Reports about producer Harvey Weinstein’s decades-long sexual abuse and harassment rocked Hollywood, with many of entertainment’s biggest names speaking out about their treatment.
On Friday, Mayim Bialik talked about the ‘flip-side’ of sexual harassment in an Op-Ed for The New York Times titled ‘Being a Feminist in Harvey Weinstein’s World.’
In the piece the Big Bang Theory star, 41, wrote about ‘the upside of not being a “perfect 10″‘ explaining ‘I have almost no personal experience with men asking me to meetings in their hotel rooms.’
Opinionated: Mayim Bialik (above in May) opened up about the ‘flip-side’ of sexual harassment in an Op-Ed for the New York Times titled ‘Being a Feminist in Harvey Weinstein’s World’
The former child star said that: ‘As a proud feminist with little desire to diet, get plastic surgery or hire a personal trainer, I have almost no personal experience with men asking me to meetings in their hotel rooms.’
She continued, saying that actors ‘who don’t represent an impossible standard of beauty have the “luxury” of being overlooked and, in many cases, ignored by men in power unless we can make them money.’
‘Nothing has been a harsher reminder that I work in an industry that profits on the exploitation of women — and not just on screen — than the accusations of Harvey Weinstein as a serial sexual assaulter, particularly of aspiring young actresses,’ the San Diego native wrote.
Plain jane: The Big Bang Theory star opened up about how she’d ‘experienced the upside of not being a “perfect 10″‘ explaining she has ‘no personal experience with men asking me to meetings in their hotel rooms’
‘It’s not clothing’: While many were pleased at reading the perspective of a less-than-perfect star, actress Patricia Arquette and others accused Mayim of ‘victim blaming’ in the piece
The former child star explained that as a feminist she’d always ‘had an uncomfortable relationship with being employed in an industry that profits on the objectification of women.’
These reasons are why the UCLA PhD said she was ‘honored’ to depict her Big Bang character Amy Farrah Fowler.
‘I am honored to depict a feminist who speaks her mind, who loves science and her friends and who sometimes wishes she were the hot girl’ she wrote.
‘Uncomfortable’: The former child star explained that as a feminist she’d always ‘had an uncomfortable relationship with being employed in an industry that profits on the objectification of women’ saying that’s why she loves playing scientist Amy Farrah Fowler
Mayim told readers ‘I have decided that my sexual self is best reserved for private situations with those I am most intimate with,’ adding, ‘I dress modestly. I don’t act flirtatiously with men as a policy.’
Although some were pleased at reading the perspective of a less-than-perfect star, others accused Mayim of ‘victim blaming’ in the piece.
Star Patricia Arquette tweeted: ‘I have to say I was dressed non provocatively as a 12 year old when men on the street masturbated at me. It’s not clothing,’ to the actress.
Ridiculous: Mayim defended herself writing, ‘Anyone who knows me and my feminism knows that’s absurd’ to accuse her of victim blaming
Saturday night the actress addressed the critiques via Twitter, writing ‘I… see a bunch of people have taken my words out of the context of the Hollywood machine and twisted them to imply that God forbid I would blame a woman for her assault based on her clothing or behavior.’
‘Anyone who knows me and my feminism knows that’s absurd and not at all what this piece was about. It’s so sad how vicious people are being when I basically live to make things better for women.’
The star added that she intends to have a Facebook live conversation on Monday to clarify what she was saying and listen to fans.
Open discussion: Saturday night the actress addressed the critiques, also announcing that she’ll host a live conversation on Monday to clarify what she was saying and listen to fans