Actor James van deer Beek (Dawson’s Creek, What Would Diplo Do?) spoke out about the Harvey Weinstein scandal this week and said he had been sexually harassed by a powerful man who grabbed his ass and left him in fear of speaking out.
Said Van Der Beek:
“What Weinstein is being accused of is criminal. What he’s admitted to is unacceptable – in any industry. I applaud everybody speaking out. I’ve had my ass grabbed by older, powerful men, I’ve had them corner me in inappropriate sexual conversations when I was much younger…I understand the unwarranted shame, powerlessness & inability to blow the whistle. There’s a power dynamic that feels impossible to overcome”
https://twitter.com/vanderjames/status/918346346989604865
https://twitter.com/vanderjames/status/918349928547708929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fattitude.co.uk%2Fjames-van-der-beek-claims-hes-been-sexually-harassed-by-older-powerful-men%2F
https://twitter.com/vanderjames/status/918350756092305413
Van Der Beek isn’t the only male celeb to speak out with a personal experience of harassment in reaction to the Weinstein scandal. Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Terry Crews said “a high level Hollywood executive…groped [his] privates” at an industry function he was attending with his wife.
.@terrycrews is here showing that it's important to know that it's not only women that are victims of sexual harassment, and it is OK for men to speak out about their abuse too, no matter how big and muscular you are. pic.twitter.com/QKEDWRxDan
— steph jaqueline (@stephjkd) October 11, 2017
Actor Michael Gaston (Prison Break, Jericho) also spoke out, saying he was grabbed in the groin by a powerful theatre director 25 years ago and the experience still makes his heart pound and his hands shake when he remembers it:
I give the benefit of what little doubt I have to any woman who claims a powerful man treated her inappropriately.Because it happened to me.
— ❄️Michael Gaston❄️ (@_MichaelGaston) October 10, 2017
25 yrs ago while starting rehearsal on a new play the director,a powerful man in the theatre, grabbed me by the groin one day in rehearsal.
— ❄️Michael Gaston❄️ (@_MichaelGaston) October 10, 2017
in front of the stage manager and a young assistant director who is now extremely successful, himself. I swatted him away and made a joke.
— ❄️Michael Gaston❄️ (@_MichaelGaston) October 10, 2017
But as I type this out my heart is pounding and my hands shake. I told a few friends at the time and the director never tried it again.
— ❄️Michael Gaston❄️ (@_MichaelGaston) October 10, 2017
We forget men are assaulted also. Reporting-masculinity on the line. Im sorry you're also a victim, no one should be forced to hide in shame
— Devon Sheetcake 🍰 (@DevonOhara) October 10, 2017
