A group of women in France are saying the “MeToo” movement has gone too far, and um, no

After a night like the Golden Globes, you’re probably feeling empowered by and in love with the women who stood up and spoke out. You might have been feeling that way since the #MeToo movement started and the #TimesUp movement joined in. But there are women, specifically in France, who aren’t quite as happy with the nature of this female empowerment.

French actress Catherine Deneuve and hundreds of other high-profile French women are speaking out against #MeToo. Post-Golden Globes, Deneuve wrote a letter for the newspaper Le Monde, which has since been translated by The New York Times. The letter states that the movement has gone too far since all the Harvey Weinstein accusations, and has turned into a “witch hunt” and a new form of “puritanism.”

"Rape is a crime," the letter starts. "But insistent or clumsy flirting is not a crime, nor is gallantry a chauvinist aggression. As a result of the Weinstein affair, there has been a legitimate realization of the sexual violence women experience, particularly in the workplace, where some men abuse their power. It was necessary. But now this liberation of speech has been turned on its head. This expedited justice already has its victims, men prevented from practicing their profession as punishment, forced to resign, etc., while the only thing they did wrong was touching a knee, trying to steal a kiss, or speaking about 'intimate' things at a work dinner, or sending messages with sexual connotations to a woman whose feelings were not mutual."

Catherine Deneuve and other French women defend the rights of men to flirt with women as 'indispensable for sexual freedom', and call out #MeToo for infantilising women and encouraging puritanism.https://t.co/pwbHgFffP5 pic.twitter.com/OIJggsf9g6

— Naomi Firsht (@Naomi_theFirsht) January 9, 2018

French actress Catherine Deneuve and a group of women penned a letter criticizing the #MeToo movement, saying it stems from "hatred of men and sexuality" and men should have the right to "pester" women and express their "macho aggression." pic.twitter.com/Z20sXjhWOP

— AJ+ (@ajplus) January 10, 2018

All that’s left to say is that Catherine and these women don’t seem to understand the point of the movement. Yes, rape is a crime. Sexual harassment and assault are a crime. But denouncing and simplifying actions that lead men to believe they can continue to use their power in these ways is regressive and harmful. Women are standing up for themselves for a reason, and it’s not to create a puritan state or speak out against sexuality. It’s to create a world where women can safely and comfortably act on and speak about their experiences on their own terms.

The sooner all women are on the same page, the sooner the culture of misconduct will end.