If there's one thing the Harvey Weinstein story has taught us, it's that women from all walks of life deal with sexual harassment and assault. Even rich, famous women. Even women with decidedly conservative politics. Women that we think would be somewhat insulated because of their privilege still are vulnerable to abuse.
This is something Megyn Kelly knows all too well. In 2016, she was one of several that come forward to reveal that she'd been sexually harassed by Roger Ailes, the former CEO of Fox News. Ailes died on May 18, 2017.
Today, Kelly penned an essay for Time, in which she urges men to be a part of the solution against sexual harassment. While some men are victims, men are overwhelming the perpetrators of sexual misconduct. She writes that "perhaps the most critical solution lies in partnership with the men. The harassers must stop; we know this. But male titans of industry must stand up for decency."
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Kelly is right. Without men holding each other accountable, or demonstrating to other men such actions are unacceptable, the "watershed moment" we're experiencing will only go so far. Kelly doesn't seem cynical that things will change right now, but she's aware of the challenges we face. "Now that we are in the midst of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, many are proclaiming, "This is it. It ends now." My take? Maybe. But we have a lot of work to do....Women alone cannot change the culture. We need men. Evolved ones. Kind ones," she writes. It's time for the men in our lives to step up, especially those men that have some kind of power.
Kelly also argues that having more women in power is a solution, too. "More women speaking up is huge. But more women in power — at or near the top of companies or industries — is equally important."
You can read her full essay here.
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