A petition to remove Harvey Weinstein from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has surpassed 100,000 signatures.
The Change.org petition, started by Kellen Phillips, has reached more than 115,000 signatures and counting (as of the time of this posting). The petition asks for 150,000 signatures, which will trigger its makers to send it to the Academy.
“As someone in the film industry, I’m a filmmaker and have lectured in Film and Media studies, I know that Weinstein’s reputation was notorious. But nobody spoke up – because everyone was too afraid. The industry has a lot of questions to ask itself – and to take responsibility for a culture of sexual abuse that has become accepted as the norm,” Phillips wrote. “That’s why I’m campaigning to demand that Harvey Weinstein be removed and banished from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for life.”
The statement also read, “It’s time for organisations like The Academy to take a stand against Weinstein’s behaviour and set an example for others to follow.”
The New York Times broke an investigative story last Thursday detailing three decades of sexual misconduct, including accusations that he propositioned actresses and harassed female employees. More ugly stories continued to dribble out over the weekend, including a report by a news anchor that Weinstein masturbated in front of her and other stories of inappropriate propositions. The New Yorker followed with another bombshell expose, which included accusations of rape.
BAFTA suspended Weinstein’s membership earlier this week in the wake of the sexual misconduct allegations against the movie mogul.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will meet on Saturday to discuss action against Weinstein, and called the allegations against him “repugnant, abhorrent and antithetical to the high standards of the Academy and the creative community it represents.”
The AMPAS Board of Governors has final authority over the organization, and would have to vote to terminate or suspend Weinstein’s membership. In the past, that action has been taken against members who have been party to the piracy of screeners.