I haven't watched Big Brother 20 all season, but I did see a clip on Twitter tonight that prompted me to pause. As Julie Chen was concluding yet another post-eviction interview, she said, "I am Julie Chen Moonves." She has openly declared her intent to stand by her husband in the face of adversity and while I don't condone what Les Moonves allegedly did, I admire her unwavering loyalty to her family and I think she is an extraordinary woman who is using this experience to be a good example to her son and to her fans. I'm not saying that her move will not instigate consequences for her future with the show and whatever else she does in the entertainment world, but loyalty in the face of adversity is a rarity in modern society.
As many of you may have heard, Les Moonves, who was the President of CBS, and CBS recently parted ways due to several allegations of sexual misconduct brought against Moonves. This is yet another shocking development that is part of the #MeToo movement and is a reminder to all that accountability is important and people cannot hide, ignore, conveniently forget, or cover up bad behaviors that they engage in. Personal responsibility and the ability to take it is a quality that all adults should imprint upon their personalities.
When people behave badly, they need to take responsibility for it and not try to hide behind their fame, wealth, or denials. Hollywood is a very complex environment and the whole concept of 'the casting couch' no doubt resulted in some very scary situations for many. The threat of losing opportunity to create illustrious, successful careers silenced many and created pain that I do not understand, but feel sorrow for. I am glad that those legitimately affected by such events are finding the courage to come forward and share their experiences. I hope the 'injured' continue to open up about such things.
Though many allegations are legitimate, there have also been those who have attempted to tarnish the movement by making allegations that have no evidence to support them simply to discredit people who wouldn't or couldn't help them succeed in life. I am very saddened by those who would lie about such things simply to get attention because it takes away from the beauty and sacredness of the movement. When survivors of sexual misconduct hear such lies, they become afraid to share their experiences simply because they are afraid of being branded as liars and/or attention seekers.
Those who want attention can find a way to get it without damaging the legacies and reputations of those who truly did nothing wrong. The truly innocent are truly few, but they do exist and time should be taken to promote their innocence.
As the #MeToo movement progresses and Hollywood bigwigs are forced to face consequences for their behaviors, I would hope that this would inspire others to take responsibility when wrongdoing occurs. Bad decisions cannot be taken back, but the impact can be lessened and emotions can be calmed if the instigator of the behavior chooses to take responsibility for their actions sooner than later. It won't make the impact of bad behavior any less serious, but perhaps victims of such incidents can progress towards healing sooner if perpetrators face what they do instead of running away from responsibility.
The movement will not disappear and I hope it is never forced to, but I do hope that people mature to the point where they are willing to take personal responsibility for their behaviors instead of pretending nothing happened. Learning, accepting, and applying the concept of personal responsibility can help us all grow into the people we ultimately want to become.
