11 Women Share Their First 'Harvey Weinstein' Moments Of Workplace Sexual Harassment
The New York Times published an explosive report Thursday detailing famed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s decades of sexual harassment against women in the entertainment industry.
Actresses including Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan are reported to have been harassed by Weinstein, as well as a number of industry professionals, from production assistants to college students.
After the Times published the piece, Ontario-based writer Anne T. Donahue tweeted to her 39,000 followers asking about when they met their “Harvey Weinstein” ― or when they were first harassed by an older man in the workplace ― before sharing her own story.
When did you meet YOUR Harvey Weinstein? I'll go first: I was a 17-yr-old co-op student and he insisted on massaging my shoulders as I typed
— Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue) October 5, 2017
He was my boss at a radio station and liked to me things like why "girls my age" liked giving blow jobs and not having sex. A GREAT TIME.
— Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue) October 5, 2017
Donahue told HuffPost that after reading the Times report, she “was angry and also not surprised.”
“I don’t think I know a single woman who hasn’t been sexually harassed during the course of her life, especially at work or in school, which is terrible and awful and exhausting,” she continued. “So I did what I usually do when I’m angry ― I tweeted about it.”
Donahue said that considering how angry the report made her, she figured other women might have the same reaction and want a space to tell their stories as well.
“That’s the thing about this shit: it’s happened to so many of us,” she said. “And it makes us feel weak and powerless and worthless and full of self-doubt and completely alone ... so now I’m talking about it, and figured maybe a few other women would want to talk about what’s happened to them, too.”
She was right.
Since she posted the tweet on Thursday afternoon, Donahue has received hundreds of responses.
“The Weinsteins are everywhere, I tell you,” she said.
Here are 11 responses that show just how often this happens ― and just how many women have come to see it as normal.
Was a 24 yr old single mother emailed by a senior exec who asked to watch the sunset/sunrise...
— Meegan Read (@MeeganReadCBC) October 5, 2017
Only girl in a row of male coworkers. One was 5'8"ish, lots of small dick jokes abounded. I was the one he showed it to, to prove it wasn't.
— Beejoli Shah (@beejoli) October 5, 2017
Oh boy, in the tech world, I'd say about 1 in every 3 dudes I interacted with was some version of Harvey Weinstein.
— Alex F (@karmagypsy) October 5, 2017
I ALSO had a teacher who massaged female students' shoulders while we typed. This was fifth grade. What is it with the shoulder massages?!
— Kaitlin Menza (@heykmenz) October 5, 2017
I had a male boss when I was 24 who would stand over his young female employees until we got up from our seat and hugged him
— Emma Gray (@emmaladyrose) October 5, 2017
In the Army, a married senior NCO made comments about my appearance, propositioned me, and tried to take upskirt pics of me w/o my consent.
— Anyabelle:Creation (@BookishPlinko) October 5, 2017
7th grade. was dropping off a proj. to my teacher before school, wearing a long skirt. he said "pretty skirt. don't you have a shorter one?"
— kim windyka (@kimlw) October 5, 2017
I was 18 and learning how to drive. My instructor would KEEP ON resting his hand on my upper thigh while I was concentrating on the road.
— Lenore Ramirez (@lenore_ramirez) October 5, 2017
Maybe a year ago when I was called in for a "meeting" with 1 person, who rubbed my knee for 15 mins to discuss literally nothing!
— Amanda Luz (@ahenning91) October 5, 2017
I was an unpaid intern on a TV show, he took me into his dark office, asked what my career hopes were and told me all about a man's "needs"
— Freethster (@freethy) October 5, 2017
Aged 19, working front desk at a hotel. Head of maintenance asked if he could take modeling photos of me, talked about my breasts often.
— CRREdwards 💬 (@CRREdwards) October 5, 2017
Need help? Visit RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.