Time's Up Initiative: Everything To Know About Hollywood's Anti-Harassment Action Plan
Recent reports have revealed that several of the most powerful women in Hollywood have begun a funding project called Time's Up with the aim of helping less privileged women to make a legal stand against the people who have displayed sexual misconduct towards them.
"The sexual discrimination, harassment, and assault that has been reported and come to light over the last two months have been equal parts terrifying and illuminating. We stand with all those who have endured sexual harassment: those who have come forward and those who have decided to remain quiet. It's time for a change, and we must act now," said 300 of the most prominent women in Hollywood in a statement.
Further reports reveal that Time's Up is a legal defence fund that less privileged women can use. It has so far garnered almost $15 million dollars and it is pushing to penalize companies that tolerate harassment, condemn nondisclosure agreements to stop victims from coming forward, push for gender parity in the workplace, and asking women who will be attending the red carpet of Golden Globes to raise awareness by wearing black.
The Time's Up initiative is joined by actresses, such as Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon, Emma Stone, and Kerry Washington, among many others. Meanwhile, the chairwoman of Universal Pictures, Donna Langley, is also part of the group along with Michelle Obama's former chief of staff, Tina Tchen and lawyer Nina L. Shaw. Donors also include "Grey's Anatomy" showrunner Shonda Rhimes, Meryl Streep, Steven Spielberg, and many more. Tchen is spearheading the project and as of the time of writing, donations have reached $14 million out of the targeted $15 million in the GoFundMe page.
For those interested to take part in the initiative, the page also outlines the goals of the group as well as instructions on how to make a donation for amounts less and more than $5,000.