Michael Douglas on molestation charges: "I never masturbated in front of her"
'What if she just thought it all up?'
This thought can paralyze everything. For decades, this idea was usually taken for granted and is probably the reason why thousands of women have been silent for years. In the course of the #Metoo movement, we finally put this idea aside for months, leaving the final verdict to the judges and listening to and believing the women.
But now Michael Douglas has brought in an interview with the film magazine "Deadline" exactly this thought again in the foreground. The two-time Oscar winner goes into harassment charges that stand against him in the room? not yet public, but apparently about to become public.
"Masturbating in front of her eyes"? whereupon Douglas reacts with the interview
As the actor reports, he received press inquiries from the "Hollywood Reporter" and "Vanity Fair" on statements by a former colleague of Douglas. Apparently she accuses the 72-year-old, 33 years ago in her presence "flowery and dirty expressions" used to have made them bad after the end of the business relationship in the industry and? and this is the most serious accusation? to have masturbated in front of her eyes.
While Douglas does not completely reject the first two allegations? it is possible that she overheard private conversations in which he may not always have expressed himself politically correct; if colleagues asked him about her, did he give an honest testimonial about her job performance? denies the actor the masturbation charge vehemently.
Douglas always supported the #Metoo movement
"That's completely a lie, fictitiously invented, nothing is true about it, but nothing is true," Douglas told Deadline. Being accused in this way is "extremely painful" for him, who is proud of his reputation in the industry and has always supported both his wife Catherine Zeta Jones and the empowering movement. His children also suffered from the allegations: "It's very hard for my children to go to school and fear that an article about me will be published that accuses me of sexual harassment, they are scared and feel bad . "
Douglas suspects that the prosecutor, who also runs a blog in which she occasionally drops his name, promises a book order from the story. But with false accusations she not only hits him and his family, but pitys the entire #Metoo movement, the actor said, "This is the kind of storyline that can bring down the #Metoo movement."
What should we think of it now?
If we believe Michael Douglas, just because his kids are afraid to go to school? what do we suggest to this woman? We MUST take her story seriously. It is by no means devious, even if Douglas denies it so vehemently.
On the other hand, we can not simply condemn Michael Douglas as a pig. We can not just annul all his merits and accomplishments and maybe change our mind about him 180 degrees because this woman is now unpacking him ... right?
One of the most sensitive points of #Metoo
Michael Douglas puts his finger on one of the most sensitive points in the #Metoo debate, which is fraught with many discussions: What if empowering destroys the life of a wrongfully accused man? If we always pretend that it is absolutely out of the question for a woman to abuse her power (for example, the charge of harassment), we are just as unfair as those who always say 'What if she just made it up?' have asked and ask.
Yes, the number of false accusations is negligible compared to the number of actual incidents, and the number of cases that do not come to light or that falsely apply the principle of "in doubt for the accused" is a hundred times greater and more worrying , But this brings us back to an age-old question of conscience: is it possible to make up for the fate of one individual (man) against the fates of many (women) and possibly also future generations (of women)?
One step back: Why did #Metoo come?
It seems important to recall here once again what is the reason for the #Metoo movement: We have an immense power imbalance between man and woman all over the world. With #Metoo, we've taken the tiny step of giving women that bit more power, listening to them, and taking them seriously. We have to stick to it at any cost.
But perhaps we need to look ahead more often, wondering where we want to go, instead of looking back and feeling upset about the past, in order to be able to sustain it and move forward.
After all, since the beginning of the #Metoo debate, virtually nothing has happened in Germany. The strongest faction in the Bundestag sits comfortably there with its 20 percent women and leads exploratory talks. An ineffective law "For More Wage Justice" has come into effect, which is sold as Empowering Success.
Outlawing Michael Douglas, who may have behaved like a disgusting pig 33 years ago, would almost seem like wasted energy in the face of the path we still have ahead of us. Extensive discussions about the wrongfully accused but at least as well.
