French film icon Brigitte Bardot has become the latest prominent woman to denounce the international #MeToo movement, accusing participants who have been open about their experiences with sexual harassment and assault in Hollywood of looking for attention.
“Lots of actresses try to play the tease with producers to get a role. And then, so we will talk about them, they say they were harassed," Bardot said in a translated interview with Paris Match. “The vast majority are being hypocritical and ridiculous.” She also clarified that she "was never the victim of sexual harassment" and isn't intending to victim-blame the women speaking out against industry abuse and harassment. Rather, she said she "found it charming when men told me that I was beautiful or I had a nice little backside.”
In the past month, French actresses have proven to be frustratingly vocal detractors of #MeToo. Another film icon, Catherine Deneuve, was one of the signers of an open letter shared among 100 women in the country that challenged #MeToo and its French countermovement, #BalanceTonPorc. “Rape is a crime. But insistent or clumsy flirting is not a crime, nor is gallantry a chauvinist aggression,” the women wrote, in part. “As a result of the Weinstein affair, there has been a legitimate realization of the sexual violence women experience, particularly in the workplace, where some men abuse their power. It was necessary. But now this liberation of speech has been turned on its head.”
A few days later, though, Deneuve apologized for her involvement in the open letter, expressing remorse "to all the victims of these hideous acts who might have felt assaulted by the letter published." Although she claims parts of the letter weren't properly worded to her liking, she still believes the media is to blame for "lynching" undeserving men. But to the victims: "It is to them and them alone that I offer my apologies."
