WATCH: In the year of “Me Too” and “Times Up”, UVic women say messages of solidarity at Sunday’s Golden Globes are encouraging. Isabelle Raghem reports.
In the year of “Me Too” and “Times Up,” the buzz surrounding Sunday’s Golden Globes isn’t about the best picture or who won best actress. Instead, it’s on abuse, equality and what comes next.
The day after the awards, female students at the University of Victoria say last night’s conversations are encouraging.
“We’re finally having an open conversation about just the amount women who are being harassed and assaulted in our society and we’re actually starting to do something about it,” says Leslie Ahenda, a third-year UVic Student.
“For too long women have not been heard or believed if they dared to speak their truth to the power of those men. But their time is up,” said Oprah at the Golden Globe Sunday.
Oprah Winfrey was the first black woman ever to receive the Globes’ Cecil B. Demille award. She brought the audience to its feet with her speech, which was trending worldwide by Monday.
It was a call for change resonating with women miles away, including here on Vancouver Island.
“Maybe we are at this critical point in time or tipping point where we will listen more thoughtfully to stories,” says UVic Political Science Professor Janni Aragon.
Women at UVic say they aren’t surprised Oprah’s speech and the “Time’s Up” movement is getting a lot of attention.
“But I think it’s really good there are bigger conversations happening,” said one student.
“I’m sure my friends have and I’ve definitely experienced harassment like just on the street and from people that I know, it happens all the time,” added Ahenda.
Aragon predicts last night will have a trickle-down effect.
“When we’ve had famous people, public people talk about their experiences with being a survivor of domestic violence, the number is there. We see an increase in people making phone calls or reporting.”
As part of Canada-wide event, women will march in downtown Victoria on Jan. 20.
Crowds expected to be in the tens of thousands of messages like Oprah’s continue to spread.
Isabelle Raghem
