2018 Golden Globes: Why Were So Many Men Silent About the #MeToo Movement?

The 2018 Golden Globes was a spotlight for women to reclaim their time, as they rise like powerful phoenixes above Hollywood's scattered ashes filled with years of uncovered sexual assault and misconduct incidents. But the lack of men supporting the cause was too noticeable to not mention.

The ceremony's dress code was all black: a sign to show solidarity for the #MeToo movement, which finally woke people up in regards to the dark underbelly of this nation. Many (but not all) high-profile female and male actors emerged on the red carpet donning black suits with Time's Up pins, dresses and jumpsuits. While the wardrobe change was meant to spark a conversation, it's important to note that nearly all men show up to red carpet events wearing black tuxedos—so how revolutionary was this move?

When it came time for the ceremony, actresses like Laura Dern, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Frances McDormand gave motivational and timely speeches that called out Hollywood's treatment of women that enforced Time's Up. The initiative, which is also a legal defense fund backed by $13 million in donations to help women in need, seeks to tackle sexual harassment claims. Natalie Portman also took a subtly savage dig at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, pointing out the all-male directors, while Debra Messing brilliantly called out E! on the red carpet for not giving equal pay to their female employees in the wake of Catt Sadler's exit. And how can we forget Oprah's incredibly powerful and raw speech during her acceptance of the Cecil B. DeMille Award that rang in the hearts of everyone watching? 

But again...was this enough?

Seth Meyers, the host of the night, turned up the much-needed heat with his gripping Harvey Weinstein jokes. Yet that flame didn't carry on throughout the ceremony. The Golden Globes seemed to be yet another night for the male actors and directors, as reporters asked them more about their work than the #MeToo movement. Justin Timberlake narcissistically cut into his wife Jessica Biel's interview as if he was prepared to self-promote his upcoming album (or his new Woody Allen-directed movie) and Alexander Skarsgard won Best Supporting Actor for his role as an abusive and rapist husband in Big Little Lies and didn't mention the night's theme in his speech. Actually, none of the men who won last night made any reference to #MeToo or Time's Up.

James Franco's Best Actor for The Disaster Artist was a big highlight for many, as he brought Tommy Wiseau on stage before awkwardly cutting him off. But let's not forget the 39-year-old actor reportedly tried to hook up with a 17-year-old on Instagram back in 2014. Gary Oldman, who won Best Actor for Darkest Hour, is riddled with a dark past as well. In 2001, Oldman’s then-wife Donya Fiorentino filed papers claiming the assaulted her in front of their children with a telephone. And then there's Kirk Douglas. The last remaining member of the Golden Age and a Hollywood legend came on the stage with his daughter-in-law, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Douglas has previously been met with scandal, as a 2012 Gawker article revealed he reportedly raped Natalie Wood when she was 16.

Yes, as Oprah referenced in her speech, these men need to finally listen to what women have to say. And maybe some of them didn't want to take a stand in fear of mansplaining. But many of these actors, producers and executives (Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt, etc.) have been aware about their male counterparts' sexual abuse allegations for decades—Harvey Weinstein included. So why should we continue to expect these men to remain silent when these women are bravely taking a stand? In an era where Hollywood has been exposed for its wrongdoings more than ever before, we need these men to speak up. 

Their time of blindly tolerating sexual abuse is now up.