What "statement"? I don't care if you're male or female, if you think a dress is an effective resistance action you're mad. It's right up there with believing that reposting Facebook articles or cheering on MSNBC talking heads makes you a true threat to the Republicans WHO ARE QUIETLY AND NOT SO QUIETLY REBUILDING THE AMERICAN STATE.
Young people need to get out there, risk their skins, and ACT on their beliefs: confrontation, conflict, and conscience. RISK YOUR LIVES.
12
The choice of black was a disappointment to me. I wish they had gone with tuxedos.
1
Many viewers were astonished to see actresses at the GGs wearing extremely revealing black gowns, cut to show maximum skin & cleavage while admonishing male predation.
Others insisted that women should not be blamed for egregious male behavior; mini skirts don't provoke rape.
But high heels & a long culture of stylized hyper 'feminine' beauty may be hard to chgange. Alicia Keys is gorgeous without make-up. Francis McDormand is audaciously honest. Many ordinary women struggle to look their best with clothes, make-up,hair color and - yes - plastic surgery. Village women in rural India are bedecked in fabulous saris- despite poverty. Styling is universal and may be aimed as much to other women, self-image as to entice men.
Maybe the most enlightened stance is 'do your thing' but everyone be decent, begave with civility. And if you want professional respect, don't go to work in a see-thru blouse.
Men are hard-wired to be visually distractable.They can't help it.
6
Just about every male actor from Spencer Tracy to Val Kilmer to Johnny Depp has had to meet weight requirements to get cast. Is Ms. Tamblyn not aware that male actors go through hours of costume and makeup testing for their roles, and as with female actors, both the costume designers and makeup artists often have to be creative in hiding the imperfections of their male counterparts. It's doubtful many would pay to see a chubby Tom Cruise or Gal Gadot. As others have suggested, yes, actors do make a choice. How many actors making good money in the film industry will choose to quit that life to be an electrician, a trucker or a teacher?
10
Just take a good long, lingering look at Frances McDormand, one of last night's winners, for a lesson in exactly what Tamblyn is talking about. She refuses to be anything other than who she is and she is loved for it.
11
HAIKU TO A NEW INSPIRATION
Oprah to White House?
New conniptions for bigots.
The alt-right goes nuts!
1
Please tell me what message, exactly was being sent out to the public at the Globes by uber svelte women parading in lacy, transparent lingerie ( aka sheer black dresses) with their breasts hanging out like ripe fruit for all to contemplate?
Such hypocrisy!
Frances McDormand was the only one I saw last night who risked letting her talent and personality do the talking for her- not her body.
If women want respect, then we need to show some for ourselves and not dress like vixen while we cry wolf!
19
Please. Why don't you be authentic and stop wearing makeup and putting on your ridiculous high heels?
10
I always thought the ultimate revenge on male predators would be to have them wear high heels. I still do.
I get what you are saying Amber, but I have always enjoyed female and male dress up occasions. There was a time I was totally diminished by most female celebrities, their perfect body, perfect face, perfect designer dress, and the momentous occasion they were attending itself as it was all out of my reach.
Then I just dealt with my own norms and simply enjoyed yours and the celebrity status that afforded it. Now it is almost as much fun to watch as it is be there, and all without the competition and stress that you experience.
Truthfully, I always enjoyed my own formal dress up occasions and seeing the men in my life or social network all 'duded up' as well. Angst over the right dress and shoes to wear was always a bummer though, not to mention being unhappy about my own body issues despite compliments received.
A large part of looking good is feeling good about yourself.
1
When the average woman or man who is just starting out in life is as protected the way these people are when they speak out for and against various causes we'll have made some real progress. The same goes for people who are further along in their work life who don't have a ton of power or who do but aren't prominent: if they can speak up or complain without fear of retaliation on various issues we'll have made progress. Until then all the rest of can do is censor ourselves at work, on Facebook, on LinkedIn, and every other social media site because in America employers have more rights than employees and citizens. And the GOP and employers want to keep it that way.
6
I am curious why ordinary women (or men, for that matter) who face real challenges in their daily lives should even pay the least bit of attention to fatuous speeches at awards ceremonies or equally fatuous op-ed pieces from overly pampered Hollywood actresses whose greatest “challenge” in their lives is to fret about whether to wear a black, verses a red dress.
22
Exactly the reason I don't watch these award shows. Moreover, I am appalled by a dress code that demands virtue signaling, be it an AIDS ribbon or a black dress. How ridiculous these women looked, protesting that they didn't want to be sexually objectified and yet dressing as if sexual provocation was their primary goal. Were I a woman and invited to last night's Golden Globes, I'd wear a modestly-cut red dress and if asked why, I'd say it's not about the color of your dress, but about the content of your character.
9
Seems a bit hypocritical to protest sexual harassment at an event which is essentially a competition to see who can dress the most provocative.
16
I hate saying this but I'm a sociologist and I can't help wondering if any actresses or other of Hollywood's women wlllingly planned to use their feminine wares to aquire prominance -- perhaps reluctantly but willingly nonetheless.
It's also apparent that we really need to move from quick judgments of "guilty" to a more sophisticated and objective method of judging guilt. Even accused murderers have rights.
13
“The director only spoke Japanese “. You were in Tokyo. YOU only spoke English.
27
Yes, let’s all show solidarity against the objectification of women in Hollywood by wearing black to an awards show. Black is chic and slimming, after all. And it’s sexy, especially when the gown is sheer, has a plunging neckline that displays lots of cleavage, and has a long slit up the skirt showing lots of leg. With gorgeous, expensive jewels, expertly applied makeup and sexy designer heels, what a statement the women of Hollywood are making! Wait...what exactly was the statement they were making?
34
I really enjoy this article. I am not saying women should not wear anything that make them feel comfortable but majority of neckline of the dresses on GG this year are bit ridiculous. I honestly don't know any women in my friends and family circle will be comfortable showing that much of skin. (ok maybe one friend lol). It's like screaming stop treating us as an object but at the same time like look at my awesome breast! I have relatively large breast so I make conscious choice on daily basis to wear cloth that's not revealing or essential that fact because I want people to treat me respectfully. Its not victim blaming, its like what's your intention of wearing something like this? IDK, I probably will get a lot hate for saying this.
13
What a bunch of baloney. Spoiled pampered actresses complaining about how many designer shoes they hate wearing. Wake up, you're part of the problem, in fact the whole fashion/movie/advertising axis is the problem
25
Lose the stilettos and I'll be more convinced and I'll be more convinced.
17
First of all, I can't really feel any sympathy for the poor actresses who must suffer, i.e., dress up and walk the red carpet, for their art. That's part of your job and most of us have parts of our job that we'd rather not do so I don't really see any difference.
Secondly, I don't see what was accomplished by everyone wearing black. It struck me that the statement being made was 'don't look at us' when in fact these actresses want to be seen (supposedly) in a different way. Either everyone should have worn the same vibrant color, like red, to really stand out on the red carpet or they should have worn whatever they wanted and not what someone else told them to wear, i.e., a black gown.
16
Black, and some white, and red should be the only colors allowed from here on out. 1.Most of the gowns were good looking ones. Unlike the usual circus-line of colorful atrocities. 2. It would lessen the perverse Who's wearing What? we endure each year. And the pre-show re-hashing of last years best and worst dressed. 3. It would lessen the overt and gratuitous sexuality that faux female celebs put on exhibit taking attention away from those who actually belong on the red carpet. (Kylie Jenner! And any others not up for an award. Get lost! Your ONLY reason for being there is to pose, like a robot.)
5
Nice start but until actresses stop injecting their faces with fillers and botox and wearing dresses with necklines cut alarming low so as to show their surgically enhanced breasts, it's going to be hard to buy what Amber is selling. The actresses I admire - Annette Bening, Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren do are to promote the value of women than all of the black wearing actresses who subject themselves to this idea that aging is something to be avoided at all costs.
19
What is wrong with appreciating a beautiful woman in a sexy dress? My wife and I believe there is a "classy sexy" and a "cheap sexy". The difference, of course, is in the eye of the beholder. Women should not have to tone down their natural beauty because some men can't deal with it, nor should they have to put them self on exhibit if they don't want to.
5
Who cares about Golden Globe awards? I don't. And I do not even know what they are. Hollywood dressed up egos? Except for Hollywood egos, out of touch with the rest of the country, who cares?
9
I really enjoy Amber's columns. She is thoughtful and powerful.
2
Yes, how wonderful: stylish expensive black gowns, set off to spectacular advantage against a red carpet. Such a "direct message" of nothing more than the limits of Hollywood narcissism in an annual ritual of self-congratulation
17
I wonder how the young boys or men who’ve survived sexual abuse felt watching last night’s show?
4
If all of Hollywood (actors, actresses, media) really wanted to make a statement at the Golden Globes you know what it would have looked like? Nothing, because none of you highly privileged, disproportionally paid people would have attended. That's what would have got the world's attention: the cameras trained on empty red carpets.
The tokenism I saw on display was just another cause of the day and will do nothing to stop waitressess getting their butts pinched or office juniors being set upon. Ms Tamblin's so called "experiment" in dressing for the Globes may be a sop to make her and her friends feel as though they are doing something important, but from my seat in the gallery it looks more like a self indulgent, empty and meaningless gesture that will effect no actual change.
15
Thanks for this piece, over-due in our consideration of the topic. Fashion seems like fluff until we realize that every day that we wake up and get dressed we are putting on a costume, telling the world something about who we are. When we get to choose that, it's creativity and freedom of expression. When others choose it, I can only imagine, it feels like some kind of bondage if it doesn't feel authentic. I do recall Diane Keaton wearing something entirely non-conforming to one of the Oscars. It was so great. We just have to take ourselves back.
What about skipping the red carpet altogether?
there are no less then 4 red carpet shows - approx 8 hours of programming with advertising galore that are about what you are wearing - black or otherwise - why not make a really bold statement - and hit them in the wallet - refuse to be objectified in anyway for what you are wearing - and simply arrive through the side door.
11
I see no small amount of irony in a collection of people who literally stand on stage or in front of a camera virtually screaming "look at me!" then objecting if the public actually looks.
14
I don't understand your comment. Who's objecting to being looked at? The objection is to people who overstep the boundaries of respect & inflict themselves on others in damaging ways. Wearing black was a symbol of solidarity for this nationwide conversation we are having about that, not a message to not look. As you say, they are entertainers....that would be silly.
1
"We are assigned a look. We don’t get to choose."
I think this may be an unknowing self-admission that, at age 34, Ms. Tamblyn's career is likely to start declining soon under the current Hollywood system where, as it was joked last night, the Golden Globes are 75 but the actress playing its wife is 32.
Honestly, I would have been more impressed if all of them showed up at the awards last night without makeup. THAT would have been a statement!
14
Part of being is a woman is always being judged for being "too much this" or "not enough that". Even women who meet objective standards of success fall prey, accused of trying to hard, not being relatable, or being ambitious or unlikable.
That devaluation is evident in many of the comments to this article.
The Times Up campaign at the Golden Globes was effective. The "simple" act of wearing black allowed hundreds of women to show their stance on gender equality, regardless of whether they got a red carpet interview or gave an acceptance speech. One only needed to see the room to recognize the importance of this issue to so many people.
The red carpet interviews and acceptance speeches were thoughtful, focused, and on message. It dominated the show, as was the intention.
We have never seen this cohesive a political statement at an award show before and we should give the women who organized it and participated credit for the competent and successful campaign.
4
Okay, the Hollywood women wore all black, notably, from Gucci, Saint Laurent, Versace, Dior, Miu Miu, Chanel - the People's Designers. Predictably, the gowns featured plenty of high slits, see-throughs and cleavage, a lesson in female empowerment, Hollywood style, for young girls and women. Fine, good, huelga! Given the breadth of today's media coverage, one must believe Hollywood remains an important influence on American culture and behavior. Consequently, one might ask why Hollywood has persisted in its relentless, century-long promotion of gun violence, which, as an industry, it fervently decries. Hollywood's answer is always the same: hey, we don't influence, we just entertain.
9
Amber many of your initial points are well taken but I feel some other demonstration of solidarity would have been more meaningful. Really all you and your cohort did was switch to black designer outfits and then carry on maintaining the same old same old typecast Hollywood look mandated for women. I almost forgot there was the wearing of the designer protest pins which I must say seemed to be worn in many cases like some self awarded medal. When I think of Hollywood I usually think of artifice not art or virtue or real compassion.This sort of performance just confirms it.
10
Well - ahem, Amber -- even in "rejecting colorful gowns," those all-black outfits were STILL ridiculously expensive designer attire of the highest order, so it's not exactly like anyone was wearing burlap or sackcloth.
But yes, it was a statement of a sort, and if that's what it takes...or all it takes...then I was supportive. Oprah's speech was the real statement of the evening. though. It takes words and actions, in the long run.
4
One night is pique. Dress for a lifetime of resistance.
3
The all-black attire reminded me of the Sisters of the Resurrection and the Jesuits who taught me in school. Though we students wore navy blue uniforms ourselves, it had the same effect. Without the distraction of the superficial, we focused on the work at hand.
29
Wearing black was a positive statement. However the continued angst, need for stylists and consultations to present ones basic, real, beautiful, female self is still troubling.
6
True, the stronger statement would have been if all these actresses dressed themselves for the evening in whatever they chose, presenting their real selves.
8
These comments are all over the place. Blaming women for being confused about how best to address the 'me too' reality. Blaming women for trying to make a statement. Declaring that beautiful women dressing beautifully are objectifying themselves. If one has the money to wear a dress that is an artful creation & supports talented designers & tailors why would you not? If you personally can wear a dress (or suit) that feels like a pretty good representation of who you are at that moment, that is an artistic expression. In Hollywood, especially ,we are talking about - artists. How does being a sexy woman equate with objectifying oneself?
4
Enjoying one's sexuality is very different than being a sexual object. Do all women want to start wearing only subdued clothing? The right to wear such clothes without being harassed is part of what we are striving for. Let's not condemn these women as many commenters do, and recognize that they too are included in our struggle for equality.They too have a right to not be sexually harassed. It is when we start infighting rather than working together that the opposition gains power.
7
Before they're sexually harassed, they're harassed by other women for NOT conforming.
3
Ms. Tamblyn,
While I've loved your acting, partly because of the more realistic "beauty" standard you generally embody, I have to agree with fellow comments here. Dressing in anything objectifying, no matter the color, seems a childish antic rather than a serious attempt to change expectations. It is a gesture that is weak and unworthy of the war we are now fighting. It reminds me of hijabs and burkas, the excuse for which is that men cannot (or will not) control their most disgusting and dominating urges despite having a brain capable of doing thus.
I like the idea of attending the Golden Globes in jeans and hoodies, but I'm not sure even that would go far enough. After all, you'd still be there to be judged (and let's be real, judged based on appearance). I think the only way you'll truly be heard, the only way to make your point, is to deny the "judges" the battle.
Just don't go. Not only do I think it would be visually startling to see NO women at an awards show, I also think it makes the statement that famous women no longer see value in being rewarded for appearance, and would rather lose the money/publicity if it means more value being placed on their skills in the future. Even better would be a feminine tidal wave of awards returned to the "judges" whose judgement is no longer valued.
Now THAT would be a statement worth making.
Sincerely,
Amanda, CO
10
In my career in "the Vanities" I was fortunate enough to spend a few years in the UK working in their film and television industry. People look like people in their productions. Actors don't have to be a size 2 and have perfect hair and teeth. Our entire industry here is polluted by the physical desires of men for a single female body type. While the Brits are experimenting with truly colorblind casting--we still can't get past every woman needing to look like an ingenue. With women's careers washing up at age 30. What is wrong with us?
And it's not just women--all the young male roles not specifically "character actors" have to be coifed and toned. Life is not all lovely people. We are feeding the wolf that creates this dreadful
When I looked at the sea of black dresses last night, I had to wonder how we are going to force our industry to change. It's still run by the same men. They were laughing politely in the audience. Are they changing now? Are they really? Or are they sitting back and waiting for things to "die down". We are going to need to do much more than wear dresses and raise money. We are going to need to change the very face of the industry. It needs to look more like life.
14
I do get your point. And I DO so love British programs for the very real people chosen for all kinds of parts. The thing that gives me pause is condemning the glamour industry altogether. It's a kind of fantasy world that, granted, can be a little over the top, but why does it have to go away? To each his own? As long as people are making the choice for themselves & it doesn't come with abusive strings attached.
1
While I support Amber’s forthcoming statement, wearing black - a very chic and flattering color, by the way - didn’t lessen the red carpet preening and photo ops. Airbrushed perfection was simply cloaked in black.
To the hundreds in the audience eager to show the world their support by standing and applauding Oprah’s speech (which said nothing we haven't already heard during the past few weeks), how many of you - men and women alike - have been guilty of harassment, of complicit silence when inappropriate behavior was observed, of failure to hire an actor when a powerful player gave you a wink-wink-nod-nod that the actor wouldn’t feed his sexual fantasies, or of complicity by failing to speak out when harassed?
Finally, I heartily applaud Hollywood for getting the ball rolling. But know that, while resisting harassment in Hollywood in the past has been the way to not get hired, doing the same in the average workplace today will still likely jeopardize the job you have. Average people don't have the advantage of publicly shaming someone in the media and getting quick justice. This is a skirmish - the battle is far from won.
5
A 5,000 dollar dress is a $5,000 dress. Where is the humility? Show me that and I will believe that these woman are not just using #MeTo on the red carpet for personal gain.
9
I don't understand some of these/your comment. Why should they have to be coming from a place of humility? Or dowdiness? If a $5,000 dress costs them the same as a $100.00 dress for me who am I to say how they spend their money? They are coming from a place of solidarity - as women - and wearing black was a way to do that. Some of these comments feel oddly like just one more way to shame women. They aren't humble enough. They dressed up for their industry gala - how greedy of them....
1
Really? So wearing the color black constitutes escaping objectification? I could have sworn I saw a lot of beautifully made- up, coifed , bejeweled, and designer- dressed women. Far braver would have been to follow the one not in black but bare- faces: Frances McDormand.
15
If women are serious about being taken seriously a good start would be to throw out all of their uncomfortable shoes.
10
Another "awareness" exercise? No thanks.
7
I thought wearing black was/is a stupid idea- only a very fancy way of showing ‘solidarity’ by wearing very expensive dresses in the same color. But what do I know, I’m only a senior citizen who lived through the 70s and the women’s movement?
Amber, please do not equate wearing designer shoes with being harassed. Get down with the kitchen help, hotel maids and young women at West Point or the Air Force Academy if you want to know what harassment feels like.
There is nothing wrong with getting dressed up for a party- we’ve all done it. But many black dresses last night had plunging necklines and lots of leg showing which, to me, seemed to negate the idea of ‘take me seriously and not just a sexual object.’ What we need are women comfortable in their own skin who don’t need to glam up. That is what real solidarity is about.
13
The real winner on the Red Carpet last night was France's McDormand.
9
Please keep writing. I so enjoy your work.
I saw very few of the movies and TV shows that were honored last night. I watch the award shows to see the gowns and the hair, I admit it. I will never wear a gown and the only time someone other than me does my hair is when I get it cut. It is a fantasy for me. I understand what Ms. Tamblyn is saying, but if the actresses wore regular everyday clothes like the kind I wear, I wouldn't bother to watch.
3
Didn't watch the awards show because....I didn't want to lose those three hours of my life. For those who made their statement via clothing choice...I think wearing a burlap sack might've made more of a statement than a black formal strapless plunging evening gown with 100K of jewelry in tow.
15
Very noble and all that, Tamblyn, but you're just figuring all this out now? Kind of sad. Wearing a color and speaking stuff that was probably written for you is nice, but let's see what happens. The red carpet itself was an affront to us all.
2
It's simple. Women should stop dressing and acting like sex objects unless they choose to present themselves this way and can do so without harboring some infantile notion that they are being "made" to. Who is telling you to wear really tight pants or a low cut shirt? Who is telling you to wear high heels to work? Look inward, women and girls, and use your own brain. If you don't want to be in a movie where you are cast as a cliche, don't. Hollywood does the same lame typecasting with men. Most of these movies are dull and empty junk for people with no taste.
15
I worked with an Irish student at Yale who work black every day. She had very little money and it was easy to just juggle and few black things. It forced me to always just pay attention to her face when we were speaking. Her clothes were boring but she was not. LET'S DROP ALL OF THE DRESS CODES FOR WOMEN
5
Just more self-congratulation coming from Hollywood the dream factory. Wearing a glitzy black dress is a statement? Wearing black has always been chic. The values of the red carpet went on as usual and it wasn't at all demanding. Try working 'backstage' unadorned if you want real change.
11
Wow. Possibly the most out of touch column ever written. Crying because you are expected to glam up for a phony awards show that no one really cares about except those in your chosen industry. Wearing a black designer gown to show "solidarity". Here's a simple solution. Don't attend.
11
One of the reasons Trump won the election was because he was seen by some as a celebrity and thus glamorous and to be emulated and honored despite his ill fitting suits and stupid taped red tie. And yet we give him the red carpet treatment. Clinton was branded not fit because she was seen as dowdy and did not dress glamorously. This is the height of misogyny even when practiced by women on themselves.
Now Oprah mesmerized the crowd despite her huge glasses because of the power of her speech and the honor of her presence. When this becomes the norm rather than dresses and fluff then we know we have arrived as a society.
2
Huge glasses or no, Oprah was wearing a very sexy, revealing dress, which looked like she had a waist-cinch and mega-pushup bra under it.
2
I can't imagine anyone voted for Mr. Trump because he was a celebrity, and I expect that very few of his supporters find him personally glamorous, as opposed to his lifestyle, which is. Tawdry, but glamorous all the same.
It took me awhile but I eventually realized the clever reason why Mr. Trump dresses the way he does: the man is fat and ill-proportioned;
were he to button his suit jacket this would be grotesquely obvious, whereas an open jacket breaks up his midsection mass into alternating dark-light-dark segments; and were the tip of his tie to end at the top of his belt-buckle, it would sit atop and emphasize the bulge of his stomach, whereas longer it cuts through his girth and emphasizes his height.
Melania Trump needn't trouble herself with any of these ploys. Of course he would have left her years ago if she allowed herself to deteriorate the way he has. Her style as First Lady has been impeccable--and modest. The Golden Globes ladies could have learned a lot studying the way she manages to be glamorous without exposing large amounts of flesh.
1
It's going to take more than wearing black...
43
But, the outfits were still the same gowns.. just in black
10
I support the statement but found the whole atmosphere funereal, too much black.
1
It was so good to see the elegance back with wearing black! So refreshing to see most of the actresses dressing without being sexually provocative! Now that the liberals are in charge are they going to reach out to their conservative counterparts? Or are they going to treat them as they were treated? And ban them too?
Give me a break. Where have all you actors and actresses been when it was the maid, housekeeper, cook, secretary, etc, who was being sexually exploited? If you are wearing black as a statement, it seems very little, very late. Just what is it you are doing to stop this exploitation of, once again, the maid, housekeeper, cook, secretary, etc?
If in fact you "stand together", where was Merryl Streep, when everyone in Hollywood new Harvey Wienstein was exploiting women? In a vacuum? Apparently, she was the only person in Hollywood who did not know. I guess, at least she has an excuse for NOT DOING ANYTHING. What about the rest of you? (Will this be another Comment that the NYT will not publish, because it their agenda?)
2
For me, this feels like the time - for all of us - to accept our previous confusion & feeling of lack of support when being treated poorly or observing others being treated poorly, to stop the confusion & start supporting each other to the best of our ability. You're right, it IS late, for all of us. Time's up! Let's go forward without shaming and blaming & just start expecting better for us all.
1
If the women had truly wanted to really make a strong statement, they should all have work black suits, white shirts, and sensible low heels or flats as then the focus would be on the work, not the clothes, as it should be in normal life. Except of course there's absolutely nothing normal about the work that they do nor the life they represent. Absolutely nothing they wear nor how they look represents a standard for me in my life of a full time job and a full time gig as a mom.
68
I was thinking this too: what if they had all worn pants? Then again, why do they have to dress like men to be taken seriously? Despite all the black, I think most actresses were too glitzy and glammy to look as if they were trying to deflect attention from their attire.
Amber,
Did you see Frances McDormand last night?
3
She is my hero- a woman comfortable in her own skin who doesn't have to glam up to show how good she is.
5
I'm used to seeing individual shots of each person on the carpet. The photo accompanying this article immediately made me think of a slave auction. The slaves are just better dressed. I also noticed that they are actually wearing more than strategically placed sequins this time.
2
Yikes. Sounds almost as bad as football practice.
Seems like someone died just about every year during August two-a-day practices somewhere in the Houston area back in the day. Mommas, don’t let your babies grow up to play football ...
If women sculpted their looks to appeal to the average guy you could aim for “healthy” and pretty much let it go at that. But to my continuing surprise it’s been made clear to me over the years that women aren’t doing whatever it is they do in this regard just to appeal to the average guy. So good luck as you stand up to whoever it is that’s making you do this.
During college I had recurring dreams for awhile that I’d quit the football team my senior year in high school. These dreams were so vivid and powerful that for a couple of weeks I wondered if maybe I had indeed quit the team. Unfortunately, I actually played all year even after hurting my knee in the first game. But I did tell my son that I’d prefer it if he didn’t play, and that I thought you could draw a line from the high school football experience to being prepared for military service followed by life in the industrial plant or on the factory floor.
4
Some of us look at what is on the red carpet to determine what we will NOT do.
Especially high heels.
3
The male Golden Globe attendees (save Seth Meyers) had so little to say about #MeToo and #TimesUp that you'd think they didn't have women in their lives--spouses, sisters, moms, aunts, nieces, friends. I was saddened they didn't use their platform, with many ears tuned in, to speak out against sexual harassment and abuse. This problem wasn't created by women, and women alone can't solve it. Men must be vocal, visible, and active--especially when women aren't in the room. I expected more.
1
@ew - maybe there was an unwritten rule that the guys should shut up...for a change...? That men pontificating this year was not the best time for them to speak. Unless they truly had a pointed, moving, "Men we better shape-up!" message. I bet a lot of those guys in attendance, are slightly scared that they have a questionable moment in their past. So staying quiet right now might be the better part of valor.
It was clearly a night for the women in the entertainment biz, to speak and be heard. The guys already get the most money and roles.
Maybe the men are afraid to say anything for hear of being attacked by the Social Justice Warrior crowd for saying too much of this or not enough of that, choosing the wrong pronouns, etc., etc. Better to just keep your mouth shut and wait for the storm to pass.
When I see changes in how ordinary women are treated on the job and in public I'll be impressed. Until then this movement is something that makes publicly powerful women look good. A Meryl Streep or a Kristen Gillibrand has power I don't have. They can go public with their complaints and get results. Ordinary women can't. Like most employees in America if we complain about anything we can expect to be treated like troublemakers, possibly fired, almost certainly sidelined on our jobs, and to experience retaliation of some sort.
I didn't ask to be treated like a second class citizen. I didn't ask to be underpaid because of my gender. I didn't ask to be harassed on the job, in public spaces, or anywhere else. What I wanted, still want and strive for is to be treated like a human being who needs to make enough money to pay my bills, set aside something for a rainy day, to work until I can retire. So far my experience of work and life in America has been one of constant watchfulness over my body to keep men from making assumptions about me, to stay away from dangerous places, to try to appear cooperative at all times and not outshine the men on the job. All of this while trying to do a good job. And this is what most men and women at work try to do.
The problem in America is that employers view any trouble on the job as something to be hidden. That means that the ones who complain are the ones to be eliminated. Wrong but that's how it works.
4
Thank you, Amber - our words action & deeds have power - thank you for speaking, taking action and standing up for all women - girls - and - good people who are committed to - everyone respecting ourselves and each other.
Keep speaking - taking action - and - standing up for all women - for 'Times Up'
I have nothing against women (or anyone else) dressing up to look glamorous, and I believe that women (and anyone else) should be able to dress anyway they want and not be abused or victimized for it, but in the context of this op-ed, does it really make any difference if the expensive, glamorous, couture gown is black instead of another color?
10
It was refreshing to see all body types last night, although the ones who looked like "real people" tended not to be the ones interviewd on the red carpet. Also, did I detect a modicum of modesty? The entertainment industry objectifies women, in part, because the women allow it by dressing as "objects". Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of it.
I think it was just a really simple way to show solidarity against abuse. That seems to be conflated in this article and in this thread with objectification. I don't get why so many of the comments here today are about how they didn't dress dowdy, or why not just NOT show up etc. It was their industry gala. Who of us doesn't dress up for a special occasion? And on the other hand, kudos to Frances McDormand going further with the statement. To each his own! Where are we all going with this judgement?
1
The red carpet parade has deteriorated into a contest of who can appear most vulgar without being arrested or having the dress fall off. Time is up for male predation, but it is also time to admit that clothing and attitudes DO contribute to a culture of permissiveness and licentiousness. A little dignity and modesty might be refreshing.
59
Always be yourself, no matter what others do. That's the message, as we are still all individuals and will be all our lives. And accept yourself just as you are.
1
It is time to admit that Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, Roy Moore, Al Franken, and many others would have done everything they are accused of doing regardless of what women wear (on the red carpet, in middle America, anywhere).
Rape, assault, and harassment would not become less of a problem if prevailing norms called for 21st-century Western women to dress like Amish women, cloistered nuns, Puritans, religious Jewish/Muslim women, or Offred from "A Handmaid's Tale".
Senators such as Strom Thurmond have groped many women in hallways and elevators of government buildings where modest dress is the norm.
And it is hard to see how red-carpet garb contributed to a culture of permissiveness and licentiousness that led Kevin Spacey to abuse his power. He preyed on men -- and boys.
3
I agree--what a woman is wearing is not an excuse for assault. However, the fact is that the way we dress does create an atmosphere, an impression, a culture of what will be tolerated. There is responsibility on the part of all concerned. It may be hard for you to see, but in fact, it is a well accepted fact that how we dress does have implications.
2
"We are assigned a look. We don’t get to choose."
Amber Alert. Amber Alert. Amber Alert. You have been commodity. Enjoy being traded the rest of your life. You are no longer free.
1
I had expected the dress code to be an empty gesture. But unexpectedly, on a gut level, the "sea of black" changed my whole perception of the event. Men and women looked like members of an orchestra, where the focus is on the collective work and not on individual fashions. Women looked like natural colleagues, not self-conscious ornaments.
10
If gowns were still real dresses, as they were as recently as the 90s, gowns could still be fun. But as they get more and more bare, and less and less like actual clothes, some rebellion seems called for.
sad story really. some of the best paid jobs are for those willing to use their bodies and looks to sell while inside they are disgusted.
I once went to a recruiting dinner for a big company. I wore a blue shirt; everyone else wore a white shirt. I asked if that was a requred uniform. I was told, no, it is just what someone would wear to be successful in this business. My consideration of this company passed that night, I still love the blue shirts.
I also love the combination of Red and Black. Those colors are perfect. So one beautiful set of colors can represent protest and good taste.
3
The shapes and necklines of those black dresses do nothing to change the perception that those wearing them are sexual objects.
137
Indeed. Some of the black outfits were quite stunning, stylish and elegant, while a far to large proportion of them seem to belong in a New Orleans bordello.
5
Well, we ARE sexual objects, BUT it is not ALL we are. The point is to dress for yourself.
Sexual OBJECTS? A sexy woman wearing a beautiful dress equals turning herself in to an object? How far away from ones own personal female identity, (that includes sexuality), would a woman have to go to avoid that perception? Hijab perhaps?
1
Hollywood culture and focus on unobtainable female beauty may be terrible for the emotional health of its audience, but somehow it sells all over the globe. As long as people want to buy it, it will be packaged and sold somehow, no matter the negative side affects.
I'm actually hoping the feminist charge isn't led by Hollywood actors, at least not disproportionately. There is much too much focus on media celebrities- too much worship of people that don't live especially heroic lives.
The greatest feminist revolution I know of occurred in Iceland, and there by way of women taking over the government. I'd like to find female heroes in the halls of our congress and in charge of the executive branch. That would be a fine start.
222
You mean that all the male movie stars we see today were actually born with 'six-pack' abs? Who knew?
2
If you want a real red-carpet-dress-as-statement, try doing something like Lizzy Gardiner in 1995: Her dress was made entirely of gold American Express cards!
19
The most subversive act would be to boycott high heels! And you all know why.
373
Sadly, I once read they were created by a woman.
1
The actresses being shown off at their best is the selling point of awards season to me as a woman. I like the fashion and flawless skin and perfect hair and overall celebration of female beauty. It's not a threat to me, it's a pleasure to watch. And let's face it, the real glamour of Hollywood in the mold of Sophia Loren, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Crawford, etc., died out decades ago. Please don't kill what's left.
46
They never had to walk the gauntlet of the red carpet, posing like objects rather than women. The gowns are great, but the gauntlet walk is demeaning thanks to its invitation to body shaming and snobbery and Bacall would never have put up with that, even though she was a model. (That's not to say they weren't objectified in other ways, but the great ones rose above that.) But I'm not sure that wearing black or talking the trendy talk will do much. Like everyone wearing pink ribbons. But we'll see if it's taken seriously. I certainly hope so. (Back in the day, movie stars were built up by the studios, who had a monopoly on distribution. That control went by the board in the 1950s and 60s; men had the money so "women's pictures" went by the board and the male gaze took over. It's a different world now. Let's hope it gets even more different.)
3
Could Ms. Tamblyn be any more out of touch with the concerns of everyday Americans? Just another rich, narcissist living in a bubble with no clue.
184
Boo Hoo, cry me a river. No one is making these people work as actors, believe me Amber Tamblyn the rest of us working at real jobs, not earning millions of dollars, also have aspects of our jobs that we can't stand. Why the New York Times is giving a self-important B-grade actress a forum is beyond me. It's almost subscription-cancelling material.
180
Amber, are you serious? Honestly? Will wearing black show solidarity with women victims? Especially a dazzling gown, dazzling diamonds and Jimmy Choos....in black? If you really want to show solidarity with victims and want to make a real statement, you'd be wearing jeans, a tee-shirt, a sweatshirt and skechers! That would really give the establishment a jolt and make them realize that #MeToo is real.
I've never understood the things we do to show solidarity for a good cause.
Paying to run a marathon in pink tee-shirts and other pink paraphernalia for breast cancer, talkathons for multiple scerosis, playing Santa with poor kids etc. etc. etc. is beyond me how it brings attention to a cause. All I see is an instant gratification, to feel good and charitable especially the celebrities. Of course, donating anonymously with all the proceeds going to the cause instead of tee-shirts and call lines would'nt do it, right?
269
It is not so much about wearing black as it is not wearing something that you can't breathe in or walk in or sit down in. Air brushing your arms and then wearing black doesn't do it. The idea to wear black is a good one but it's only a starting point. Rejecting objectification can take many forms--wearing black is only the tip of the iceberg.
78
"Women have always had to carry the burden of molding the shapes and sizes of our bodies to the trends and tastes of others, at any cost. We are assigned a look. We don’t get to choose."
Garbage. You sell yourself for glamor, status and a zillion dollars. Drop the hypocritical pseudo-virtuousness.
206
We have truly become a nation of extremes.
Everyone who is engaged in this tug-of-war should read today's (online) edition of 'Brainpickings,' by Maria Popova. She eloquently gets to the bottom of this very complex matter.
14
men have been required to do this same thing for all times within living memory: a formal event at night, after Labor Day and before Memorial Day calls for either full dress (aka white tie) for a truly formal event or a tuxedo (aka, black tie) for a less formal event. like oysters, we have a summer season as well, when a white dinner jacket is required instead of a black one.
otherwise, everyone wears the same thing, down to the shirt studs and cummerbund. some guys, of course, have better tailors. only the hands, neck, and head are unclothed. the dress is quasimilitary and never unique.
27
Amber Tamblyn suggests that society's objectification of women is why they are sexually assaulted and raped in the movie industry -- but it is really this industry, from which she and others make a very good living, which has prospered disproportionately, essentially for selling sex, at the cost women's self esteem, and powerlessness about their bodies. Frankly, I have no sympathy for her own "victimization" stories (eg. having over 30 pairs of heels, seriously?). I have more sympathy for poor women in America who work multiple jobs to support children while the movie industry rakes it in. I have more sympathy for women who are turned away for jobs in Hollywood because they dont know the right people, dont have the right background or connections, dont have the right looks or body features, or are not the right race. Sexism, sexual objectification and abuse of power in the movie industry has been going on a for a long time -- and many, men and women both, have been silent while others suffered. What we dont need are strident statements about how wearing black at an awards show is 'resistance' and 're-awakening'. Instead, why not do something really different and show some humility. Why not be quiet and listen to other sectors of our country as to how you and the entertainment industry can act in a more morally responsible way. That is more likely to lead to substantiative long term reform and a better, affirming message to all women.
276
Sexism works across class and race. We need all women in our movement including those who can capture the attention of the press by wearing black. They are us too. Yes, we need to teach children that looks aren't everything. But part of this teaching is that being beautiful does not guarantee happiness. And when we get rid of the casting couch, maybe then more women who don't fit the beautiful looks mold can enter the field. There are some there already.
I don't think Tamblyn is looking for sympathy. I think she is trying to foster change in not only the industry, but in the image it presents. We need all the help we can get.
2
In other words, "shut up and listen"? really?
What does the number of "heels" they might own have to do with anything?
I think these women are forcing the entertainment industry to treat all of it's employees with the same respect they would get if they worked at Amazon or at a law firm. With some exceptions, most major corporations enforce strict codes of conduct in the professional workplace where sexual harassment claims are taken very seriously.
2
It's rather hypocritical to protest sexual harassment at an event where the underlying competition is to see who can dress the most provocatively.
Interesting that most of the comments are by men and have a not so hidden anger directed at these brave women. Actors and models have the right to ask for equal pay, respect, freedom from fear of sexual harassment and the ability to speak up in their jobs just like any other woman in any other job. We want this for all women in any position.
73
I think some of the anger is regular people being told by zillionaires, who have made bank peddling their assets (male and female) that they resent being objectified. The sorrows of the 1 % often cause resentment in the 99% who don't have the "struggle" of going to work in $30,000 shoes.
4
How cool it would be if the parade of Hollywood "starlets" came dressed in black jackets, or hoodies, or pants and ties, or sweaters, or blue or black jeans, etc. and no gowns at all!
Just imagine if they dressed down, the way they do at home, and wore weekend or everyday clothes the way other women do.
It's their acting, after all, that's being honored, not which designer's gown they can show off!
It'd be far more interesting to watch the red carpet that way than yet another year of the same old fashion nonsense, the same ole dress up, and the same old who bare the most!
111
Why not all come in tuxedos?
Ms, Tamblyn, while I typically agree with your views and am delighted that the NYT has been giving you space more and more often to offer your keen insights, I am pleased to let you know that I and many, many women never watch red carpet events with any illusions about what we are seeing. We know it is pure fantasy and pure entertainment. We never once give any thought to the notion that we need to wear ridiculously costly gowns with slits up to our navels, or jewels from Harry Winston, or makeup so thick you could plant radishes in it in order to feel valued.
You assert that you are "modeling a kind of behavior" and that you are "speaking in a coded language to other women" that tells them they "must dress a certain way and look a certain way" if they "want to be valued" as women. May I suggest that you and any other actress who believes this, have, shall we say, a rather astonishingly inflated sense of your own self-importance? If all of you have been trying to send a message to the rest of us about how we need to look or act, I'm going to have to break the (good) news to you that that message just hasn't been getting through -- at least to those of us out there (hopefully the vast majority of women) who can differentiate fantasy from reality.
The push for women to wear black gowns to the Golden Globes is a nice gesture, and will make viewers stop and think about sexual harassment, at least for a few moments. And that is a good thing.
105
In Hollywood the only thing worse than having your appearance scrutinized on the red carpet, is not having your appearance on the red carpet.
68
This argument makes no sense. The author decreed actresses as beauty adjudicators yet laments this self-imposed responsibility.
Luckily for all the young women out there, she will rally the troops for awards show and resist.
How generous of her.
36
Oh please. Let's play dress up to address another serious social issue
in our privileged worlds. Not buying it.
142
I think it's wonderful that these women have found a way to make themselves feel connected to each other and to restore the humanity that an industry full of powerful men have taken away from them.
However they want to do it, by wearing black or carrying signs of marching on January 20th in cities all over the country, it's great and it's a legitimate part of the "Movement".
Commenting negatively about what women want to wear and what it means to them, is part of the problem to begin with. Reading what the men here have to say is bad enough. The women who feel free to attack Miss Tamblyn and her fellow actresses' legitimacy are unbelievable!
44
If you do not want to objectified then don't be an actor. Yes, people like to look at pretty objects when they go to be entertained. The way you look does matter in that context.
62
Speak for yourself! That's a sexist, objectifying stance!
We don't need women to be gussied up -- or be pretty -- to be entertained.
29
Just watch any Frances McDormand film.
1
While I agree that women in the workplace, especially in entertainment, are often objectified by their white male overlords, they are not doing so against their will. They make the calculation to play the game to earn their prize, just like anyone in any business. Entertainment is all about air-brushing perception to create alternative realities that are pleasing to audiences. If Tamblyn was asked to lose 5 pounds she could have said no, and suffered whatever consequences, just like when any other employee in a business must choose whether to comply with a manager's unreasonable, unethical or distasteful mandate. One can comply, or simply walk out the door. Amber Tamblyn is not a victim here, she is complicit in the ongoing objectification of women. Walk the red carpet and be your authentic self, and be proud of it, rather than contorting yourself to the ridiculous standards of an industry that continues to model bad behavior.
58
Sure, she could have said no. And lost the job. Why is that her responsibility? Why isn't it the industry's responsibility to change its outmoded, harmful standards? This is the same argument that women who are sexually harassed at work should 'just quit'. Someone is in the wrong here, and they should suffer the consequences- not the person being subjected to the wrong. Furthermore, if every self-respecting woman quit Hollywood based on your criteria, there would be no more women in Hollywood- or really any industry. Change must come from within, and that unfortunately means taking some blows when you have to so you can stick around to fight another day when you've accumulated power, which is what this writer has done.
1
I'm having a hard time relating to anyone who chooses a career in which "glamour" is a majority consideration, and then whimpers because she feels she must look glamorous. The Hollywood actresses who are featured in these award shows have much more money and power than the average American woman. If they really feel so put out at having to fulfill expectations of glamour, they are in a position to address that concern; their platform is literally televised nationally. All of them agreeing to wear the same color seems less a swing at the powers-that-be than a plot cooked up by a group of high school cheerleaders.
147
NY Times you should seriously consider hiring Ms. Tamblyn as a columnist. She is smart and it shows in her writing. She is so on target at this moment in time with a laser focus arguing that enough is enough for women and ultimately, it follows, for all of us. Should be an experience watching the awards ceremony tonight. Raise a toast to women's new empowerement.
47
Come on Ladies and Gentlemen, let's go further than "rejecting colorful gowns". How about rejecting gowns slit down to the naval or up to the waist? How about rejecting see-through gowns with strategically-placed appliqués and gowns with cut-outs the size of watermelons? If you want to protest the objectification of women, cover up.
309
Can't do that, sorry. The merchandise has to be on display for potential buyers
32
If these actresses are such bold revolutionaries, why do they play this ludicrous game at all? Show up in something attractive -- but unglamorous and unsexy -- in black. Or black jeans and a black t-shirt.
One of the reasons this Weinstein business happened at all is these people play the game according to the rules. Break the rules, for once.
211
easy to say if looks are not your meal ticket... one which has a very short sell-by date.
actresses and writers, like football players, are over by about 35.
and writers don't even have to look good - only young.
14
Until you call out the liar Leeann Tweeden, the founding mother of the modern false accusation movement, none of you have any credibility.
Here's your chance to right that wrong.
Shielding false accusers hurts the victims of actual assaults, and promotes false imprisonment.
38
I don't know a man who doesn't say to their wife or significant other, "you looked fine an hour ago too".
14
You don't know my ex-husband, then!
Black is the color of mourning. Why black?
5
There is no denying that the cultural dishonoring and degradation of women exists. Some professions have it worse than others. But this movement is like a flash mob that does not discriminate what it smashes. Aggressive propositioning women versus a physical invasion of personal space, versus conduct that is tantamount to simple assaults are all mindlessly lumped together in a media and Hollywood PR sideshow.
The movement also seems to be demanding that women should have the right to never be humiliated or embarrassed by a member of the opposite sex. Is this reasonable? Women humiliate men in their own ways all the time. There is a complex dynamic to how the genders relate to one another.
Women complain about aggressive male pursuit and unwanted propositioning only when it is done by ugly older men but not by younger handsome men. Then its flattering. Hence the bushel full of romantic films and novels that women buy. Women also buy into and participate in social media and pop culture exploitation of women on all kinds of levels, from hooker chic fashion, to sexting, to self-degrading music videos, to participating in amateur unpaid pornography in staggering numbers, and then they complain about how men view women. This is hypocritical at best.
56
it is a truth univerally acknowledged.
7
I think the most impactful action would have been for all the women to not show up all....without the actresses there is no Hollywood as we know it...
163
It must be so hard to be an adult, and yet so helpless. As if clamoring for a superficial career, should not subject one to superficiality. Golly, whatever to do.
85
This definitely belongs as an iconic #MeToo! piece.
"Women", as a general matter, don't get assigned a "look" anymore, judging from the VERY comfortable ladies who thunder through New Jersey and Pennsylvania diners -- but just about every one of them has a perfectly adequate job where her skills and efforts are appreciated enough to PAY her for them.
No ... it's only where women whose jobs are predicated on how they appear to millions of slavering entertainment-junkies that she’s assigned a “look”. But, then, the quality of that look for the most successful among them is worth millions, isn’t it? And even for the less successful, it’s almost always a pretty comfortable living – a lot more comfortable than those funny and interesting (and hungry and attractive) ladies thundering through New Jersey and Pennsylvania diners.
That said, remind me not to visit Japan anymore. 5’7” and 120 lbs. doesn’t qualify for the “look”? It sure does in my book. Advice to the Japanese: eat a muffin once in a while and join the species.
And THAT said, I apologize if this comment is a bit acerbic, but I’m grouchy this Sunday with so little fodder provided for commenters.
25
Thank you for the funny, acerbic comment. It was nice to laugh today...
6
I almost always disagree with you, but acerbic is never the issue.
keep up the good work. it would be too boring if everyone agreed all the time... or, if everyone was brain dead all the time.
6
I appreciate Amber Tamblyn's reckoning of her place within the messaging that's sent through the beauty rituals of the red carpet. But, it makes me realize why so few of my female role models are actresses or in the business of selling these beauty routines to others.
It's the idea that "we don't get to choose." I don't accept that and think of the women who did make choices, and one step at a time made changes for all of us. I think of my mother who was a computer programmer with a major brokerage firm in the early 60s and insisted on wearing pants because the mainframe room was too cold for the expected skirts. History is full of women who made small or monumental choices in all areas.
Women in Hollywood make the choice to be there - to become famous and wealthy, and I don't hold it against any woman who wants that. Tamblyn and her colleagues have their work cut out to make it an industry where women do get to choose. I wish them all the best.
119
Your mother must have been a great example. You are always speaking out for what is right and, when others go after you, defend yourself with dignity. That is also a fabulous model for your daughter, too. ;)
6
I do not doubt the earnestness or good intentions. Or the need.
But what I fear is that we will see glamorous women, with beautiful hair and makeup, in expensive, sexy dresses that happen to be black.
280
And the message will still be, we're famous for being famous. Therefore you must dress like us, have professional make-up artists like us, be dangerously skinny like us or you are failure as a human being. Blech
42
And that is what we saw, for the most part. I think all the actresses should have dressed like Frances McDormand. Some of the black, chest-baring numbers I saw did not say, “Time’s up. I want to be taken seriously.”
2
Thanks for writing this article. I want to suggest that, in this country, it'll be impossible to end patriarchy without also ending white supremacy because these two systems are very interlinked. Womanhood here is moduled around the supposed characteristics of a white, female child. So one will not end without the other.
I've yet to see white men, who really set the rules of this game, speak up in any meaningful way about what's happening to women in this country. Without their involvement, I don't see much progress.
29
All due respect, not all jobs have such crazy body requirements, mostly those with 7 figure paychecks. I'm sure NFL players are equally annoyed about the hassles of people constantly assessing their bodies but...custodians and clerks don't get appraised on the red carpet.
Quid pro quo?
21
You've just equated the physical scrutiny of being a professional athlete with the physical scrutiny of being a professional actor. Why must we hold our female artists to such standards?
8
I don't get your point at all. Do you feel left out?
4
Because we are entertained by looking at pretty little things. Disgusting but true
6
Do we really need a red carpet at all?
83
All awards shows are simply glitzy commercials, made to sell 'product.'
13
I am a New Yorker and so I wear black every single day. I also think it's elegant, so wearing all-black seems like not so much of a statement as Hollywood might think. Exposing men for their abuses of women, for their abuses of power, for insisting on an impossible standard of thinness for women (and probably men too)...THAT will be revolutionary and THAT gets my unqualified support. I am looking forward to watching women's power expressed in tonight's show, because much as I love Seth Meyers (I really do!), women have to own our power, express it and never let men take it away. #MeToo. And this one, coined by me: #NoHighHeels.
49
Ms Tamblyn, you're obviously a brilliant and talented young person working in a pretty ugly and cut throat industry. I wish you and everyone in the arts all the success in the world and to be treated as human beings. Feel free to fight for the change you want and deserve, and good luck with that too.
Of course this is much bigger than Hollywood, which too often is only the unreal (and frequently unhealthy) reflection of our desires. I'm sorry about the weight loss fixations as well, but once again it's not just a Hollywood thing. I remember skipping lots of meals to make weight for wrestling and how happy my coach would be when I could push down to the next weight class. Of course I was still taking full semesters worth of course work and listening to my friends compare me to the walking dead. It did get me into and through a great college that I doubt my parents could have paid for, but it wasn't fun.
Choices, right?
No matter, power shouldn't ever be used to hurt people. If you can turn any of that around, God bless.
11
Award shows ( Globes, Oscars, HWFP etc.,) have always reminded me of the movie Best In Show ( both for men and women who participate). I'm not comparing the participants with all dogs as that would be unfair. Just show dogs, a small percentage of all dogs.
Show dogs are, after all, trained by humans, groomed by humans and react to commands by humans along with the offering of special treats to encourage certain types of behavior. So, maybe the comparison is not too far off. Overall, the award shows represent a microcosm of all that is wrong with the current movie biz up until this point. So, as Tamblyn points out, that's finally all about to change. Time will tell.
19
It is unfair. The pooches are smarter
12
yes and no....i cant wait to see the most sexy and alluring silky black dresses and gowns draping the most beautiful women, making a symbolic gesture? really, if you truly want to make a statement, come dressed in black t shirts and sweats. now that would be courageous!
328
right @fyrfighter and others
or a nice pair of slacks (not tight) or dress with a decent length hem. Going to these awards ceremony is your JOB, it isn't recreation. Dress like real women dress to work.
Dressing up in designer gowns which don't really fit and flatter anyway and showing all your curves and more isn't the way to be taken seriously. Would a doctor or teacher or lawyer or construction manager or cashier go to work dressed like that?
19
A real statement of resistance would be if all actresses boycotted the event. Period. No pretty dresses that happen to be black. Imagine if every woman in Hollywood boycotted an event like the Oscars? Now that would be a powerful statement.
200
I applaud solidarity In the MeToo movement but I gotta say ladies: you really think that sexy little black dress that shows off half your boobs or most of your back or legs is the best way to say we deserve respect? people will look at what is obvious and on display. Notice that the guys are not putting their personal parts on display; so why are we? if you want to be taken seriously cover up your body parts. It's basic human nature to stare at what's featured. if you want to feature your mind and brain, put the focus on your face and head, not on your T and A.
351
Finally ...I have been looking for this aspect of our (women) protests.
14
"...you really think that sexy little black dress that shows off half your boobs or most of your back or legs is the best way to say we deserve respect?"
Actually, yes, it's the perfect litmus test as to whether they're actually being respected or not. The day women can wear what they themselves deem best or most desirable for themselves, and no one else makes it about how much skin they're showing or how form fitting the design - that's pretty much the test as to whether we're repsecting them or not. Until then, we give away how little we care about them as anything but sexual objects by caring only about their sexual charictaristics at the expense of all else.
1
Yes, wearing beautiful black gowns to a super-elite award show is the kind of commitment to change that would make MLK and Ghandi applaud in admiration.
198
How interesting to see two martyred heroes mentioned in these comments!
Mohandas Gandhi made a very strong statement by shedding his accustomed work clothes -- he was an attorney in South Africa in an era of conservative attire -- in favor of a simple all-white garment.
Martin Luther King, Jr. routinely wore suits very similar to what Presidential candidates wore. The choice was conscious. Malcolm X chose a different look, as did the Black Panthers. Some, like A. Phillip Randolph, dressed similarly to Dr. King.
Nehru jackets, Mao outfits, Che Rivera's beret -- all were recognizable.
Gandhi & King might like or dislike the sea of actresses clad in black, but they would have intuitively understood the symbolic power of clothing choices.
2
Oh that empty heads could be so full of themselves. If we needed real world examples of what our daughters should not become, this is it. These sort may keep their vapid pursuits and flesh merchant environment; they, like their egotistical musings, are unwelcome among decent folk.
47
I hope you'll forgive me for saying so, Ms. Tamblyn, but I think your role on the Red Carpet has already been supplanted by Instagram. Women want their own looks to be known far and wide....not to just gaze in wide wonder and admiration at those lucky enough to have been invited to some Hollywood awards show. Like so many other aspects of the entertainment industry - Southern California has been eclipsed by Northern California. I also don't see any detente forthcoming in the neverending arms race known as Beauty. It's been going on since recorded history began in every culture on Earth. I'm sure learned women and men throughout all those eons and cultures have complained about the lengths people go to look good...and then kept going those lengths again and again.
11
Amber, I respect you as an actress and advocate, but this argument makes no sense. If you don't want to wear a dress that fails to reflect your taste or make you feel your best, don't wear it. If you don't like all the make-up and styling, show up bare-faced. If you find these horse shows of an award ceremony, don't attend. Own your beliefs and live your truth. You can do that. A black gown is still a designer gown. You're still dressing the part of a "star." If you want to make a statement, show up as yourself.
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Frances McDormand is an actor. She shows up as herself, not as a starlet. She gives us all permission to do the same.
5
It is inspiring to see powerful women organize to bring awareness to sexual harassment with the TimesUp initiative. When gay men were dealing with ignorance and rejection around AIDS, they formed ACT UP. We must ensure the Black Lives Matter movement does not disappear the way Occupy Wall Street did. These groups are a reminder that if smart, bold, vocal citizens band together, they can make a difference.
19
True resistance would entail no makeup and cosmetic procedures. Too much emphasis is placed on clothing, but just how sincerely do these actresses want to take a stand?
46
As a middle-aged man reading this article while eating a piece of cake, I just can’t imagine the type of pressure young women in Hollywood (and really everywhere) are under. I really enjoy Ms. Tamblyn’s writing in this and previous articles to help others understand why things need to change.
14
This is truly a cynical exaggeration. If you are in an industry that is critical of appearances, attention to those details seems apt. Who wants to watch disengaged, entitled millennials with body fat (men and women) walk around on a red carpet? If you are in line to receive the attention, it seems like it should be the payoff to some kind of work, which I believe is why actors receive the pay and the attention that they do.
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And how many of them will still be wearing high heels and make up? (Two beauty standards that are much more fake, painful, and unhealthy than a colorful dress)
58
Good for you! I wish you the best of luck
6
In addition to wearing black, I hope many of the actresses will eschew the overly sexy, plunging necklines, peek-a-boo open backs, and other designs meant to show off too-skinny bodies rather than the whole person. There’s a reason men in black tie all look like penguins—you’re not supposed to judge a man by his cover. It’s time we respected women enough to let them dress like penguins at fancy awards ceremonies, too.
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They choose what they wear
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Well, there's always Diane Keaton: https://www.wmagazine.com/gallery/diane-keaton-style-evolution/all
Should be all black, covered skin, and comfortable shoes, to really send the message of freedom from objectification.
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I am obviously a man. On behalf of my teenage daughter and my wife, I would like to offer a thank you from the bottom of my heart to Amber Tamblyn, and all the Time’s Up activists, for making it easier to be a woman. I have never had to worry much about how I looked, or what I weighed, or how much I ate, or what parts of my body were showing, or what a friend or colleague’s intentions were, and I truly wish that the two people I love the most could have the same luxury.
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Thank you for being a great dad, husband and decent human being. Cheers.
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