The Women Takeover of the Golden Globes

The 75th Golden Globes certainly made award show history and headlines (and this time not for the wrong nominee being called on stage) on Sunday, January 7. With many attendees clad in black, the #TimesUp movement made its mark along with the variety of women activists present. Many of the stars at the show did not shy away from addressing the pressing issues currently faced by the entertainment history, in light of the Harvey Weinstein allegations and much more. On a night where women took matters into their own hands, the Golden Globes was equal parts award show and firm message to Hollywood and beyond. Aside from those who took home the gold, here are the real winners of the evening:

So Why Was (Almost) Everyone Wearing Black?

Following the numerous sexual harassment allegations that have surfaced recently following the Harvey Weinstein scandal, the #Time’sUp initiative was launched to fight these incidents of sexual misconduct. Directed at women in and outside of the entertainment industry and signed by Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Portman, Kerry Washington, Rashida Jones, and Ashley Judd, the campaign’s open-letter was published in The New York Times and expressed support of all women that have shared these struggles. Their efforts have contributed a $13 million legal defense fund for women with blue-collar jobs and farm work as well as drafting a bill that targets corporations that condone sexual misconduct and subsequent non-disclosure agreements. The campaign made itself known at the Golden Globes, as men and women alike donned black outfits and Time’s Up pins to display their solidarity. Celebrities have also auctioned off their tuxedos and dresses and are donating the proceeds to the campaign. The Time’s Up movement already appears to be promising and empowering for all women. However, while it strengthens the movement for people to join in on the message, we must refrain from brandishing these hashtags just for the sake of it and instead aim to truly understand and implement these ideas of speaking up into our own lives.

Activists Take the Red Carpet

The red carpet saw many power duos that evening, as actresses brought very special “dates” to accompany them. Michelle Williams led the idea of utilizing their influence to bring activists to the award show, as she attended with Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement. To name a few, Amy Poehler’s guest was Saru Jayaraman, the founder of @rocunited, which advocates for higher wages and better regulations for restaurant workers. Emma Watson brought Marai Larasi, executive director of Imkaan, a U.K.-based foundation that combats violence against black women. Accompanying Meryl Streep was Ai-jen Poo, director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. The Golden Globes served as a celebration of these women and their accomplishments and also a platform to spread awareness of their work. These inspiring collaborations voiced that ending sexual harassment and women’s silence would bring gender parity to Hollywood and a better world for the young girls of today to enter.

Seth Meyers and Other One-Liners

Host of the evening Seth Meyers jumped right into his opening monologue that addressed sexism and sexual harassment in a tricky but effective execution. Right off the bat, he spoke about the retributions men of the industry have faced for their actions: "For the male nominees in the room tonight, this is the first time in three months it won't be terrifying to hear your name read out loud.” In the setting of today’s Hollywood, Meyers’s jokes were generally fresh, different, and necessary. Aside from taking digs at alleged sex offenders Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, his next segment was titled “Jokes Seth Can’t Tell.” Audience members tackled racially charged punchlines, dabbling into the industry’s diversity issues. His quip that “insecure creator Issa Rae currently has three projects in development with HBO,” was followed by, "Yeah, that's right, and three projects is also where they think I'm from.” While it is relieving to see a host being self-aware, it also prompts us to question why it took so long (following Chris Rock’s tired joke at the 2016 Oscars with adorable Asian kids). Even though he isn’t currently a wildly popular comedian, Meyers proved to be the right choice for the job, as he understood what jokes to make and what points to raise. Perhaps one of the most effective lines of all was Natalie Portman’s. When presenting for the Best Director category, she lamented, “And here are the all-male nominees,” sharply, stone-faced, and to the point.

Oprah Being Oprah

Oprah Winfrey became the first black woman to be commemorated with the Cecil B. DeMille award that night to celebrate the mark she has made in the world of entertainment. Her speech was nothing short of powerful and hard-hitting. She recounted the impact of watching Sidney Poitier, a black man, winning an Oscar (citing an inspiration from her own youth while simultaneously becoming one for young girls everywhere) and addressed how she is grateful to all women like her own mother that “have endured years of abuse and assault because they… had children to feed and bills to pay and dreams to pursue.” Winfrey also brought up Recy Taylor, a woman who sought justice against six white men that had raped and beat her in 1944, only to never reach it. She said, “I just hope that Recy Taylor died knowing that her truth, like the truth of so many other women who were tormented in those years, and even now tormented, goes marching on.” Winfrey finished with how our mission is for the next generation of girls, as we are “fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say ‘me too’ again!”

In the currently polluted and dirty Hollywood landscape, the 75th Golden Globes was a much-needed breath of fresh air. The most important takeaway from the night is that we must take real action, now more than ever. There is only so much awareness our favorite celebrities can raise and so much preaching they can do, but we will not see any real change in our society until we take their words and put them to use. Aside from tweeting in all caps with fire and clapping emojis, we cannot be vocal online but silent when these instances of injustice occur in real life. The Golden Globes were a beacon of hope and inspiration, and it is up to us to fight for the longevity of its messages in all ways, shapes, and forms.