Latest news with #SheSaid
Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
I am that unpleasant woman…
I am that woman who, at a party, will not stand for mansplaining or laugh at jokes about men doing the dishes. I am that woman who refuses to serve my male relatives before I serve myself. I am that woman who will not solely bear the burden of keeping the family healthy and happy. I am that woman who will not explain to curious people why my husband and I have different surnames. I am that woman who will not back off from an argument as a show of respect to older men. I am that woman who will judge people who save for their son's education and their daughter's wedding. I am that person who thinks boys should be taught needlework in school. I am that woman who doesn't shy away from talking about sport in a room full of men watching a game. I am that woman who has had fingernails dug into her arm to silence her and got stern looks from male relatives telling me that I was crossing limits. I am that woman who refused to be donated (kanyadaan) in marriage. I am that woman who is not scared to call herself a feminist in front of those who cringe at the word. I am that woman who was told to eat less and speak less by a well-meaning aunt who will never be caught telling her nephews the same thing. I am that person who thinks patriarchy sucks, however benevolent. I am that woman who creates marital discord by telling young girls to hold their ground and encourages family feuds by telling women that they have equal rights in property as their brothers do. I am that woman who never gave my daughter a kitchen set to play with. I am that woman who people call cantankerous because she has an imposing voice. I am that woman who cannot sit cross-legged. I am that woman who is called neurotic and mad… why? Because she is menopausal. I am that woman who unapologetically loves to wear make-up, shop and attend kitty parties. I am that woman who doesn't wear sindoor, mangalsutra or keep karva chauth. I am that woman who will not keep quiet in fear of being socially boycotted. Yes, I am that unpleasant woman. And, finally, I am proud to be one at 50. The writer is a Delhi-based freelance journalist who has worked with major Indian publications for over 25 years. National Editor Shalini Langer curates the fortnightly 'She Said' column
Mint
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Harvey Weinstein says he is 'wrongfully convicted,' former friends fear 'being cancelled'
Washington [US], May 21 (ANI): As his retrial on rape and sexual assault charges proceeds in New York, former filmmaker Harvey Weinstein has publicly reiterated his claim of innocence in a rare on-camera interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens. As per The Hollywood Reporter, the podcast episode marks Weinstein's first such appearance in nearly eight years. The timing of the interview is notable, as it coincided with the testimony of Jessica Mann, the final of three women to take the stand against Weinstein in the ongoing case. The charges include allegations from Miriam Haley, who claims Weinstein forced oral sex on her in 2006, and Kaja Sokola, who says she endured a similar assault the same year. Weinstein, a once-powerful Hollywood producer, began the interview by reading from a prepared statement in which he acknowledged personal failings but denied any criminal conduct. "I believe women should be heard, but I'm wrongfully convicted," he said, adding, "Justice demands a clear, honest look at each case, and I am here for fairness and the truth," as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. "I made mistakes, no question about it. I hurt my family, cheated on my wife, and I regret that deeply. But I did not commit these crimes. I swear that before God, my family, and everyone watching," the former Hollywood mogul said. According to what sources familiar with the situation told The Hollywood Reporter, Weinstein's legal team had no prior knowledge of the interview. His spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, said discussions are still ongoing regarding whether Weinstein will testify in court. The prosecution is expected to wrap up its case by May 28. During the conversation, Weinstein expressed frustration that former friends and associates had distanced themselves out of fear of public backlash. "They're scared of being cancelled, scared they won't work again," he said, noting that attempts to get acquaintances to testify on his behalf were unsuccessful. He also addressed allegations made by Gwyneth Paltrow, who previously said Weinstein made an unwanted advance early in her career. Weinstein admitted to making a pass, but denied any physical misconduct. "I said, 'I'd love you to give me a massage,' and she brushed it off," he said, adding, "That was it. I didn't touch her," as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. Weinstein also decried being labelled the face of the #MeToo movement, asserting that the media, particularly The New York Times, unfairly targeted him. He referenced the film She Said, based on the investigation into his misconduct, claiming its poor box office performance showed limited public interest. "They wanted me in jail forever," he said, adding, "She Said flopped at the box office, and maybe that shows the public's lack of interest in this narrative," as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. Despite his historical support for Democratic causes, Weinstein praised Owens and podcast host Joe Rogan, both of whom have expressed doubt about the validity of the charges against him. Weinstein's endorsement of Owens came amid controversy surrounding her past statements, including accusations of antisemitism that reportedly led to her departure from The Daily Wire, as per The Hollywood Reporter. (ANI)
Perth Now
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Patricia Clarkson warned she'd 'never work again' after 'ugly' Harvey Weinstein clash
Patricia Clarkson has claimed Harvey Weinstein warned her she'd "never work again". The 65-year-old actress crossed paths with the disgraced producer - who is currently in jail after being found guilty of sex crimes - when he wanted to submit her for a Best Supporting Actress Oscars nomination for her role in Miramax's 2003 film 'The Station Agent' and she disagreed because her part was the lead. She told Business Insider: 'I hate when actors put themselves in false categories. I think that's something that needs to be addressed by the Academy. Too often it happens. 'When you are supporting, you should be truly a supporting player, and when you're the lead, you have to step up and go into a harder category. I was the lead in 'Station Agent', so I said, 'No, Harvey, I'm not going into supporting.'' Instead, she received a Supporting Actress nod that same year for her work in 'Pieces of April' and things "got ugly" with the producer. She added: 'I'm definitely supporting in that. Katie Holmes is clearly the lead of that film. 'So I went up against Harvey, and he told me I'd never work again. It got very ugly.' More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct since 2017 so while Patricia acknowledged her experience was "difficult and terrible", she rarely addresses it because it wasn't as severe as other people's exchanges with the producer. She said: "This was patter to me, what I went through with Harvey. It was still difficult and terrible what he did to me, but compared to so many women who went through so much more, it was odd to talk about it." But the veteran actress admitted her decision to play New York Times editor Rebecca Corbett in 2022's 'She Said' - which chronicles the investigation into Weinstein's behaviour - was motivated by her own experience. She said: 'Of course it was a motivation."
Belfast Telegraph
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Former model gives evidence in Harvey Weinstein's retrial
But that jury was never told about Kaja Sokola's claim. Prosecutors have said they still were investigating the allegation when film tycoon Weinstein was convicted in February 2020 of charges based on other women's accusations. On Wednesday, Ms Sokola began to tell a new jury her story. Ms Sokola did not look at Weinstein as she walked past him and into the witness box in a Manhattan court where he is on trial again. An appeals court overturned his 2020 rape and sexual assault conviction, sending those charges back for retrial, and prosecutors subsequently added another sexual assault charge based on Ms Sokola's allegations. Kaja Sokola at the premiere of She Said in 2022 (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) As she began giving evidence about her life before the alleged 2006 assault, Weinstein looked towards her, with his right hand across his mouth. Weinstein, 73, has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. His lawyers contend that his accusers consented to sexual encounters with him in hopes of getting film and TV opportunities, and the defence has emphasised that the women stayed in contact with him for a while after the alleged assaults. The women, meanwhile, say the Oscar-winning producer used the prospect of show business work to prey on them. The Polish-born Ms Sokola, 39, sued Weinstein after industry whispers about his behaviour toward women became a chorus of public accusations in 2017, fuelling the MeToo movement and its calls for accountability for sexual misconduct. Prosecutors have said Ms Sokola eventually received 3.5 million dollars (£2.63 million) in compensation. She was introduced to Weinstein while on a modelling trip to New York in 2002, when she was 16, according to prosecutors. In her lawsuits, Ms Sokola said that shortly after she met Weinstein, he invited her to lunch to discuss her career but then sexually assaulted her. The lawsuits alleged he sexually harassed and emotionally abused her for years afterwards. The criminal charge stems from one instance when Ms Sokola maintains that Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her in a Manhattan hotel in May 2006. Prosecutors have said it happened after Weinstein arranged for Ms Sokola to be an extra in the film The Nanny Diaries and met her visiting older sister, whom she was trying to impress. 'She was proud of knowing him,' her sister, cardiologist Dr Ewa Sokola, told jurors on Wednesday. She said the three of them met in a hotel lobby, chatted for about an hour about Italian movies and the heavyset Weinstein's heart health, and then he and the model left the table together. Kaja Sokola was tense when she returned about half an hour later — 'like somebody waiting for the result of an exam' or the Oscars — but did not say anything about the alleged sexual assault, Dr Sokola told jurors. She said she was shocked to learn about the claim over a decade later, when she read about it in a magazine article. Weinstein's lawyers will get a chance to question Kaja Sokola in the coming days. In an opening statement last month, defence lawyer Arthur Aidala questioned why she waited years to come forward. Prosecutors have argued that accusers were reluctant to speak up because of Weinstein's wealth and influence. Prosecutors have said Ms Sokola's lawyers contacted them on the eve of Weinstein's first trial to say she was willing to be interviewed. Prosecutors have said they soon spoke to her and began investigating, but did not initially pursue charges because Weinstein was convicted and the coronavirus pandemic loomed. They revived the Sokola investigation after New York's highest court reversed Weinstein's conviction. Weinstein's lawyers fought unsuccessfully to keep Ms Sokola's allegation out of the retrial. They accused prosecutors of 'smuggling an additional charge into the case for the improper purpose of bolstering the credibility' of other accusers. One of the others, Miriam Haley, testified last week that Weinstein forced oral sex on her in 2006. The third accuser in the case, Jessica Mann, is expected to testify later. The Associated Press generally does not name sexual assault accusers without their permission, which Ms Haley, Ms Mann and Ms Sokola have given.
The Herald Scotland
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Former model gives evidence in Harvey Weinstein's retrial
On Wednesday, Ms Sokola began to tell a new jury her story. Ms Sokola did not look at Weinstein as she walked past him and into the witness box in a Manhattan court where he is on trial again. An appeals court overturned his 2020 rape and sexual assault conviction, sending those charges back for retrial, and prosecutors subsequently added another sexual assault charge based on Ms Sokola's allegations. Kaja Sokola at the premiere of She Said in 2022 (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) As she began giving evidence about her life before the alleged 2006 assault, Weinstein looked towards her, with his right hand across his mouth. Weinstein, 73, has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. His lawyers contend that his accusers consented to sexual encounters with him in hopes of getting film and TV opportunities, and the defence has emphasised that the women stayed in contact with him for a while after the alleged assaults. The women, meanwhile, say the Oscar-winning producer used the prospect of show business work to prey on them. The Polish-born Ms Sokola, 39, sued Weinstein after industry whispers about his behaviour toward women became a chorus of public accusations in 2017, fuelling the MeToo movement and its calls for accountability for sexual misconduct. Prosecutors have said Ms Sokola eventually received 3.5 million dollars (£2.63 million) in compensation. She was introduced to Weinstein while on a modelling trip to New York in 2002, when she was 16, according to prosecutors. In her lawsuits, Ms Sokola said that shortly after she met Weinstein, he invited her to lunch to discuss her career but then sexually assaulted her. The lawsuits alleged he sexually harassed and emotionally abused her for years afterwards. The criminal charge stems from one instance when Ms Sokola maintains that Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her in a Manhattan hotel in May 2006. Prosecutors have said it happened after Weinstein arranged for Ms Sokola to be an extra in the film The Nanny Diaries and met her visiting older sister, whom she was trying to impress. 'She was proud of knowing him,' her sister, cardiologist Dr Ewa Sokola, told jurors on Wednesday. She said the three of them met in a hotel lobby, chatted for about an hour about Italian movies and the heavyset Weinstein's heart health, and then he and the model left the table together. Kaja Sokola was tense when she returned about half an hour later — 'like somebody waiting for the result of an exam' or the Oscars — but did not say anything about the alleged sexual assault, Dr Sokola told jurors. Dr Ewa Sokola arrives in court in Manhattan on Wednesday (Spencer Platt/Pool Photo via AP) She said she was shocked to learn about the claim over a decade later, when she read about it in a magazine article. Weinstein's lawyers will get a chance to question Kaja Sokola in the coming days. In an opening statement last month, defence lawyer Arthur Aidala questioned why she waited years to come forward. Prosecutors have argued that accusers were reluctant to speak up because of Weinstein's wealth and influence. Prosecutors have said Ms Sokola's lawyers contacted them on the eve of Weinstein's first trial to say she was willing to be interviewed. Prosecutors have said they soon spoke to her and began investigating, but did not initially pursue charges because Weinstein was convicted and the coronavirus pandemic loomed. They revived the Sokola investigation after New York's highest court reversed Weinstein's conviction. Weinstein's lawyers fought unsuccessfully to keep Ms Sokola's allegation out of the retrial. They accused prosecutors of 'smuggling an additional charge into the case for the improper purpose of bolstering the credibility' of other accusers. One of the others, Miriam Haley, testified last week that Weinstein forced oral sex on her in 2006. The third accuser in the case, Jessica Mann, is expected to testify later. The Associated Press generally does not name sexual assault accusers without their permission, which Ms Haley, Ms Mann and Ms Sokola have given.
