After being accused of “victim-blaming” women who have experienced sexual assault, Mayim Bialik is offering her apologies.
The Big Bang Theory star took to Facebook Live to offer an explanation for her op-ed published by The New York Times this past Friday. In the piece, Bialik says that she was never targeted by sexual predators because of the way she looks.
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The 41-year-old actress drew heavy criticism from many in the Hollywood community including stars like Patricia Arquette, Emily Ratajkowski and Gabrielle Union. Bialik found it necessary to clarify her position on the issue.
“I have stayed off social media, but it has become clear to me that there are people who think that I either implied or overtly stated that you can be protected from assault because of the clothing that you wear or the behavior that you exhibit,” she said on Monday.
“That is absolutely not what my intention was, and I think that it is safe for me to start this conversation by saying there is no way to avoid being the victim of assault by what you wear or the way you behave,” she continued.
“I really do regret that this became what it became, because literally, I was trying to speak about a very specific experience I had in a very specific industry – I was not looking to speak about assault and rape in general,” Bialik said.
“I’m a human being, and there’s a lot that I’ve chosen not to share, but absolutely I am deeply, deeply hurt if any woman who has been assaulted – or man – thinks that in any way I was victim-blaming,” she said. “In 900 words, I did the best I could to describe an entire, very complicated dynamic that is really best left for a thesis or an hourlong talk.”
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In the New York Times piece, titled ‘Being a Feminist in Harvey Weinstein’s World,’ Bialik spoke out about the “flip-side” of sexual harassment. She wrote about the “upside of not being a ‘perfect 10,’” and also said, “I have almost no personal experience with men asking me to meetings in their hotel rooms.”
“As a proud feminist with little desire to diet, get plastic surgery or hire a personal trainer, I have almost no personal experience with men asking me to meeting in their hotel rooms,” Bialik wrote.
She continued by writing that actors “who don’t represent an impossible standard of beauty have the ‘luxury’ of being overlooked and, in many cases, ignored by men in power unless we can make them money.”
The piece was written in response to the number of allegations that have surfaced against Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein. Learn more here.
