Allegations of harassment against Jared Leto and Hollywood's double standard A reflection
Hollywood loves to talk about itself as the industry that learned the lesson of #MeToo, even if in reality it is enough to observe the way in which some cases are treated to understand that that change is far from complete. The recent accusations of harassment and sexually inappropriate behavior directed at actor and musician Jared Leto have rekindled a question that the entertainment world continues to avoid. Is there still a double standard when the accused are famous, influential men considered untouchable?
Hollywood and Jared Leto: Why only now?
Over the years, stories and rumors have circulated around Jared Leto about his behavior with very young girls. For a long time, these episodes were confined to social networks, online forums or gossip, rarely considered worthy of real journalistic study. Only when several testimonies began to be collected and published in a structured way did the story receive wider attention. The point is that, when a woman complains, in the vast majority of cases, a real problem emerges, because what happens next can be devastating.
@lolasam60 Jared Leto’s dark past #jaredleto #blinditems #greenscreen original sound - Lola
Choosing which causes to fight for: not just Jared Leto
Hollywood has demonstrated that it knows how to mobilize quickly in some symbolic cases, while in others silence seems to prevail. The fame, artistic prestige, professional relationships and economic weight of a star often continue to represent a sort of informal shield. The problem is not just about Jared Leto. It concerns a system that continues to select which stories deserve indignation and which can be archived as simple 'voices'. When accusations involve powerful men, the debate often shifts to their careers, their talent, or the risk of 'ruining a reputation'. More rarely do we focus on the impact that these events have on people who find the courage to share their experience.
@popculturebrain Jared Leto accused of sexual misconduct by 10 women (Source: THR, BBC) #jaredleto #movies original sound - Alex | Pop Culture Brain
The #MeToo is not enough
Even the way in which the public reacts reveals an obvious imbalance. Actresses and female performers are subject to a much stricter level of scrutiny, while men continue to benefit from the idea that their artistic genius can somehow compensate for or overshadow problematic behavior. It's an ancient narrative. The #MeToo movement has not eliminated hierarchies of power. It opened a space for speech that exists today, but which continues to be crossed by profound inequalities. If Hollywood really wants to show that it has learned something from #MeToo, the change cannot depend on the name written on a movie poster. The credibility of a system is measured precisely by its ability to apply the same criteria to everyone, even when doing so is inconvenient.