Now Jane Fonda Says That Weinstein Victims Are Heard Because They’re “Famous and White,” Will We Listen?

Jane Fonda
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To many, the outpour of sexual harassment and assault allegations—and high-profile resignations—that followed the exposés of Harvey Weinstein’s history of abuse is seen as a watershed moment. But last night, Jane Fonda highlighted how race may have played a role in the outpour of media attention that followed the incidents. In a conversation with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, Fonda pointed out that it’s taken people until now to get to this moment “because so many of the women that were assaulted by Harvey Weinstein are famous and white.”

Fonda appeared alongside fellow feminist icon Gloria Steinem, who, together with Fonda and Robin Morgan, founded the Women’s Media Center. While Fonda acknowledged that the women speaking out against Weinstein made a “big difference,” she also made sure to emphasize that “this has been going on for a long time to black women and other women of color, and it doesn’t get out quite the same.”

Fonda’s remarks come as many have taken notice that most of the more than 50 women who have come forward with their allegations against Weinstein are white, with Lupita Nyong’o being a notable exception. Interestingly, Nyong’o also notably received a direct response from Weinstein, in which a spokesperson wrote that Weinstein had a “different recollection of the events.” On top of that, the #MeToo movement, one of the most visible social media campaigns that has emerged, has been accused of primarily mobilizing white women—not to mention that the hashtag gained steam after Alyssa Milano, a famous white woman, promoted the same campaign that was started by black activist Tarana Burke 10 years ago. Additionally, the Twitter boycott that followed Rose McGowan’s temporary suspension from the platform—after a series of posts about Weinstein—was similarly criticized for targeting white women only. As many activists (and one Vogue writer) have pointed out, women of color simply can’t afford the luxury of remaining silent.

Even though sexual violence affects all women, statistics have shown that women of color and black women make up the biggest part of the victims. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 34 percent of multiracial women have experienced rape, as have 27 percent of Native American women and 22 percent of black women. For white, non-Hispanic women, the percentage was 19. On top of that, women in low-wage industries may be less capable of simply walking away from a workplace, even after experiencing harassment—and many of those jobs are disproportionately done by women of color. Rightfully so, Fonda pointed out later in the conversation that women working in restaurants—in mainly low-pay jobs—are extra vulnerable: “They survive on tips, which means they have to put up with a lot . . . so if you don’t look smiley and [wear] a low-cut dress . . . ”

Of course, the irony here is that it is Jane Fonda, another famous white woman, who was able to speak out on a national media outlet about the issues that women of color have been discussing for a long time. While we need to think about how to reform a system that places more value on rich and white voices, for now, let’s hope that more “famous and white” women will follow Fonda’s lead.