Making a movie about it isn't enough

The Latest on Slut-Shaming

January 13, 2025

The most recent celebrity accusation of workplace sexual harassment has received an enormous amount of media coverage and interest, with The New York Times treating it as a major news story. But the most important part of the story is buried.

Actor Blake Lively (Gossip Girl) accused actor Justin Baldoni (Jane the Virgin) of sexual harassment on the set of the movie they costarred in and that he directed, It Ends With Us. Notably, the movie is about a man, played by Baldoni, who abuses his girlfriend, played by Lively.

Last month, Lively filed a lawsuit alleging that Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath engaged in unwanted physical advances and created a hostile work environment through numerous inappropriate sexual comments, acts, and boundary violations.

Lively further alleged that after she raised concerns, Baldoni sought to damage her reputation through social media manipulation.

Baldoni denies the allegations and has filed a libel lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the newspaper of misrepresenting communications and colluding with Lively to tarnish his reputation.

This story has garnered massive interest, in part because over the past eight years, Baldoni had crafted a public identity as a feminist. Followers of this story have been wondering if Baldoni's feminism had been performative and fake. Meanwhile, Lively has been a polarizing figure ever since she held her wedding with actor Ryan Reynolds on a plantation, so Baldoni fans asked if it was possible that the media campaign against her in fact was organic (though evidence suggests it was manufactured).

Here's what I think: Who cares!

These questions are nothing more than distractions from the most important element in the story, and the one receiving the least amount of attention: A woman was objectified and treated like public property.

All people, including celebrities, and regular people like you and me, should be able to go to work and not have to hear stories from colleagues about their sex addictions, be shown videos featuring nudity for no justifiable reason, and have colleagues barge into their private space uninvited while breastfeeding and changing.

Brava to Blake Lively for protesting her appalling treatment and taking a huge professional risk against a colleague widely congratulated for supporting women.

It's not enough to make a movie that raises awareness about abusing women. You have to follow through and not abuse women.