Just ahead of the Bafta Awards in London Sunday night, some 190 British actresses lent their signatures to an open letter that denounced harassment, discrimination, sexism and abuse in workplaces in numerous industries around the world.
During the actual event, actresses donned black to express their outrage over the widespread practice and their solidarity with the victims and survivors of harassment and abuse.
Actress Emma Watson donated 1 million pounds to the UK Justice and Equality Fund, a movement that aims to make workplaces safe and to ensure support is available for anyone subjected to such treatment.
All these were spurred by the round of accusations against prominent men in show business who made their power felt by committing acts with impunity.
Beginning last year and with allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein coming out one by one, numerous victims of sexual harassment and abuse have come forward, some more decisively than others.
Weinstein is now far removed from the glamour of Hollywood—he is receiving treatment for his addiction. His reputation has gone to tatters. Similar tales of similarly powerful and accomplished men abound.
One by one, industries and workplaces around the world took notice anew and reviewed how they as organizations respond when these happen in their companies or agencies.
Along with these complaints surfaced the issues of gender pay gap, for instance, where men are paid more than women are even in jobs that entail the same level of responsibility, or skill, or risk.
Indeed because the noise came from and was sustained in Hollywood, the world took notice. But this is not about being spectators to the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Instead we discover how all this is mirrored in the lives of the lowly, simple, humble person in the neighborhood.
Harassment, discrimination and abuse are universal monsters. Let the noise not be confined to big names. Let their efforts and their inspiration for strength and resilience trickle down to non-famous people leading less-than-magical lives.