Rose Byrne Sides with the ACLU, Calls Hollywood out on Illegal, Sexist Hiring Practices

One of the most common responses women hear after criticizing Hollywood’s not-even-trying-to-hide-it misogyny is that we should make our own work if we think the system as it stands is broken. But Rose Byrne is living proof that working independently to get ladies the opportunities they deserve doesn’t mean you can’t also call out the film industry’s systemic (and obviously illegal) sexism.

In a recent interview with PrideSource, the Spy actress talked about her newly-created all-female production company and the ACLU’s investigation into Hollywood’s hiring practices:

The statistics are still so dreadful for women in film. Now the ACLU is doing an investigation into it because they’re starting to realize it’s actually discrimination – it’s not just good ol’ fashioned misogyny that everyone’s quietly tolerated for years. The business is sort of the wrong way in the sense that the statistics are just really dreadful for women in terms of speaking parts and paychecks for women. All that stuff that was leaked through the Internet when Sony was hacked – it all speaks for itself. So, it is beyond just misogyny. It’s legitimate discrimination based on gender, which is illegal. Any discrimination is, whether it’s sexuality, race or gender.

I definitely recommend checking out the rest of the interview for Byrne’s thoughts on working with Spy and Ghostbusters director Paul Feig (“[he] continues to redefine gender roles in film”) and her desire to see more LGBTQ+ women on film.

And if you want to see the ladies of Hollywood get their due, don’t forget to sign the ACLU’s petition!

(via Pajiba)

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Carolyn Cox