Have you experienced sexual misconduct, a reporter asked Jennifer Lopez. “Yes, I have. But did I do it? No, I did not,” the actress and singer shared in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar.
The popstar revealed her part of the story amidst the #MeToo Movement. She spoke out about the time when she was just starting out her career in the industry and a director asked her to strip.
“I haven’t been abused in the way some women have,” she said. “But have I been told by a director to show my boobs? Yes. Did I do it? No”
Lopez said she hasn’t faced sexual misconduct to the extent that others have in the industry, but that one inappropriate situation still haunts her.
“When I did speak up, I was terrified,” she said. “I remember my heart beating out of my chest, thinking, ‘What did I do? This man is hiring me!’ It was one of my first movies. But in my mind I knew the behaviour was wrong. It could have gone either way for me. But I think ultimately the Bronx in me was like, ‘Nah, we’re not having it.'”
READ: Wonder Woman 2 Will Be First Film To Implement Anti-Harassment Norms
From the past few months, actresses across the globe are showing solidarity with survivors of sexual assault.
The New York Times also released an ad about sexual harassment and assault during the Golden Globe Awards. The ad showcases the newspaper’s bombshell report where several notable women revealed that Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted and harassed them, and also channels the #MeToo campaign to a wider audience.
READ: Gal Gadot’s Award Speech Was All About REAL ‘Wonder Woman’ In Her
Now, that another popular face has opened up on the issue, it shows just how widespread the practice is.
Jennifer Lopez, a vocal advocate for the Time's Up movement as Hollywood and other industries crack down on sexual harassment, has shared her own story in a new interview with Harper's Bazaar https://t.co/7Z0nLf7b6B pic.twitter.com/4qsAPDxzxQ
— CNN International (@cnni) March 16, 2018
If the powerful people are terrified just imagine how someone speaking out for the first time against family members, friends or people that have the trust of the community feel ... terrified is not the appropriate term dying inside is more like it #SexualAbuse #Rape
— Hildur Arnar (@HildurArnar1) March 16, 2018
READ: Femfresh Ad Banned For Objectifying Women
Also read: Breaking away from conventions: The new wave of bold commercials
READ: This Online Fashion Store’s “No Retouching Policy” is a Major Step for Body-Positive Image