not okay. And we’re going to keep saying it.
We hope you’ll take a listen.
If you’re struggling with this too, we hope this conversation helps in some way. But if you need more help, there are so many people here for you:
Rainn: National sexual assault hotline
SafeHorizon: Domestic violence hotline
A Voice for the Innocent: Community of support for victims of sexual violence
NYC Well: Confidential mental health hotline
Hopeline: Confidential crisis intervention hotline
Know you’re not alone. And women: We believe you.
Top image: @RoseMcGowan on Twitter. Thank you for your courage and your voice.
This is such an important discussion and it has been a problem in every generation and in every work place but today you have social media and instant news which makes it easier to get support to stand up against these horrible situations. There is sexual harassment and predatory behavior between men and women, women and women and men and men…we have to give our children real, honest information so they can protect themselves and recognize when something feels wrong it is wrong and that they do not have to accept this kind of behavior from anyone including family members. No one should have to “sell” out their personal physical space for anyone. Thank you Kristen and Liz for speaking out!
Thank you so much, Lorette. You are always so supportive.
As long as we have a platform, we’re going to keep talking about it.