At Variety’s Power of Women ceremony on May 2, Mariska Hargitay took a powerful stand against the recent overturning of Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction. Accepting an award for her work with the Joyful Heart Foundation, which supports survivors of sexual assault and abuse, Hargitay addressed the controversial decision with sharp criticism.
“The New York State Court of Appeals overturned Weinstein’s 2020 conviction on April 25, arguing that the testimony of three unrelated accusers, called to speak about Weinstein’s broader misconduct, was unjustly admitted,” Hargitay noted. She contended that the real issue behind the ruling was the presence of too many women’s voices. “Too many women’s voices,” she declared, adding, “Too many women were allowed to speak.”
Speaking to an engaged audience of women leaders and philanthropists at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Hargitay expressed frustration over the court’s decision. “The Daily podcast episode discussed how risky it was for the prosecution to have so many women testify,” she said, her voice charged with emotion. “Risky to let women speak? You’re damn right it is. Too many women speaking brings change. Too many women speaking shakes the Establishment.”
Hargitay drew a direct connection between the overturning of Weinstein’s conviction and the broader backlash against the Me Too movement. “The backlash is evidence of how powerful those voices were, those voices are,” she asserted. Her impassioned speech underscored the continuing struggle for justice and the ongoing impact of the Me Too movement, highlighting the challenges faced by survivors and advocates in their fight for accountability and change.
