She Said

In Kantor and Twohey’s analysis, Weinstein’s abuses and the corporate culture that allowed them reflect a broader problem: unequal power dynamics between men and women across society. However, She Said is also a story about how women are not powerless even in a world that wants them to believe that they are. These two understandings of power reflect the work of feminist scholars, who have written much on power dynamics and systems of oppression, addressing both the power of domination as well as “power to”—that is, the ability to make positive change.

Harvey Weinstein, Donald Trump, Bill O’Reilly, Brett Kavanaugh, and the male senators who questioned Christine Blasey Ford are all men with the power to command. They have (or had) the ability to compel others to bend to their will or submit to their force. The text especially explores how these power dynamics function in the workplace, with a specific focus on Hollywood. Kantor and Twohey’s years of reporting uncovered men in positions of authority who consistently harassed women they encountered in professional settings. When women complained or shared their stories, patriarchal power operated to shut them down, shame them, or portray them as liars and troublemakers.