Gabrielle Union on the #MeToo Movement: ‘The Floodgates Have Opened for White Women’

[woman]

Actress and author Gabrielle Union recently offered her comments on the #MeToo movement:

​

Union was talking about her #MeToo moment long before it became a trending topic in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein allegations. She believes that in this recent movement, some voices have been heard louder than others.

"I think the floodgates have opened for white women," she told the Times. "I don't think it's a coincidence whose pain has been taken seriously. Whose pain we have showed historically and continued to show. Whose pain is tolerable and whose pain is intolerable. And whose pain needs to be addressed now.

Of some of the women who spoke out about Weinstein early on, she said, "If those people hadn't been Hollywood royalty, if they hadn't been approachable, if they hadn't been people who have had access to parts and roles and true inclusion in Hollywood, would we have believed?"​

https://thegrapevine.theroot.com/gabrielle-union-on-the-metoo-movement-the-floodgates-1821066542

I think it's a really important question she's asked and I'm glad she did so.

 

[pramod]

Wasn't Leann Tweeden non-white?

 

[TheIlliterati]

Please point out the women of color tweeting against industry executives that we are not listening to. I'm being serious. If it's a problem, then that's what she should be doing. I read the headlines here. Where are the silenced voices?

 

[MindofKB]

Wasn't Leann Tweeden non-white?

Click to shrink...

She's White and Filipina.

 

[Cream]

Please point out the women of color tweeting against industry executives that we are not listening to. I'm being serious. If it's a problem, then that's what she should be doing. I read the headlines here. Where are the silenced voices?

Click to shrink...

Many of them don't even bother because they know how this has gone before. History has shown us, and continues to show us that the only female victimization people care about, when they very rarely care at all, is a white woman's.

 

[Slayven]

Please point out the women of color tweeting against industry executives that we are not listening to. I'm being serious. If it's a problem, then that's what she should be doing. I read the headlines here. Where are the silenced voices?

Click to shrink...

Lena Dunham was the prefect example a few weeks ago

 

[Adam Sadler]

Please point out the women of color tweeting against industry executives that we are not listening to. I'm being serious. If it's a problem, then that's what she should be doing. I read the headlines here. Where are the silenced voices?

Click to shrink...

Out of all the people, Harvey Weinstein only denies the accusations with Lupita then Lena Dunham sticking up for her friend and the lawyer lying about the Actress wanting money

 

[Blue Sky Noise]

Definitely an important point to raise but as for the second part, wasn't the initial accusation that sparked things from some model, not 'Hollywood royalty'? I guess you could say if she didn't have the tapes then she wouldn't have been believed, though.

 

[j_rocca42]

Please point out the women of color tweeting against industry executives that we are not listening to. I'm being serious. If it's a problem, then that's what she should be doing. I read the headlines here. Where are the silenced voices?

Click to shrink...

I mean, if they were silenced, you wouldn't see them.

 

[SHAQ]

I expected to see a lot of women of color to come out against Russell Simmons like Cynthia from ATL Housewives but I don't think she wants that smoke. I expect that's the sentiment for a lot of them. This is a white woman's movement in many regards.

 

[CoolestSpot]

Lena Dunham was the prefect example a few weeks ago

Click to shrink...

Shit was egregious, thanks for reminding me. With everything going on, it's hard to keep track, as awful as that sounds of me.

 

[Reverse Giraffe]

I don't believe this is a racial issue at all.

 

[excelsiorlef]

Gabrielle Union as always is poignant and accurate.

She's owed so much respect for the risks she takes being as vocal as she is.

 

[Bronx-Man]

It definitely stood out how Harvey Weinstein put out that blistering statement summing up to "I definitely didn't fuck her" all of about five minutes after Lupita Nyong'o spoke out. Getting caught with a black woman is literally worse than being accused of rape in the eyes of these fucks.

 

[Braaier]

I mean, if they were silenced, you wouldn't see them.

Click to shrink...

And how exactly are they being silenced?

 

[Slayven]

It definitely stood out how Harvey Weinstein put out that blistering statement summing up to "I definitely didn't fuck her" all of about five minutes after Lupita Nyong'o spoke out. Getting caught with a black woman is literally worse than being accused of rape in the eyes of these fucks.

Click to shrink...

Not only that he said "she sent me tickets to her show" out of no where. Did not say a peep about anyone else e

 

[dreams]

She is not wrong about this. It's great that the conversation is finally being taken seriously, but it's kind of a joke that it only ever happens when it's white women.

 

[Wilsongt]

Please point out the women of color tweeting against industry executives that we are not listening to. I'm being serious. If it's a problem, then that's what she should be doing. I read the headlines here. Where are the silenced voices?

Click to shrink...

Considering the #MeToo movement originated with an African American woman and didn't gain steam until white women started coming forward... She has a point.

 

[Cream]

I don't believe this is a racial issue at all.

Click to shrink...

Everything has a racial component.

Historically, and including to today, the concerns of white women have been regarded MUCH more significantly than the concerns of women of color. This is a fact.

 

[Shauni]

Definitely an important point to raise but as for the second part, wasn't the initial accusation that sparked things from some model, not 'Hollywood royalty'? I guess you could say if she didn't have the tapes then she wouldn't have been believed, though.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, that part really confused me. Most of what she says makes sense, but I don't feel like the initial opening of the hounds was brought on by 'Hollywood royalty' unless I really missed something

 

[RastaMentality]

I don't believe this is a racial issue at all.

Click to shrink...

feminism has always had a racial element. multi racial social justice movements (gay rights & womens issues) usually end up with white people taking over and leaving everybody else behind.

 

[Darryl M R]

feminism has always had a racial element. multi racial social justice movements (gay rights & womens issues) usually end up with white people taking over and leaving everybody else behind.

Click to shrink...

History proves this. Claiming that race has nothing to do with progressive movements and the silence of certain groups of people is being ignorant of history and current day.

 

[RastaMentality]

History proves this. Claiming that race has nothing to do with progressive movements and the silence of certain groups of people is being ignorant of history and current day.

Click to shrink...

seriously. people didn't see the horrifically racist shit the suffragettes said about black women? the entire women's right to vote movement began and ended with black women left in the dust.

 

[Slayven]

seriously. people didn't see the horrifically racist shit the suffragettes said about black women? the entire women's right to vote movement began and ended with black women left in the dust.

Click to shrink...

or the LGBT caste system

 

[Chrome Hyena]

Its just like a lot of feminism. There is a white version and a black version. The White version always expects the minorities to "help them" as the minority voices get shut out. Just like when Patricia Arquette called herself calling out minorities and gays. It's one of the sadder truths of it all. Feminism has ALWAYS been about white women equality first and foremost, but claim its helping all, the whole "high tide raises all boats" nonsense.

 

[opus]

Where are the silenced voices?

Click to shrink...

Ask R. Kelly's victims.

 

[Commedieu]

Thats just how life works unfortunately. Take police shootings for example, or drug addiction problems, child kidnappings, serial killings, etc, etc.. Until it happens to people that are seen as "just like me." Nothing happens. Folks should understand its true, and look into it. All anyone can do is try to make a better world for everyone moving forward. Getting caught up in a debate about a historically proven issue is the wrong move.

 

[pewpewtora]

I remember Jane Fonda made similar comments like this. Her and Union are absolutely right about this. I'm glad they didn't mince words about this.

 

[ashep]

This is a bad take Gabrielle.

Lena Dunham was the prefect example a few weeks ago

Click to shrink...

And she was instantly rounded on by everyone under the sun.

 

[ReluctantAnaconda]

Definitely, pretty sad to see people like Taylor Swift being patted on their back because she so progressive on one issue due to her own life experiences, but is still selling records by pandering to Nazis.

Same thing happened with Megyn Kelly.

#metoo movement started 10 years ago by a black woman, only takes off when white women culturally appropriate it.

 

[Deleted member 6230]

This is a bad take Gabrielle.

Click to shrink...

How so? Looking at history specifically with feminism itself it's hard to not see where she's coming from with this.

 

[Brotherhood93]

Of course, everybody's claims should be taken seriously and given equal weight and I see Union's point but it seems a rather odd way to talk about sexual harassment/abuse victims to me, like they are somehow in an enviable position.

 

[RastaMentality]

Of course, everybody's claims should be taken seriously and given equal weight and I see Union's point but it seems a rather odd way to talk about sexual harassment/abuse victims to me, like they are somehow in an enviable position.

Click to shrink...

She's saying black women's pain is basically a joke to white america. That's not envying anything about white woman beyond the way america cares about them.

This is basically evolved missing white woman syndrome for the media.

 

[zero_suit]

Nothing that she said was a lie.

 

[wizard]

Lena Dunham was the prefect example a few weeks ago

Click to shrink...

New internet rule, never trust lena dunham

 

[Slayven]

New internet rule, never trust lena dunham

Click to shrink...

Who trusted her to begin with, she was scummy from minute one

 

[Ogami Itto]

She is right, and of course there are a couple of bubble boys in this topic who just don't see it.

 

[faceless]

Of course, everybody's claims should be taken seriously and given equal weight and I see Union's point but it seems a rather odd way to talk about sexual harassment/abuse victims to me, like they are somehow in an enviable position.

Click to shrink...

being taken seriously is an enviable position to those who are not taken for their word.

how is it an odd position to want to be believed?

 

[Jiggy]

Who trusted her to begin with, she was scummy from minute one

Click to shrink...

TV critics

 

[Deleted member 17658]

There is no coincidence that Lupita was the only accuser who Harvey went out of his way to publicly discredit

 

[ashep]

Nothing that she said was a lie.

Click to shrink...

The initial list of weinstein accusers was made up of temps and assistants in his company so the "hollywood royalty" thing is crap.

 

[Kickmaster Kim]

History proves this. Claiming that race has nothing to do with progressive movements and the silence of certain groups of people is being ignorant of history and current day.

Click to shrink...

True on all accounts here.

 

[Watershed]

Lupita's statement and Weinstein's instant denial highlighted how much race plays a role in the #metoo movement and the power of white women's voices vs women of color's voices when it comes to sexual assault. Weinstein wouldn't and didn't dare denying any of the statements by white actresses but when a black actress shares her story she is labeled a blatant liar.

 

[TheIlliterati]

I missed the Lupita denial, so there's one, but Weinstein is being exposed already. The media at large is not denying her, only he is. For all of the other posters jumping on me to point out that the movement was started years ago by a black woman, I know that. It's irrelevant because the idea that it only caught on now has nothing to do with color, it has to do with Weinstein being exposed and opening the floodgates. I understand and sympathize that for years minorities have been silenced, but as far as I am concerned the time to speak up is now. I am not seeing a ton of evidence that were women of color to speak now that they would be silenced while we would be listening to the white women. Gabrielle Union is speaking up, and we're listening. If she has something to say about an abuser, I do not think it would be silenced. I don't even know the race of the majority of the countless recent accusers.

 

[Brotherhood93]

She's saying black women's pain is basically a joke to white america. That's not envying anything about white woman beyond the way america cares about them.

This is basically evolved missing white woman syndrome for the media.

Click to shrink...

I understand that but the comments read to me as somewhat lacking empathy for what are still victims here whether those victims have been treated better than other victims or not. This is ultimately the main issue:

"If those people hadn't been Hollywood royalty, if they hadn't been approachable, if they hadn't been people who have had access to parts and roles and true inclusion in Hollywood"

You could easily name 10 white women that fit that description for every black woman that does. The media wants to give coverage to the biggest names because that's what they do, just like Swift is on the cover of Time ahead of other white women. The question appears to be about how people with these stories are being treated post-Weinstein and everything else that has happened in comparison to before and there's no doubt there's been a change in attitude towards this, perhaps not enough of a change but a change nonetheless. Thankfully, it's led to more people speaking up and maybe I'm completely wrong here and there are non-white women who have been ignored or silenced post-Weinstein but it really feels like now is the time to come together and shine a spotlight on all of it, not some of it, which is where I agree with Union. So with that in mind it's this that I find a strange remark:

Whose pain we have showed historically and continued to show. Whose pain is tolerable and whose pain is intolerable. And whose pain needs to be addressed now.

Because I'm not sure that in this specific instance non-white women aren't being taken as seriously as white women and. Even anecdotally I have seen many stories from non-white women being shared and lots of outpouring of support for those posting in the #MeToo movement. Having said that even if it is the case I think what she said could have been worded better to be more sympathetic. Hollywood, and society in general, has a racism problem so I can see how these issues intertwine but I just find it a little disappointing that somebody would make a negative comment like that on what I think has been a massively important and beneficial movement. We also can't change the past, sadly, but if we were dismissive of the future based on what happened historically then the #MeToo movement would never have taken off in the first place.

I don't want this to seem like I'm being overly critical because essentially all she is saying is she wants non-white women to be treated the same as white women and nobody of sane mind would disagree with that. I just think it inadvertently came across as a little dismissive towards sexual abuse victims. Clearly not something she would ever intend.

 

[LilWayneSuckz]

Not one lie detected.

I missed the Lupita denial, so there's one, but Weinstein is being exposed already. The media at large is not denying her, only he is. For all of the other posters jumping on me to point out that the movement was started years ago by a black woman, I know that. It's irrelevant because the idea that it only caught on now has nothing to do with color, it has to do with Weinstein being exposed and opening the floodgates. I understand and sympathize that for years minorities have been silenced, but as far as I am concerned the time to speak up is now. I am not seeing a ton of evidence that were women of color to speak now that they would be silenced while we would be listening to the white women. Gabrielle Union is speaking up, and we're listening. If she has something to say about an abuser, I do not think it would be silenced. I don't even know the race of the majority of the countless recent accusers.

Click to shrink...

Perhaps you aren't paying attention to them in the first place?

 

[Darryl M R]

Sounds like a decent amount of posturing from some people to ignore what she said and accept it as fact once presented with evidence of a historical trend.

 

[Boxxy]

I don't want this to seem like I'm being overly critical because essentially all she is saying is she wants non-white women to be treated the same as white women and nobody of sane mind would disagree with that. I just think it inadvertently came across as a little dismissive towards sexual abuse victims. Clearly not something she would ever intend.

Click to shrink...

How does one address this without the inadvertent dismissal? How comfortable do people need to be before they themselves address her core point without needing to also say something about what she didn't intend to do?

 

[Brotherhood93]

How does one address this without the inadvertent dismissal? How comfortable do people need to be before they themselves address her core point without needing to also say something about what she didn't intend to do?

Click to shrink...

Maybe not describing abuse victims as royalty? I was just giving my take on why some people might take issue with how her comments came across. Just because something isn't intended it doesn't mean it can't be an issue. The problem is it is hard to convey that without making it sound like a big deal when, for the avoidance of doubt, I don't think it is.

As far as I am concerned pushing for equality is so obviously the right thing and I have no power to get people heard so I don't have much more to add on that front. It feels weird even needing to qualify a minor criticism with agreeing with her core point in the first place.

 

[faceless]

calling attention to how certain people are believed and others are not is a dismissal?

"When you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression"