TThe world's most influential leaders toasted the annual TIME 100 list Thursday in New York City. While the night was a celebration, the day for many followed the same morning's announcement that disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein's 2020 New York rape conviction had been overturned. It was also a moment of somber reflection. The Weinstein case was a landmark case that helped fuel the #MeToo movement.
The news was heavy for some attendees, like media personality Don Lemon, but ultimately it was an opportunity for the country's justice system to uphold its values.
“I'm not a fan [of Weinstein]But let me tell you, this is our judicial system, and if we find credible evidence that something happened to a judge or member of the bench during a trial, they will be subject to the law just like any other citizen. should be treated equally under the , later drew parallels between Weinstein's right to a fair trial and Donald Trump's current hush money trial.
For people like activist and astronaut Amanda Nguyen, who helped create the Sexual Assault Victims Rights Act after surviving her own assault, the overturned convictions will stop sexual violence. It was a discouraging reminder that there is still much work to be done. .
“As survivors, we know that the courts fail us,” Nguyen told TIME. “To everyone, especially survivors, that you are not alone, that we have fought, that we believe in them, that even if we experience setbacks, we will know the truth. I want you to know that we will get through this.”
2024 Time 100 Award Winner and Human Rights Coalition President Kelly Robinson uses this moment to affirm the power of community and to remind us that progress in any movement often includes setbacks. He said he uses it for.
“I hope that the survivors who are watching this moment look up and know that they have a community of people supporting them,” Robinson told TIME. “There are people who are willing to fight for them. And sometimes you move forward and sometimes you move backwards, that's how progress works.”
Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement and former TIME100 award winner, said Robinson believes that any movement toward a brighter future comes with challenges, but ultimately its strength comes from working together as a group. agreed with the belief.
“This is a movement, because we come together and we act together,” Burke told TIME. “I think people, seeing hashtags go viral, have a misunderstanding of what a movement is, which is that movements are made by people. And what the survivor movement has is a lot of People. What we've seen historically is that there are always disappointments in movements. So I'm disappointed in what I saw today, but I don't think it's a setback. That means we still have a lot of work to do.”
But for Time Magazine 100 winner and author E. Jean Carroll, a jury last year found Trump liable for defamation and sexual assault in a lawsuit accusing him of rape in the 1990s. And for the man who had achieved such a landmark victory, the news was visceral. And stay calm.
“This is intolerable,” Carroll told TIME. “But it's a shock to the gut.”
The TIME100 Gala is TIME's annual celebration of the TIME100 list of the world's most influential people. The Gala brings together icons, leaders, change-makers, and luminaries from across industries and countries for a vibrant night of meaningful dialogue and celebration. This year's gala will feature his live performances of 2024 TIME100 list honorees Dua His Lipa and Fantasia His Ballino.
TIME has partnered with ABC to invite viewers to the special TIME100 Gala in a special television event. TIME100: The most influential people in the worldis produced in partnership with P&G and will air on Sunday, May 12 at 10pm ET on ABC and the next day on Hulu, and will feature host Taraji P. Henson, Patrick Mahomes, Maya Rudolph and more. .
The TIME100 Gala was organized by Booking.com, Citi, Merck, Northern Data Group, Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whiskey and Verizon.
