The long awaited defamation trial between Lukasz Gottwald and pop star Kesha has been given a July trial date after almost 10 years. In the wake of the Depp-Heard case, we cannot let another woman’s trauma be mocked and meme-ified across the internet.
Tag: Media
How Ukrainian Women Are Working to Safeguard Human Rights in the Face of War
A new documentary film entitled Oh, Sister! features the stories of six Ukrainian women who are facing the challenges of the ongoing Russian invasion, and fighting for peace, justice and freedom in their country.
After Rihanna’s Halftime Reveal, It’s Time to Talk About the Ridiculous Pressure on Celebrity-Mothers
Rihanna got out there and performed with one baby and another on the way. She did it on her own, without any other big-name performers. The message was clear: I’m enough.
Like Prince Harry, Survivors of Family Sexual Assault Know What It’s Like to Cope With Family After Public Truth-Telling
In his new book Spare, Prince Harry outlines the trauma he experienced as a child after Princess Diana’s death, as well as the whitewashing and abuse he and his wife, Meghan Markle, suffered at the hands of both the press and his royal family. As a survivor of sexual violence, I recognize Harry’s plight and also the incredibly painful journey of losing relatives because of truth-telling in an effort to be whole again.
How Johnny Depp Turned Abuse Allegations Into a Comeback
By 2018, Johnny Depp was bordering on irrelevancy—but he soon gained a tremendous fandom as a public trial unfolded, prompted by abuse allegations from his ex-wife Amber Heard. In December, Heard announced she would no longer be moving forward with her appeal because “cannot afford to risk an impossible bill—one that is not just financial, but also psychological, physical and emotional.”
Depp has paved a new path for accused men in search of cultural capital—and accomplished the very thing women throughout the ages have been baselessly accused of: leveraging victimhood to gain status. Depp, whose career was flailing, became not just a rallying cry for men’s rights and the supposed victimhood of being a successful, wealthy, white man in a changing world, but a newly hot commodity in Hollywood once again with a thriving fan base.
I’m Sounding the Alarm Now About Media’s Response to Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show
The Super Bowl Halftime Show is a time-honored but impossible set-up. Women artists have experienced especially harsh post-show takes. So what will it be in Rihanna’s case?
There’s a tremendous amount of pressure on her performance post-baby, her first live appearance since 2018. The gendered expectations and sexist labeling of women in music vary by individual, and racism has a significant impact in certain cases. But this abuse in all cases works to enforce norms of behavior expected of women.
Perhaps if we recognize the cycle, we might better tune out the toxic takes to come.
Rest in Power: Barbara Walters—Legend, Inspiration and Friend
The death of Barbara Walters is such a loss. We were professional colleagues and towards the end of our sometimes overlapping journeys as women in media, we became friends … not the kind of ‘share everything with’ friend, but a friendship based on the recognition that we had faced similar challenges and learned along the way the importance of showing up for other women.
I never aspired to ‘be’ Barbara, but like every woman in media then and now, I benefited from the battles she took on, the challenges she met and overcame, and the sacrifices she made to do the work she loved. I miss her on television and in my world.
‘Dear Ms.’: What Ms. Magazine Means to Readers, Over the Decades
“Finding Ms. felt like coming home—to myself, to my voice, to my intuition, to my knowing.”
We asked what Ms. means to you—and we were moved by your replies. Ms. magazine has been at the forefront of feminist journalism for half a century. The magazine was a brazen act of independence in the 1970s. Our readers recognize the impact Ms. has made over the past 50 years.
2022’s Top Feminist Moments in Pop Culture
It’s that time of year to reflect on highlights of 2022 and the ways that feminism showed up and showed out in our popular culture.
From Wednesday Addams’ cool confidence, to some fabulous baby bump reveals, to Megan Thee Stallion’s spotlight on mental health … here are our top 10 favorite moments.
White Men Are the Last Best Hope for Herschel Walker in Georgia Senate Runoff
It has simply become unthinkable for millions of white men to vote for a party they see—in crudely stereotypical and misogynous terms—as soft, weak and effeminate.