Rashida Jones and Donald Glover made a PSA about sexual harassment
The #MeToo movement’s helped expose some high-profile creeps, sure, but it’s also given marginalized voices a chance to articulate some basic truths regarding what behaviors need to change in our culture. The logical response is to listen, as one shouldn’t want to make others uncomfortable, but there’s been a vocal slew of dissenters who feel as if this increased awareness means they’re no longer able to “express themselves” or “give compliments.” If you stumble across one of these types, maybe pass along this PSA, which, in a simple and entertaining way, illustrates how very, very easy it is to be respectful in a professional setting.
What’s better? It’s narrated by Donald Glover, who gives the whole thing a breezy, informational vibe. Actress and filmmaker Rashida Jones, who produced Netflix’s Hot Girls Wanted documentary and series, directed the clip in conjunction with Time’s Up, the grassroots movement against sexual harassment that spawned in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
“There’s been a lot of discussion about whether that’s even fair to link someone pinching an ass or something off-color at work to an actual assault,” she told Buzzfeed of the clip. “I think a lot of people struggle with the connection, because they think it’s dramatic to connect the two. So the PSA is intended to explain that there are these nuanced dynamics that are happening when there’s a power imbalance.”
The PSA lays out four scenarios that dissect the nuances of long hugs, uninvited mouth kisses, appearance-focused compliments, and flirting in the workplace. It also asserts that if you see any of this kind of behavior unfolding around you, to not feel as if it’s none of your business. Power dynamics, it argues, play a huge role, and it shouldn’t always be on the shoulders of the victim to speak up.
“This is not a mandate; we’re not telling people how to live their lives,” Jones said. “This is really just to incite self-reflection and for people to look at the way they behave in their workplaces.”