Absolutely Fabulous actress Joanna Lumley has come forward with a controversial statement. The actor, author, and activist has fought for many relevant things in the past but her recent take on the #MeToo movement is problematic and didn’t sit well with fans. She said this ahead of her return to Motherland as a guest star in its awaited Christmas special.
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The 76 year-old-actor addressed the #MeToo movement that spoke up against the sexual abuse and misconduct that is widely prevalent in Hollywood. Not just Hollywood, but the world in general. And it seems like Lumley’s approach to this sensitive yet significant topic is a bit off-focus. Here’s what she said.
Joanna Lumley on #MeToo
Lumley claims that women used to be ‘tougher’ back in the day. And that calling oneself a victim is the ‘new fashion’. In what seems like an attempt at victim blaming and trivializing sexual assault, Lumley said that she was mad at the people who called themselves a victim.
This is despite the fact that the #MeToo movement is something that empowered a lot of women. It gave them the courage and safe space to voice their experiences and expectations from society, keeping in mind the rampant presence of sexual harassment that lies within every fold of society.
Lumley’s take on sexism
The actress looked back on her early modeling days and said that women knew to look after themselves better back then. She is implying that now women aren’t as strong as they are vocal about their harassment. As per The Independent, quoting from Lumley’s interview with Prospect Magazine, she said:
If someone whistled at you in the street, it didn't matter, if someone was groping, we slapped their hands. We were quite tough and looked after ourselves… the new fashion is to be a victim, a victim of something. It's pathetic. We have gone mad.
Sources used:
- The Independent: 'Joanna Lumley insists being a 'victim' has become the new fashion'
