Sexual Harassment in the Fashion Industry

Recent Allegations Of Sexual Assault In The Fashion Industry Prove #MeToo Is All the same Forgetting Some Victims

The silence of fashion'due south most powerful voices is deafening to #MeToo's latest victims - by

When cries of the #MeToo movement began back in 2017, sparked by accusations of sexual harassment and corruption against disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, information technology was Hollywood'south biggest names that were among its loudest supporters.

The worldwide reckoning was further fuelled when actress Alyssa Milano asked other women to come up forward with the simple words 'Me Likewise', in support of Rose McGowan'southward allegations."If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote 'Me likewise' equally a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem," she wrote at the time.

The mail was met with overwhelming numbers. Celebrities including Lady Gaga, Debra Messing and Evan Rachel Forest were among the commencement to add their voices to the movement, while some of the most prestigious award shows of the flavour—from the Academy Awards to the Golden Globes—saw colourful gowns traded in for blackness designs, a symbol of solidarity with victims around the world.

Four years on, a string of sexual misconduct allegations have been put forrad against some of the way manufacture's biggest names—nigh recently, designer Alexander Wang. Just while social media has connected to telephone call out those in the style world defendant of inappropriate behaviour, many who were frequently song throughout the Weinstein trials have gone mute—which, has non gone unnoticed.

Many are beginning to enquire:where are those voices now?

On Dec 29, 2020, a post showtime shared by Shit Model Mgmt and fashion watchdog Diet Prada, defendant Wang of sexually assaulting several models—allegations that were showtime brought frontwards past Owen Mooney, a British model who bravely shared his story via a series of TikTok videos.

In the videos, Mooney details an encounter in a New York City gild, where he alleges he was groped by Wang. Some other alleged incident, submitted by an anonymous source, claimed Wang laced their drink with MDMA, while some other alleged Wang coerced them into his room for the nighttime.

"Alexander Wang is an alleged sexual predator, many male models and trans models accept come out and spoken about the alleged sexual abuse that Alexander Wang has inflicted upon them," Shit Model Mgmt's postal service read. "It is important to evidence your support to these victims past unfollowing Alexander Wang and boycotting his clothing line."

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Wang has since refuted all allegations.

"Over the last few days, I have been on the receiving terminate of baseless and grotesquely simulated accusations," the designer began in a argument. "These claims have been wrongfully amplified by social media accounts infamous for posting defamatory cloth from undisclosed and/or bearding sources with zero testify or any fact-checking any."

"Seeing these lies virtually me existence perpetuated as truths has been infuriating," Wang continued. "I accept never engaged in the awful behaviour described and would never conduct myself in the manner that's been alleged. I intend to get to the lesser of this and hold answerable whoever is responsible for originating these claims and viciously spreading them online."

The designer joins a long list of influential and entertainment personalities that take been defendant of sexual misconduct, and while just four years ago Hollywood voices were among the loudest advocates, their silence is now deafening to #MeToo'due south latest victims.

"In an era of #MeToo and the solidarity victims received from Hollywood, where is the same support for the victims of Wang?" the model said, in one TikTok video. "This is why so many accusations of his get brushed under the rug, along with accusations of prominent figures in mode, for that matter."

Mooney posed the theory that gender plays a pregnant role in the way survivors are treated—with most contempo allegations put forward by members of the LGBTQI+, including several trans men and women.

"I can't help but question if this has something to do with this being about men, queer and trans people? Does the ideology that nosotros are not victims of sexual assault exist? What would the response be if a world-renowned mode designer was drugging and sexually assaulting cis women?"

"There were then many people in Hollywood who tirelessly advocated for the #MeToo move, which was truly incredible, but these same people are now turning a blind eye to the current allegations. The response to the message of #UsToo has been enlightening, it's clear that people are shocked and disappointed in the zero support from people in Hollywood and way. These people are idolized past so many, so when they pick and choose their activism, information technology's very disheartening."

Equally a effect, the #UsToo motility is gaining momentum in the hopes of encouraging victims to proceed coming forward, despite the apparent lack of back up from powerful players in the mode industry. Taking to his personal Instagram account, Mooney described exactly what the growing move is.

He began, "#UsToo is a response to the Hollywood silence, it is not to diminish the important bulletin and piece of work of #MeToo. What victims need more than ever is to be heard and believed. We should be supported alongside #MeToo and importantly backed by the people in style and Hollywood. But instead, it'due south radio silence."

"Is there any departure to what is happening now compared to what happened back and so? No difference only the fact these assaults are against male person, queer and trans people; so it seems #MeToo quite mayhap could be lacking in inclusivity."

The term was commencement penned by lawyer and author Sophia Nelson in 2017 as a style to brand the #MeToo conversation racially inclusive, which now extends to minority groups that are however failing to be heard.

The Model Alliance, which works to "promote off-white treatment, equal opportunity and sustainable practices in the way industry," has since announced that it "stands in solidarity with those who have shared accusations of sexual corruption by Alexander Wang."

The statement, which was first reported pastWWD, reads: "Let's be articulate: The manner industry'southward lack of transparency and accountability leaves all models vulnerable to corruption, regardless of their sexual activity or gender identity."

If you or someone you know needs help or communication, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. If you lot demand assistance immediately, please call 000.

Grace Back

Grace Dorsum is a journalist and was formerly the Digital Civilization Editor across ELLE and marie claire Commonwealth of australia. When non stuck in a seemingly endless Instagram scroll, yous'll find Grace with her caput in a good book.