It is a difficult time to be a woman in this country. We just elected as president a man whose actions range from shocking disregard for women to brazen attacks on them. The number of women in Donald Trump’s cabinet is appallingly anemic. His repeated and nasty attacks on everyone from Alicia Machado to Elizabeth Warren, along with his and Congress’ regressive agenda, offer a preview of the coming threats to gender pay equity, reproductive rights, and protections from domestic violence and sexual assault, to name just a few.
Perhaps the messages coming out of Washington are not surprising, but as the recent Women’s March and the subsequent organizing demonstrate, politicians are not the sole purveyors of our nation’s ideals. The film industry, many of whose members have been outspoken critics of Trump and any assault on women’s rights, is uniquely positioned to counter these dark forces, particularly during Oscar season. First though, to be fully credible on this issue, Hollywood must get its own house in order.
