I was reading about the #MeToo movement in France and how it failed to take off (was twisted into "puritanism vs. libertinism")

[SteelBeast6Beets]

A few days ago, convicted pedophile and rapist Roman Polanski won the César Award for best director, causing a considerable backlash among the attendees and the general public.

Rapist Roman Polanski wins Best Director at the César Awards (French film awards); Audience members leave the theatre

This is fucking disgusting Polanski himself was not present out of fear of a "public lynching" The first person leaving is Adèle Heanel (who plays in Portrait of a Lady on Fire), she can be heard saying "La honte!" ("Shameful!") Florence Foresti, the host, refused to stay for the rest of...

www.resetera.com

A couple of related news and articles later, I arrived to this editorial that explains why the #MeToo movement was met with such backlash in France:

https://www.humanityinaction.org/kn...es-led-the-country-to-turn-its-back-on-women/

[Sandra] Mueller, a journalist based in New York, was inspired by the actresses who came out to report Harvey Weinstein and her own experience of sexual harassment with an influential head of a French news organization. She went on to create #BalanceTonPorc (translated into "Out your pig"), a hashtag intended to help women share the details of their experience of sexual harassment and violence, along with the name of their abuser.

There are two elements of discourse that should be noted to draw the comparison between both hashtags. Firstly, Mueller's campaign intentionally uses a provocative semantic to appeal to the audience, in a way—one could argue—actually reduces the impact of the story itself. Secondly, her campaign also actively incites the victims to publicly denounce their abusers. Many argued that by the difference in tone, #Balancetonporc was was not created with the same intent as #MeToo.

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To some, the hashtag was similar to a man-hunt designed to denounce and expose people whose guilt had yet to be proven. Several media personalities compared the so-called manhunt to the way Jews were hunted by the Nazi Regime with the help of French informants. Others feared that the man-hunt would threaten the libertinism of the French way of life.

The most compelling example of this opinion is the tribune signed by a hundred women in the French newspaper Le Monde, who are notoriously rich, white, and part of the Baby Boomer generation. In their letter, these women, including Catherine Deneuve, took a stand to come to the defense of men and their « freedom to annoy women» in the name of sexual freedom.

In their arguments, the signatories of the letter present the #MeToo movement as a 'puritanist' campaign, inspired by the American way of life, that did not befit French tradition and the French approach to sexual relations. While this could have been a discussion, they attempted to strengthen their position by using provocation. One of them, Catherine Millet, a renowned art critic, went as far as claiming on public radio that she "wished she had been raped just to confirm that one can pull through from the experience." In doing so, she dismissed the realities of women who have been exposed and consider themselves victims of sexual violence.

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So, it seems it was a combination of an intentional attempt to spark outrage that backfired horribly and France's rampant sexism masquerading as "tradition" that cause the movement to land with a thud.

Worth nothing that Sandra Muller was later found guilty of defaming and sentenced to pay €20,000 to a media executive she accused of making lewd and sexist remarks.

Woman behind 'French #MeToo' found guilty of defaming media executive

Sandra Muller calls verdict in favour of Eric Brion ‘backwards step’ and vows to appeal

www.theguardian.com

 

[BowieZ]

What a surprise that the woman-oriented narrative of "#metoo" was hijacked by the men: both "puritanism" and "libertinism" in this context are descriptions of a squarely man-oriented perspective... whether men should be sexually restrained or not in their pursuits of women.

 

[jay]

Sexists often defend sexism by suggesting the only people criticising them are far right religious types.

 

[Delphine]

I am absolutely ashamed of my country right now. They're being absolutely backwards about this, but thankfully a lot of French women are realizing the shithole we live in.

 

[Morrigan]

One of them, Catherine Millet, a renowned art critic, went as far as claiming on public radio that she "wished she had been raped just to confirm that one can pull through from the experience."

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Holy fuck.... is that the stupidest thing I have ever read or what

 

[Messofanego]

I remember that bit about the hundreds of women fighting against #MeToo and going on about French "tradition" to justify sexual misconduct which reminded me of how a lot of Europeans defend racism. "Right to flirt" lmao. Massively disappointed in Catherine Deneuve back then. Didn't know one of them asked to be raped!

 

[Daphne]

What a surprise that the woman-oriented narrative of "#metoo" was hijacked by the men: both "puritanism" and "libertinism" in this context are descriptions of a squarely man-oriented perspective... whether men should be sexually restrained or not in their pursuits of women.

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Exactly. It's about consent, but of course, you have to view women as people with their own agency to think of that, right? I've been absolutely disgusted by what happened to the movement in France, but not surprised.

 

[Jegriva]

In french movies still today there are examples of underage nudity. There is a weird ephebophile culture, even comparing to other bordering european countires.

 

[Amalthea]

Taking a womans freedom isn't sexual freedom it's the exact opposite. It's like those rightwing assholes that call for tolerance towards intolerance.

 

[Jon Carter]

France's rampant sexism masquerading as "tradition"

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Erm, no, I wouldn't say that's a fair assessment.

 

[Skade]

More than an issue with France itself, wich i don't think is "more" sexist than other countries, the problem mainly lies in the "Parisian Elite". Journalists, tv hosts, actors, movie directors, politicians, etc etc. Those people are coming in great majority from specific "high standard" schools and usually all know each (and probably have dirt on each other). I'd wager that a bunch of women defending this shit are actually kinda disgusted by it. They just try to do all they can to protect their friends. At least i hope it's just that.

So i'd paint it more as an issue with those degenerates in Paris than France itself. French people in general are probably still sexists by default (sadly), but probably not to the point of defending this shit like the medias and movie business do. The problem is that those that pose most problems are the ones we see all the time. And it probably influence a lot of things.

 

[Toxi]

Sexists often defend sexism by suggesting the only people criticising them are far right religious types.

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Yep.

This is sad and gross.

 

[EarthPainting]

All the hand-wringing over tone and irrelevant hypotheticals was an embarrassment. They're sorely mistaken if they think this will just go away though.

 

[Herb Alpert]

I don't think France is more sexist than other countries.
But yeah, there's some resistance from unexpected people, often old and from the establishment like Catherine deneuve or the crazy old Witch Brigitte bardot. And obviously some old men that strived in this mindset.
There are weird remnants from mai 68 at work (Yeah, lots of people praised pedophilia at that time and after, look at the matzneff case and all the people that defended this creep).
But I think this is mediatic noise.

In the society things have change, I've seen it in numerous places I work.
Issues remains in poorer part in the country often linked with religion (some hardcore islam at work can make girls life quite nightmarish in some suburbs).
Also a large part of French rap which is greatly popular with teens is rather sexist.

 

[arcadepc]

Saw this old thread and recently in Greece #metoo ends up having a similar outcome with France.

Main event that instigated it were the rape accusations of a world known sailing athlete by a member of the sailing committee and another event was the rape accusation of an 11 year old girl by her then 28 year old coach in the same sport.

Unfortunately nothing happened and the member still remains in the committee and is on a legal counterattack.
Instead of focusing on these two horrific events, now the discussions veered to other topics about abuse by actors, doctors and other professions, which are far less grave than rape and belong to a different topic.

Metoo is regarded as a posh movement by Hollywood actors.