Many of us are taking away the nuance of the conversation. It’s what’s frustrates me most as we wrestle with power dynamics, consent, what we expect from women vs men, and other issues.

My thought about Uma Thurman bringing this up in a conversation about Harvey Weinstein was not that she was trying to imply Tarantino is the same as Weinstein. She was talking about the many complicated power dynamics at play as well as the vulnerability involved in being an actor, a working woman, etc...

I will also say that nearly every woman in the world has had to face up to a male friend or loved one or coworker doing something that makes it clear that, in that moment at least, they don’t see you as fully human and equal. It doesn’t mean they’re rapists or that they consciously hate women throughout their lives neccessarily. But it is very painful and hard to navigate. And it is certainly a gendered issue.

We need to pull back from strictly condemn/accept when we discuss complicated dynamics like this and listen to what’s really being said. I’m a huge fan of Tarantino, but his actions are not immune to criticism nor can they be removed from a conversation about gender.

Women reacting to his actions here are coming from a place of experience, and while I understand that sometimes these reactions seem to paint too broad a brush, I don’t think it’s fair to throw the baby out with the bath water.

After all, Tarantino’s depictions of women are also quite complicated and layered with both strength and exploitation, much like his black characters. Confronting this is a part of engaging with media and art.

(And for the record... women forgive misogynists all the time.)