Amid the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, a group of male Hollywood actors, writers, producers and activists have joined forces in an open letter to support survivors of sexual harassment, help prevent abuse and demand accountability from men everywhere.
“With the goal of challenging more men to use their privilege and platforms for good, the group launched the #AskMoreOfHim campaign today in advance of the Oscars,” the group said in a statement. Their open letter, obtained by Deadline, can be read in full below.
We applaud the courage and pledge our support to the courageous women – men, and gender non-conforming individuals – who have come forward to recount their experiences of harassment, abuse, and violence at the hands of men in our country. It is never easy for someone who’s been harassed or bullied to speak up, especially when the abuse is sexual. These people are our colleagues and friends. They are fellow artists and craftspeople. They are also our partners, siblings, parents, and children. We are in awe of their strength and commitment to speaking truth to power.
But our awe is not enough. As men, we have a special responsibility to prevent abuse from happening in the first place. After all, the vast majority of sexual harassment, abuse, and violence is perpetrated by men, whether in Hollywood or not. And in entertainment – like many industries – men continue to hold most of the decision-making power. Therefore, one of the most powerful things that men can and must do is make it clear to other men – including their friends, colleagues, and co-workers – that sexual harassment and abuse are never acceptable. This goes for everything from sexist and degrading comments, right up to domestic violence and sexual assault.
Some may question our motives for signing this statement and we aim to counteract their skepticism by being painfully honest. Men are imperfect. We are imperfect. And many men, including perhaps some of us, may have enabled the bad behavior of others or acted in ways we now regret. Nonetheless, we believe that men must speak out against sexism, even as we engage in our own process of critical self-reflection, personal growth, and accountability.
So consider this our pledge to support survivors, condemn sexism wherever we see it, and hold ourselves and others accountable. As advocates, actors, writers, producers, and directors, we hope that our actions will inspire other men to join us. Until now, only a small number of them have been actively engaged in this effort. This must change. It’s time we #AskMoreOfHim.
Sincerely,
David Arquette
Justin Baldoni
Ben Berkowitz
Max Berkowitz
Steven Brill
Geoff Callan
Kirby Dick
Jim Herzfeld
Byron Hurt
Matt McGorry
Michael Nathanson
Jason Newman
David Schwimmer
Ben Silverman
Jason Smilovic
Dennis Barbour
Gary Barker
Eric Barthold
Jonathan Kalin
Jackson Katz
Michael Kimmel
Josh Levs
Don McPherson
Michael A. Messner
Pedro Noguera
Rob Okun
Ianta Summers
A Call to Men
Futures Without Violence
The Representation Project