While claiming to support those attacked, Hollywood activists spurn the heroes who launched their cause.

If you avoided Sunday’s Golden Globes telecast — and who could blame you for making a wise decision — you missed out on an unending phalanx of self-congratulatory backslapping by an industry that was complicit in its own scandal. The theme of the entire night was how “brave” all the actresses and actors were for wearing black outfits to protest sexual attacks. Yet notably absent from their red carpet catharsis were the very women who brought this story to national attention.

It was a severe case of closing the golden security gates after the rapey cows had already soiled the industry. Throughout the pre-show and during the ceremony we were treated to lectures about “standing up to abuse”, and “giving a voice to the victims”. But there are harsh realities behind all the stern acceptance speeches and grave-looking expressions. These are the same people who allowed the predatory monsters to run amok, looking the other way as they continued to employ their power to menace the weaker.

While actresses were aglow with self-determination their shallow claims were easily exposed. The buzzword of the night was “Bravery”. Yet no one dared to utter the name Weinstein, nor anyone else chased away by scandal. When host Seth Meyers cracked that “Harvey Weinstein will be the first person to be booed during the Oscars ‘In Memorium’ segment”, the audience loudly murmured with uncomfortable resistance. Because they are so brave and resilient, understand. There also was no gratitude for Ronan Farrow (a Hollywood scion, ironically) whose reporting helped expose the Weinstein abuse.

Also missing from all the claims of standing up, and giving the victims their voice, was the prominent celebrity victims of Harvey Weinstein. It turns out these ladies – whose reputations and careers have been forever altered — were not even invited to the resistance gala. Rose McGowan, who essentially helped open the floodgates of the accusations, wrote on Twitter: “Not one of those fancy people wearing black to honor our rapes would have lifted a finger had it not been so. I have no time for Hollywood fakery.”

And not one of those fancy people wearing black to honor our rapes would have lifted a finger had it not been so. I have no time for Hollywood fakery, but you I love, .@AsiaArgento #RoseArmy https://t.co/9e0938y5sI

— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) January 8, 2018

She was responding to Actress Asia Argento, another preyed-upon performer who came forward against Weinstein. “I can only speak for myself but not only I wasn’t invited to the #GoldenGlobes: nobody asked my opinion about #TIMESUP or to sign the letter, wrote the actress. “Guess I am not POWERFUL or HOLLYWOOD enough. Proud to work behind the scenes.”

Another of Weinstein’s famous targets was Rosanna Arquette. She too confirmed that she, and other named victims, were not asked to be included in the Globes’ celebratory circle-jerk ceremony. “ No we weren’t invited. Annabella [Sciorra], Daryl [Hannah], Mira [Sorvino] … none of us were.”

Consider this reality for a moment. With all of the posturing and speechifying that took place, all of the import assured in the stances and the insistence that these peacocks were making a difference, how much more deeply impactful would it have been to have these truly brave women joining them in front of the cameras and in front of the world? Think of the meaning that would have been delivered to have these warriors standing proud, defying the marginalization. Their appearance would have been a staggering and tangible blow against the attackers. Instead Hollywood tried to pretend they cared.

It was all empty gestures and prideful boasting.
It was vacant claims of “making a difference” while taking no action beyond tugging on a monochrome dress.
It was taking credit for impacting a deeply dark issue when the real effort was made months earlier by reporters like Farrow, and the New York Times.
It was claiming to make a bold stance all while not daring to utter the names of the guilty as if they were all Voldemort.
And it was the claim they were standing beside victims of assault, all while the very celebrity ladies who provoked the REAL changes were dispatched, and ignored.

Hollywood has been exposed as an industry that accepts, and permits, this vile and destroying behavior. For decades they have been looking the other way. Now with the cameras trained on them, they want to look like they care about the problem. Ignoring the actresses who were brave enough to bring this to light further exposes the celebrity hypocrisy.