Society's Tipping Point

As both Hollywood and Washington continue to dominate the news cycle with daily accusations of sexual assault filling the headlines, it's hard to imagine if there will be an end to this madness. I've said this from the get go with Harvey Weinstein, this is just the beginning, but a crucial and necessary step to balance the power structure in Hollywood, and our nations capitol is right behind. Both places have enormous power structures in place. Since it's inception, Hollywood has had a mystique and it has maintained that through manipulations of the press. It was selling a product, and in order for everyone to get paid, everyone had to play along. Technology has given us a gift, everyone gets a voice, a shift is occurring, where men held power for so long, women are now demanding seats at the table, and kicking out the men who they know have been hiding the chairs.

With men in power, somehow, sex always comes into play. "Powerful men, studies show, overestimate the sexual interest of others and erroneously believe that the women around them are more attracted to them than is actually the case." According Sex, Power, and the Systems That Enable Men Like Harvey Weinstein, in the Harvard Business Review. Take one look at Weinstein, Brett Rattner, and James Toback, talk about overestimating their attractiveness. Want to know why all this is happening in Hollywood because, year after year, the statistics remain the same, men remain in power. In a deadline.com article in February of this year titled "No Change for Female and Minority Directors it stated, "A new study from USC found that only 4% of all directors across the 1,000 top-grossing films during the past decade were female – a ratio of 24 males to every one female director. And only three of the films were directed by black women, three by Asian women and one by a Latina." How in the world is that, at all, balanced?

Men also sexualize their work, looking for opportunities for sexual trysts and affairs. This happens everywhere across the country from corporate America to D.C. to small towns. Beverly Young Nelson claimed Monday that Judge Roy Moore sexually assaulted her 40 years ago, behind a diner when she was a 16-year old waitress, she's the fifth women who came forward. Nelson' story added fuel to an already burning fire, as both the GOP and Dems want Moore out. Washington, much like Hollywood, is also all about a power structure. The biggest difference I see now is Hollywood women are outing sexual predators for societal change. Washington outings are used mainly as a political tool by rivals looking to dig up dirt on their opponents. This is by far more the case than not. These days though, with the advent of social media partisan mud slinging is blood sport online, and both sides end up looking like pig pen, kicking up a cloud of angry dust and pretty soon no one will be able to see. But it's never one-sided, as much as everyone wants it to be it always happens in both parties.

From Democrats Bill Clinton and Anthony Weiner, to Republicans Tim Murphy and now Moore everyone in both parties are always found out, so tweets like the above by Handler are useless and do nothing for society or for women, but create more hate.

This past week I made 2 statements on Facebook, and both ignited a firestorm of comments. The first statement I made was a simple statement of fact, following the Texas church shooting. After a male colleague mentioned it to me, I posted it.

It's hard to fathom, but the truth of this statement sends shivers down any person's spine because of it's truth staring back at you. The second one followed comedian Louis C.K. admission of guilt in masturbating in front of women.

In both instances, men wielded power over unsuspecting people. I had only to re read Louis Ck's apology to fully understand that he was fully aware of what he was doing. He not only mentions power once, but twice, and mentions that he used his power irresponsibly. The necessary step for society has begun, women, we are at a tipping point to upright the scales of justice that have long been tipped not in society's favor. Hollywood has begun something that has to continue through every facet of society until we are completely equal in every way.