In the wake of the allegations against Harvey Weinstein that the New York Times and the New Yorker reported, Priyanka Chopra told a crowd at Marie Claire's Power Trip 2017 that Weinstein is only the beginning, not the end, of men abusing their power in the movie industry and beyond. "I don't think there is 'a' [Harvey Weinstein in India] and I don't even think honestly there is only 'a' Harvey Weinstein in Hollywood. I think there's a lot more out there, and there are a lot more men, and there will be a lot more stories that come up," Chopra told the crowd. "I think that happens not just in India but all over the world. It's just the power of a man trying to take away a woman's power."
But the conversation marks a turning point, Chopra told ELLE.com before Bumble Bizz's launch dinner in New York City last Thursday. "It's not a conversation just in Hollywood; it's something that happens in every entertainment, every business or every workplace first of all because there are thousands of men who are in positions of authority and that power is very often abused," she said. "The people who end up going through it [sexual harassment or abuse] are women, that's who it happens to mostly, and it's unfortunate."
The fact that people are speaking up and taking a stand, however, is incredibly hopeful. "It's so amazing to see so many women who have come together, especially using the hashtag #MeToo [to share publicly that they have been sexually harassed or assaulted], who have stood up shoulder-to-shoulder with each other saying enough, I'm not gonna stand for this anymore, this world isn't going to stand for it," Chopra said. "Women, whether it is abuse in whichever form—sexual, emotional, verbal—they're not gonna stand for it anymore and I think yes, there's so much more to do and the conversation needs to be as loud as possible but this is a great initial step."
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she's not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.
