#WHYWEWEARBLACK
Your TIME’S UP Questions, Answered
WHAT IS TIME’S UP?
The TIME’S UP movement started coming together during the fall of 2017, as a collective response by women to the rash of allegations of sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry and others. Its first cross-industry meeting was held October 20th at Creative Artists Agency, facilitated by CAA executives and agents Michelle Kydd Lee, Maha Dakhil, Hylda Queally, and Christy Haubegger. By the time of its official launch on January 1, 2018, the movement’s posted mission had become: “TIME’S UP is a unified call for change from women in entertainment for women everywhere. From movie sets to farm fields to boardrooms alike, we envision nationwide leadership that reflects the world in which we live.”
BACKGROUND
It’s no secret that many cultures have marginalized women since time immemorial. In the cultures of film and television over the last twenty plus years — as Geena Davis’s Institute on Gender in Media has shown via the largest body of research on gender prevalence in family entertainment — women have been underrepresented in film, and when they have appeared, they have been seen and heard far less than their male counterparts.
While ultimately, the TIME’S UP movement is about a unified sentiment across all trades, Geena’s team’s research on visibility and the voice of women in entertainment is indicative of the widespread problem — women everywhere are not getting seen and heard in life, not getting seats in boardrooms, not getting equal pay for equal work, and not getting protection in the workplace from harassment, abuse, and discrimination.
WHO IS PART OF TIME’S UP?
When, in November of 2017, 700,000 female farmworkers stood in solidarity with Hollywood against sexual assault, Hollywood women responded to sisters everywhere with our own letter, architected by America Ferrera. That letter of solidarity, which exists in a graphic on the Time’s Up website and as a New York Times Open Letter with names of signatories, was penned so that storytellers could offer help to others who needed a platform.
TIME’S UP is for every woman in every industry. It seeks equal representation, opportunities, benefits, and pay for all women, as well as greater representation of women of color, immigrant women, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women.
WHY WEAR BLACK TODAY?
The idea of today, and beyond, is to try to put the spotlight on others. From the campaign: “We chose black because we know pretty much everyone, everywhere owns a piece of clothing in black — a black dress, black sweatpants, a black t-shirt, etc. and we want this to be a special night and a moment of solidarity for people everywhere. Whether you are walking the carpet, working the event or an after party, or watching at home, we hope you will join us and tell your friends and families as well.”
Most importantly, our clothing blackout is backed up with another call to action…providing legal assistance:
TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund has already directed over $15M to subsidize legal support for low-wage workers who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, or abuse.
SO HOW ELSE CAN I PARTICIPATE?
As you’ve seen in some of the photos above, you can speak out over social media and donate whatever you can to the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund!
• Where do I find the movement on social media, and which hashtags do I use?
- @TIMESUPNOW on Instagram & Twitter
- @TIMESUPNOWOFFICIAL on Facebook
- #TIMESUP and #WHYWEWEARBLACK
• Where can I contribute, again?
Encourage your friends and family to donate to the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund here: https://www.gofundme.com/timesup
You can also wear your support by ordering your own TIME’S UP swag, which benefits the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund.
TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund will subsidize legal support for individuals who have experienced sexual harassment or related retaliation in any workplace. The Fund is housed at and administered by the National Women’s Law Center, an established, national women’s rights legal organization. A network of lawyers and public relations professionals across the country will work with the Center’s Legal Network for Gender Equity to provide assistance to those who have experienced harassment or retaliation. Access to prompt and comprehensive legal and communications help will mean empowerment for these individuals and long-term growth for our culture and communities as a whole.
