Activists slam French icon and other critics of #MeToo movement

Jan 12, 2018 06:00 am

Veteran French actress Catherine Deneuve and other critics of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment sound like "the tiresome uncle at the family dinner", French feminist activists said on Wednesday.

Deneuve and 99 women on Tuesday signed a column in Le Monde daily, which argued that the #MeToo movement amounted to puritanism and was fuelled by a hatred of men.

"They are trying to build back the wall of silence we have started breaking down," feminist activist Caroline De Haas and some 30 other women said in their own column on the France Info TV's website.

TOO FAR

The original column said the movement had gone too far, defending a right for men to "pester" women. Thi1s was essential to sexual freedom and women could be strong enough "not to be traumatised by gropers in the Metro".

The feminists said those of like mind with Deneuve ignore the reality of sexual harassment, and added that as soon as there is some progress with gender equality, "some good souls warn that we may be going too far".- REUTERS