Evelyn Smith
The seventy-fifth edition of the Golden Globe Awards took place in Los Angeles this past Saturday night.
In the days leading up to the awards event, many activists and famous figures had called for women to dress up in black for the event as a show of solidarity.
It was also meant as a call for massive reform against the prevalent issue of sexual harassment against women in the industry.
This strong show comes after the past few months of turmoil in an industry that has been put under the spotlight following the downfall of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and numerous others in Hollywood, media, fashion, tech, publishing and other industries.
Things got feisty real quick at the show as host Seth Meyers opened the 75th annual Golden Globes by diving straight into material about the sex scandals that have rocked the industry.
A number of actresses who played strong, empowered women stepped up to claim awards in a show that was geared towards raising a stand against the abuse of women.
Perhaps this stand was highlighted best by television host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey whose speech after receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award moved the audience to tears.
A plethora of stars wore the color black to show their solidarity with victims of sexual harassment and assault.
Although several attendees chose not to wear black to the high-profile event, including Meher Tatna, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the somewhat somber mood of the event was not lost on the casual observer.
And Oprah Winfrey didn’t disappoint as she showed up on stage to receive her lifetime achievement award in a flowing black dress by luxury fashion house Versace.
Oprah Winfrey used her Golden Globe lifetime achievement speech to thank the women who have bravely shared their personal stories of abuse.
Oprah Winfrey led the charge for female empowerment at the Golden Globes when she delivered a powerful speech urging men and women to work together to ensure no one ever has to utter the words ‘Me Too’ again.
Beginning her speech, the actress, talk show host and businesswoman who had earlier received a standing ovation as she mounted the podium said she was honored to be the first black woman to receive the accolade.
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The sixty-three-year-old then continued her speech with an emotional narrative of the feelings of wonder and euphoria that coursed through her while she watched Sidney Poitier win the Best Actor Academy Award in 1964.
An excerpt from the speech read,
‘It is not lost on me that, at this moment, there is some little girl watching as I become the first black woman to be given the same award. It is an honor and it is a privilege to share the evening with all of them.’
‘I want all the girls watching here to know that a new day is on the horizon. When that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say ‘Me too’ again.’
Winfrey’s speech was widely praised with some calling it ‘one of the greatest American speeches’ as others urged her to make a run for President in 2020.
Winfrey also addressed the sexual misconduct scandals in Hollywood and beyond, saying she was inspired by all the women who have bravely shared their personal stories of abuse.
‘It’s not just a story affecting the entertainment industry. It’s one that transcends any culture, geography, race, religion, politics, or workplace.’
‘So I want tonight to express gratitude to all the women who have endured years of abuse and assault because of they, like my mother, had children to feed and bills to pay and dreams to pursue.
‘They’re the women whose names we’ll never know. They are domestic workers and farm workers. They are working in factories and they work in restaurants and they’re in academia, engineering, medicine, and science’.
A few more speeches like this one and Oprah Winfrey might actually win the 2020 presidential elections.
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