Mayim Bialik from “The Big Bang Theory” wrote an op-ed for the “New York Times” called “Being a Feminist in Harvey Weinstein’s World,” and a lot of people have accused her of victim-shaming, and it’s easy to see why. She talks about how showbiz rewards, “physical beauty and sex appeal above all else” and neither has ever been her specialty.
She thinks that’s why she doesn’t get sexually harassed, “As a proud feminist with little desire to diet, get plastic surgery or hire a personal trainer, I have almost no personal experience with men asking me to meetings in their hotel rooms.
“Those of us in Hollywood who don’t represent an impossible standard of beauty have the ‘luxury’ of being overlooked and, in many cases, ignored by men in power unless we can make them money.”
She added, “I still make choices every day as a 41-year-old actress that I think of as self-protecting and wise. I have decided that my sexual self is best reserved for private situations with those I am most intimate with.
“I dress modestly. I don’t act flirtatiously with men as a policy.”
And while she acknowledged that it’s not fair for women to have to police their own behavior to avoid being harassed, she seems to be telling women that they just have to do it…for now, anyway.
She said, “In a perfect world, women should be free to act however they want. But our world isn’t perfect. Nothing…absolutely nothing…excuses men for assaulting or abusing women. But we can’t be naïve about the culture we live in.”
Mayim’s critics have been pointing out that sexual harassment and assault are often about POWER, not sexual desire and that how attractive you are or how you carry yourself has nothing to do with whether or not you’ll be a victim.
Even Patricia Arquette spoke up, tweeting, quote, “I have to say I was dressed non provocatively at 12 walking home from school when men masturbated at me. It’s not the clothes.
“It is also not outrageous for anyone to expect to be treated in a professional manner by anyone in a professional relationship.”
Well, Mayim posted a response, saying that she was in no way blaming the victims, and people were taking some of her words out of context. She said she’s doing a Facebook Live chat with the “Times” today, and she’ll discuss it then.