With women and men all over the world sharing stories of sexual harassment they had to endure, two prominent gay actors join the discussion with brave revelations – Charlie Carver and Wilson Cruz, both opened up this week about the inappropriate advances they were subjected to in Hollywood.
The two openly gay actors spoke with Variety during the GLSEN Respect awards, a ceremony that honors individuals and corporations that “have made a significant impact on the lives of LGBTQ youth.”
Charlie Carver, the 29-year-old actor known for his roles on Teen Wolf and Desperate Housewives, said he is no stranger to sexual harassment.
“There are many other people who have experienced way worse in terms of harassment, but I can identify and empathize with anybody who has gone through it.
This will hopefully open up a discussion about men and power dynamics in general — maybe it has to do with exerting masculinity. I wouldn’t say I was traumatized. But it was definitely a lesson, something to move through.”
Wilson Cruz, who appeared as a young actor in TV series My So Called Life (and these days stars in Star Trek: Discovery), remembers indecent offers he used to get from older men.
“Early on when I was a little twink there were people who made suggestions about how they could help me. And you know, clearly I didn’t take them up on that because I would be far more famous than I am now!
Older gentlemen of a certain age who made offers. I did not take them up on it, but it was uncomfortable. I was in my 20s, and I thought: ‘Is this what one does?'”
