( French actress)Catherine Deneuve denounces #MeToo in open letter

[lunasun]

A collective of 100 French women, including film star Catherine Deneuve, have signed an open letter defending men's "freedom to pester" women, sparking an angry response from a group of feminist activists.

The open letter, which criticized the #MeToo movement and warned about a new "puritanism" sparked by recent sexual harassment allegations, was published Tuesday in French newspaper Le Monde.The group of writers, performers, academics and businesswomen denounced a "hatred of men and sexuality" and the recent wave of "denunciations." Men's "freedom to pester" is "indispensable to sexual freedom," they wrote.

"Rape is a crime, but insistent or clumsy flirting is not an offense, nor is gallantry macho aggression."

A group of around 30 activists, led by prominent feminist Caroline De Haas, responded on Wednesday with a scathing critique, published on France Info.
"Feminism is not about protecting sexual liberation," she added, "but about protecting women."
http://abc7chicago.com/politics/catherine-deneuve-denounces-metoo-in-open-letter/2923280/

[procon]

1. "freedom to pester women"... WTF! This woman is nuts!

No! Women don't need to be pestered by some man who thinks that pussy grabbing is just "clumsy flirting", because unwelcome touching sure as hell is offensive. Its an assault, yeah! So just, no! Stop it. Don't try to call sexual harassment, gallantry. Laying your coat down on a park bench might be a gallant gesture, but manhandling a woman is not in that category.

[leftstreet]

2. "insistent flirting?" WTF

They could have had a point about clumsiness, or nerdiness, or something, but not "insistent" or "pestering"

Jesus

[Caliman73]

3. So is Ms. Deneuve okay with fans stalking her? ... Oh I mean just being really into her

by waiting outside her house, going through her garbage, following her incessantly?

I mean he hasn't attacked her and isn't walking around wearing her face as a mask, he's just wanting to be close to her as a fan...

Same logic.

[NCTraveler]

4. Dont mean to sound cold toward them.

But that’s some really stupid shit. I’m saying that as one who believes the societal impact of this, good or bad, is acceptable debate.

[Squinch]

5. She's what? 90? And she made her living on her looks. The elderly can be ignorant too.

[Kirk Lover]

6. NOBODY is talking about flirting or pestering for fucks sake. #ShutIt

[jalan48]

7. She was a great actress. I wonder how strong #MeToo is in France?

[Phoenix61]

8. Proof that a woman can be a mysogonist

I believe her age is making it difficult for her it understand what #MeToo is all about.

[smirkymonkey]

9. Ignorant old woman.

Like Brigitte Bardot, just because you were once a decent actress, doesn't mean you have any understanding about life or politics.