As the waterfall of sexual assault allegations against powerful men in the entertainment industry continues to rain down, there is a way for consumers to ensure the content they’re watching is ‘clean’.
That is, without anyone involved who might be guilty of sexual misconduct or harassment.
New website Rotten Apples allows users to type in the name of a film or television show and see if any alleged sexual predators are involved in its production.
The platform, which is a clever take on the movie review site Rotten Tomatoes, will display either “Rotten Apple” or “Fresh Apple” depending on the people involved in the show.
Type in House of Cards, for example, and a big red “Rotten Apple” will appear alongside a link to an article detailing the allegations of sexual abuse levelled against the show’s main actor Kevin Spacey.
Search Lady Bird, on the other hand, and a nice green "Fresh Apples" will appear alongside the caption: "This movie has no known affiliation to anyone with allegations of sexual misconduct against them. If you believe this is an error, please let us know by clicking here and we’ll fix it as soon as possible."
It's a clever and easy way for us, the public, to become empowered in Hollywood's undoing.
LISTEN: Why do we still revere men such as Bill Clinton in the post-Weinstein era. Post continues after audio.
It's an encouraging sign that the system that has enabled those in power to get away with sexually coercive and dangerous behaviour is slowly dismantling. By becoming conscious of what we're consuming and who - exactly - it's benefiting, we can help dismantle the same system from the bottom-up.
After all, we've had conversations about where our clothes and iPhones and coffee are made. Why not "consciously consume" our entertainment, too?
