[LeatherTrumpet]

Women are partly to blame for showbiz sex scandal, says Sir Ian McKellen: Star claims some actresses tell directors they will sleep with them to win roles

People must be called out and it's sometimes very difficult for victims to do that,' the Lord Of The Rings star said in a talk at the Oxford Union recently.

'I hope we're going through a period that will help to eradicate it altogether. But from my own experience, when I was starting acting in the early Sixties, the director of the theatre I was working at showed me some photographs he got from women who were wanting jobs. . . some of them had at the bottom of their photograph 'DRR' — directors' rights respected. In other words, if you give me a job, you can have sex with me.

That was commonplace from people who proposed that they should be a victim. Madness. People have taken advantage of that and encouraged it and it absolutely will not do.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...x-scandal.html

Sir Ian (who giveth not a fck what people think) stating what others are thinking as the "casting couch" is outed even though it was in plain sight?

[bitontheslide]

Its missing the point a bit though. The reason the women felt the need to write that was because the directors had made it clear if they want an opportunity in show biz, that's what they need to do. I don't think it should be implied that women are to blame

[Shaun]

It's a false equivalence. Women willing to sleep for the part =/= the countless ones coming forward saying they were harassed/assaulted without taking that measure.

[Oliver_W]

If a woman says "I'll sleep with you for a role", that's on their own head, and nothing to do with actual abuse that goes on to other women.

[Toy Soldier]

The phrasing of the euphemism ("Director's Rights" Respected), and the fact that it had it's own clearly widely understood acronym says a lot though doesn't it? The reason they wrote it is that they were ready and willing to do it, yes, but the reason it was a "thing" at all was that in certain circles it had become an expectation? Almost like a disclaimer I suppose. Not as a bribe to win a role - more believing that if they didn't include it they would be automatically overlooked.

If directors took them up on the offer than they aren't committing any sort of crime, that much is true, however it is playing directly into a pretty toxic environment. I'd hope that any of the women who did write that are not now accusing those directors of behaving wrongly towards them... but in no way would it excuse directors "assuming" that all actresses were. Nor would anything excuse them only hiring those who offered sexual favours, tbh.

[Kizzy]

So 'Sir' Ian thought nothing of spending time with his exploitative friend who perpetrates the scenario of the sleazy director and he's ok with that?
Did he not once think to question why actresses were compelled to write such indirect references... or how it impacted on their acting ability?...

In his accusation towards these women he has admitted he was complicit, his inaction and subsequent victim shaming show me he is the reason why these matters stay hidden for so long.

[LeatherTrumpet]

Top comment with over 5000 likes is

"Ian will be howled down for saying it ..... Even though he is correct. "

So most of the GBP agree with him

[armand.kay]

Why are these men so desperate to move attention away from the perverts?

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by armand.kay

Why are these men so desperate to move attention away from the perverts?

I guess it lies somewhere between wanting to see the best in their friends, and being in an environment where such behaviours are normalised, so even the men who don't do it might unknowingly downplay it in their minds?

[bitontheslide]

Originally Posted by Isaiah 7:14

Top comment with over 5000 likes is

"Ian will be howled down for saying it ..... Even though he is correct. "

So most of the GBP agree with him

validity of a comment is not judged by fb likes thank god

[Kizzy]

5000 fb goons are the GBP now... logic at it's fuzziest.

[LeatherTrumpet]

Its nothing to do with Facebook so i have no idea what you are on about im afraid

[Tom4784]

He's an idiot that's essentially trying to explain one situation by citing a largely unrelated situation. It's just a weird roundabout way of defending people who harass others and it's victim blaming.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Isaiah 7:14

Its nothing to do with Facebook so i have no idea what you are on about im afraid

No it's that much finer gauge of public opinion... the Daily Mail Online comments section .