MAKING A STAND

DESPITE OUR TECHNOLOGY TODAY, it occasionally occurs to me that we have progressed very little since our more primitive days as Neanderthals. We are still both delighted and plagued by sensory memories of the days back when men and women lived in caves in fear of starvation, freezing to death and slaughter by animals. We take great pleasure in the sound of rapid running water in a nearby stream; we bizarrely feel comfort in the flames and sounds of a cracking good open fire; we take delight whenever we feel able to eat outdoors in a warm shade while the sun beats down; and some men still get a hard on and can behave aggressively whenever they see a fruity female flashing the flesh.

THUS WE STILL TODAY witness disgusting cases of harassment of women by men in high places of power and influence, as shown since the Harvey Weinstein case by dozens of accusations against top people in film, theatre, television and politics, particularly in the USA and the UK, where the media feel they have the freedom to report on these issues without fear of being clapped in irons.

IT IS THUS GOOD NEWS to see the beginning of the "Times Up" campaign, which has been set up by a group of prominent American and British actresses in order to raise awareness about how women are exploited and often harassed by producers, executives, directors, casting directors and indeed other actors.

FOR FAR TOO LONG NOW those involved in the media have seen serious actress as nothing more than flesh and -- no doubt puzzled at why some men think that women are "available" in exchange for a part in a movie or a promotion -- these brave actresses have come forward to make a stand.

FOR MY PART, I SAY hat's off to Eva Longoria,

 Emma Stone,

Natalie Portman,

Kerry Washington,

and Rashida Jones

for launching this brave initiative that will no doubt be another step on the way to seeing female actresses achieve the same respect as their male counterparts.

BUT SERIOUSLY, HAVING WORKED AS A DIRECTOR, casting director and occasional producer of both plays and films in the late eighties and early nineties, and in various capacities in the cinema since then, I propose a further move that will help to clear up this mess. Someone should form a similar association or launch a similar campaign through which honest men could denounce and expose actresses (or women in any other capacity for that matter) who offer sex or sexual acts to men in exchange for a part. I know from personal experience that this happens. Shouldn't these women be exposed?

My photographs are taken from various magazine shoots or publicity handouts that these actresses were no doubt forced to undertake.