Slutsky and Bitchin' | The only thing that ‘confused’ Weinstein was he, a powerful man, was held accountable
Slutsky: With Harvey Weinstein's sentencing, there has been some resolution for accusers. As the defining case that will now forever be linked to the #MeToo movement, it is also a vindication of listening to stories of abuse and how victims, for their own safety, continue placating predators even after they have been raped.
Bitchin': Were you surprised that Weinstein spoke before his sentencing? I was... especially since he is planning to appeal.
Slutsky: Not really. He would have seen it as his last-ditch attempt to secure a lighter sentence. But his speech does give us insight into the mindset of a powerful predator -- how despite 80 plus women narrating strikingly similar stories of being molested or attacked by Weinstein or being intimidated by him into doing things they weren't comfortable with, he is still "confused" about what he did wrong.
Bitchin': To quote, he said: "I had wonderful times with these people, you know," addressing Miriam Haley and Jessica Mann. Before that, he had compared himself to blacklisted victims during the McCarthy era. "I’m totally confused and I think men are confused about all of these issues,” he said as if his predatory and abusive behavior was a breach of social etiquette rather than criminal behavior. He saw himself as a victim of a witch hunt for, what was in his eyes, minor infractions -- bad behavior but not criminal behavior.
Slutsky: Like when he groped Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, a 22-year-old Italian-Filipina, in 2015? He grabbed her breasts and put his hand up her skirt during a business meeting. Can you imagine how ludicrous that is -- when did a man last go into a meeting and have his balls fondled randomly? How can you be "confused" about that kind of behavior?
Bitchin': But here's the thing. His actions are and will always be criminal and morally repugnant but it was also behavior that was culturally sanctioned until very recently. It is why Gutierrez, despite having him confess on tape that he had sexually assaulted her, had to back down in 2015. The DA's office under pressure from Weinstein's lawyers folded and never took up her case. She had to sign an NDA with Weinstein, fearing for her family's members' lives. Weinstein is not confused.
However, he is puzzled about being found guilty because he thought he was operating within the "limits" of what his power and privilege afforded him. Since he was who he was, he believed he had "societal permission" to do what he wanted with women. It is the same mentality Donald Trump exhibited when he said: "when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the pu**y. You can do anything." Weinstein also believed he could do anything.
Slutsky: Yes, the more I think of it I am glad of his long sentence. I hope it clears up the "confusion" for other men like him.
Slutsky & Bitchin’ is a weekly column that will examine the highs and lows of pop culture and media from a feminist POV. The column is published every Saturday.