Mayim Bialik on Backlash Over NYT Opinion Piece: ‘It’s So Sad How Vicious People Are Being’

“I dress modestly,” “Big Bang Theory” actress wrote in widely-slammed column

“The Big Bang Theory” actress Mayim Bialik has responded to backlash over a New York Times opinion piece she wrote, saying her words were taken out of context.

“I also see a bunch of people have taken my words out of the context of the Hollywood machine and twisted them to imply that God forbid I would blame a woman for her assault based on her clothing or behavior,” she wrote. “Anyone who knows me and my feminism knows that’s absurd and not at all what this piece was about. It’s so sad how vicious people are being when I basically live to make things better for women.”

She also announced she would be doing a Facebook Live with the New York Times on Monday.

The actress wrote an opinion piece about the Harvey Weinstein scandal, which ran on Friday. In the article, she discussed her discomfort of being “employed in an industry that profits on the objectification of women.”

“My mom didn’t let me wear makeup or get manicures,” Bialik wrote. “She encouraged me to be myself in audition rooms, and I followed my mother’s strong example to not put up with anyone calling me ‘baby’ or demanding hugs on set. I was always aware that I was out of step with the expected norm for girls and women in Hollywood.”

She added, “I have decided that my sexual self is best reserved for private situations with those I am most intimate with. I dress modestly. I don’t act flirtatiously with men as a policy.”

Bialik’s piece was faced with criticism, and actresses like Patricia Arquette and Emily Ratajkowski tweeted about the article.

https://twitter.com/IjeomaOluo/status/919391407382466560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2017%2F10%2F16%2Fentertainment%2Fmayim-bialik-weinstein-backlash%2Findex.html

https://twitter.com/JessicaValenti/status/919279217543704576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2017%2F10%2F16%2Fentertainment%2Fmayim-bialik-weinstein-backlash%2Findex.html

https://twitter.com/skinnyghost/status/919273078420520961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2017%2F10%2F16%2Fentertainment%2Fmayim-bialik-weinstein-backlash%2Findex.html

https://twitter.com/eveewing/status/919249797202227201

Weinstein was fired from The Weinstein Company and is under criminal investigation in New York and London after several women came forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct, including harassment and rape. A representative for Weinstein has stated, “Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein. Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances.”

See Bialik’s post below.

Comments