Amber Tamblyn responded to Rose McGowan’s criticism of the Golden Globes silent black dress protest

In honor of the #MeToo movement and the current cultural climate in Hollywood, many actresses will wear all black to the 2018 Golden Globes as a form of silent protest. It’s a fine gesture, considering most movements begin with a show of solidarity. While we assumed that a social justice warrior like Rose McGowan would happily support the black dress protest, she does not, and even suggested that “actresses like Meryl Streep” are hypocrites for participating. Then, Amber Tamblyn took McGowan to task for shaming the actresses who want to support the Golden Globes silent protest. 

“Actresses, like Meryl Streep, who happily worked for The Pig Monster, are wearing black @GoldenGlobes in a silent protest. YOUR SILENCE is THE problem,” McGowan tweeted on December 16th, 2017. “You’ll accept a fake award breathlessly & affect no real change. I despise your hypocrisy. Maybe you should all wear Marchesa.”

McGowan has since deleted the tweet, but not before Tamblyn caught wind of it. Here is Tamblyn’s response in full:

“THREAD: Rose McGowan is a friend and while I support her kind of movement, I do not support any woman (or man) shaming or taunting the movements of other women who are trying to create change. Telling us to all wear Marchesa? This is beneath you, Rose,” Tamblyn tweeted. “You don’t have to support and stand with us, but we stand and support you. You may take below the belt shots at us but we will not take them at you in return. Our movement is big. And a black dress is just the beginning of the darkness that will be drained from every industry across the country by the time we’re done. That’s a promise. And we stand together in this fight, shoulder to shoulder, weapon to weapon, woman to woman (and man), body to burned body. And our arms are open. And our hearts two fold. And our fire will be a universal scorch. Heed the mantra: #ChangeIsComing.”

THREAD: Rose McGowan is a friend and while I support her kind of movement, I do not support any woman (or man) shaming or taunting the movements of other women who are trying to create change. Telling us to all wear Marchesa? This is beneath you, Rose.

— Listening in the Dark ✨Amber Tamblyn (@ambertamblyn) December 17, 2017

Tamblyn’s criticism of McGowan was met with its own criticism by actress and Weinstein accuser Asia Argento, who asked Tamblyn why she didn’t call McGowan directly, to which Tamblyn explained she just spoke with McGowan on the phone “for over an hour.”

While we understand McGowan’s frustrations, we also recognize that symbolic gestures, like pink breast cancer ribbons, have meaning and power, too. While the culture in Hollywood needs serious thought leaders and actual change, there is nothing wrong with a visible show of solidarity at the Golden Globes.