Harvey Weinstein Expelled from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

The New York Times recently broke the story that famed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been sexually assaulting women and paying them to be quiet for decades.

According to Variety The Board of Directors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted by a grand majority to remove Weinstein from the Academy, thereby stripping him of his membership.

The Academy RELEASED a statement in which they said:

"We do so not simply to separate ourselves from someone who does not merit the respect of his colleagues but also to send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment in our industry is over"

Deadline has shared an additional statement RELEASED by the Board's prior to the meeting in which Weinstein's membership was assessed:

"The Academy finds the conduct described in the allegations against Harvey Weinstein to be repugnant, abhorrent, and antithetical to the high standards of the Academy and the creative community it represents."

The stripping of Academy membership is almost unheard of, clearly reserved for extreme cases in which a clear message needs to be sent.

Alleged victims which include Weinstein's former employees and actresses, including Ashley Judd, are now stepping forward to tell their stories regarding his egregious conduct. They previously felt that their careers were in Weinstein's hands, explaining why they stayed quiet. Eight women reportedly reached settlements with Weinstein quietly in the 1990s and 2015.

For more, visit Variety and Deadline.

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