Aside from explaining her reasons to stay mum on her sexual harassment experiences, the 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' actress also claims that she gets rejected in Hollywood for being vocal.
- December 11, 2018
AceShowbiz - Megan Fox worried she wouldn't be considered a "sympathetic victim" if she opened up about her experiences of sexual harassment in Hollywood.
The actress gained a reputation for previously speaking up about bad experiences on set. But she has been conspicuous in not coming forward with any tales about sexual harassment. Since last year (2017) many female stars have named and shamed alleged perpetrators after multiple actresses went public with accusations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein in October.
Explaining her reticence to go on the record, Megan told The New York Times admitted she feared she wouldn't be viewed in a "sympathetic" light due to her outspokenness about being sexualised on screen.
She said, "Even with the #MeToo movement, and everyone coming out with stories - and one could assume that I probably have quite a few stories, and I do - I didn't speak out for many reasons. I just didn't think based on how I'd been received by people, and by feminists, that I would be a sympathetic victim. And I thought if ever there were a time where the world would agree that it's appropriate to victim-shame someone, it would be when I come forward with my story."
Although she credits the #MeToo movement with promoting openness about allegations with changing perceptions of victims, Megan still isn't planning to go public with the names of anyone she feels victimised her.
"I also feel like I'm not the universal hammer of justice," she said. "This is not to say that other people shouldn't do what they feel is right. But in my circumstance, I don't feel it's my job to punish someone because they did something bad to me."
The "Transformers" actress, who famously fell out with the film's director Michael Bay after accusing him of behaving "like Hitler" on set, although she made no claim of harassment, does think she was unfairly treated as a troublemaker in a way she would not be now.
The 32-year-old added, "I don't want to say this about myself, but let's say that I was ahead of my time and so people weren't able to understand. Instead, I was rejected because of qualities that are now being praised in other women coming forward."
