Earlier today, it was announced that a group of Hollywood‘s most powerful women have banded together together to form an action plan aimed at fighting systemic sexual harassment in not only their industry, but all workplaces around the world.
The Time’s Up intiative was announced in an open letter in the New York Times and included the launch of a legal defence fund to aid less-privileged working class women fighting sexual misconduct in their workplaces.
At the Time’s Up GoFundMe page, organisers explain how the fund will work.
The Fund will ultimately be housed at and administrated by the National Women’s Law Centre, an established, national women’s rights legal organisation. A network of lawyers and public relations professionals across the country will work with the Center’s Legal Network for Gender Equity to provide assistance to those ready to stand up. Access to prompt and comprehensive legal and communications help will mean empowerment for these individuals and long term growth for our culture and communities as a whole.
Scores of A-list celebs have already donated to the cause, with some throwing serious mega bucks the fund’s way.
Just Jared reports that Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon and Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, who were among the 300 signatures on the open letter, as well as Jennifer Aniston, have each donated USD$500,000 (AUD$639,000) to the cause.
Taylor Swift and Oprah Winfrey both coughed up USD$100,000 (AUD$127,000), while other celebs including Emma Stone, Amy Schumer, Jessica Chastain, Elizabeth Banks, Blake Lively, Scarlett Johansson and Debra Messing have donated tens of thousands to the fund.
Several major Hollywood companies are also digging deep, including Creative Artists Agency which contributed USD$2 million (AUD$2.55 million) and United Talent Agency which donated USD$1 million (AUD$1.27 million).
At time of writing, the fund has reached USD$13.6 million (AUD$17.38 million) of its USD$15 million (AUD$19.1 million) target.
If you don’t have a spare 500 grand but you want to get involved, you can donate any amount you can spare right HERE.
