Meryl Streep has weighed in on the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment allegations, calling the news “disgraceful” and championing the women who came forward as “heroes.”
In a statement Monday to the Huffington Post, Streep chastised the man she once referred to as “God” during her 2012 Oscar acceptance speech for “The Iron Lady.”
But Streep was also quick to disavow any prior knowledge of Weinstein’s alleged bad behaviour, acknowledging that to her he was only ever “exasperating but respectful.”
Streep went a step further and suggested that if Weinstein’s conduct were common knowledge, then surely the media would not have “neglected for decades to write about it.”
Sunday night, Sharon Waxman of the Wrap wrote about that same issue, but from the media’s point of view, alleging that she wrote about Weinstein’s behavior for the New York Times in 2004, but outside pressure forced the news outlet to gut the story.
Three-time Academy Award-winner Streep concluded her statement by praising the women who spoke out about their experiences and the media that amplified their voices.
“The behavior is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar,” Streep said. “Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.”