It seems like everyday we are waking up to somebody new being accused of sexual harassment or abuse, and it’s not getting any easier to come to terms with.
Especially when they accused are people we have admired.
Take the Duffer brothers for instance. The pair are the creators of Stranger Things, one of the best shows on television… so to hear that they might be a little abusive behind the scenes is upsetting.
However, it’s important to take this information with a grain of salt. Instagram user @peytonnbrown posted a lengthy rant on International Women’s Day, announcing that she won’t be returning to work for Stranger Things.
“I guess there’s no better day than #nationalwomensday to say #timesup and announce that I will not be a part of the filming of Season 3 of Stranger Things,” she began.
“Why, you ask? Because I stand with my sisters. I personally witnessed two men in high positions of power on that set seek out and verbally abuse multiple women. I promised myself that if I were ever in a situation to say something that I would. I have 11.5 thousand followers who can hear me say this, TIME IS UP. Women in the film industry are POWERFUL.
“We will rise and we will scream from mountain tops in support of each other and I will not contribute my time, efforts, and talent to such abusive people. There is too much going on in this world to be regressive. There are too many amazing and highly respected men in respective positions of power that I have had the utmost pleasure of working beside.
“Those are the people I want to surround myself with. Those are the projects I want to be a part of. This industry is no longer led by a “few good men,” but instead by an OCEAN of ASTOUNDING WOMEN. Enough is enough. For my sisters- Time is up. #timesup #theabusestopsnow#ontobiggerandbetter #standupforwhatsright#womenempowerment #ladygrip#sisterhood #iatsesisters #wewillbeheard#thispicsaysitall.”
Yikes.
After she posted the image, people started asking questions. One person asked, “are you talking about the duffers?” in which she responded, “yes, I am.”
Another person commented and asked how the brothers have abused women, and she explained, “There was yelling, there were insults, there were threats and people were even fired or forced to quit because of them.”
Peytonn has since disabled comments on the post, and the Duffer brothers have released an apology.
“We are deeply upset to learn that someone felt uncomfortable on our set,” Matt and Ross Duffer said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter.
“Due to the high-stress nature of production, tempers occasionally get frayed, and for that, we apologise,” the statement reads.
However it’s not the first time they’ve come under fire for their workplace practices.
After season 2 aired on Netflix, a behind the scenes look at the actors came out as a Netflix special. During it, newcomer Sadie Sink (who is 15), revealed that she wasn’t told about having to kiss Caleb McLaughlin’s character until it came time to shoot. This caused a major uproar.
“I get there the first day of filming the Snow Ball, me and Noah [Schnapp] are walking in, seeing the decorations and stuff,” Sadie began. “One of you – I think it was you, Ross – was like, ‘Oh Sadie, you ready for the kiss?’ I’m like, ‘What? Nope! That’s not in the script. That’s not happening.’ And so the whole day I was stressed out.”
“You reacted so strongly to this. I was just joking,” replied Ross Duffer. “And you were so freaked out I was like oh, well, I gotta make you do it now. That’s what happened. That’s why it’s your fault.”
However not long after that controversy arose, Sadie came out and set the record straight.
“I mean, of course I was nervous because it’s a first kiss, right? But I never objected to [it] or felt pushed into anything. I always felt comfortable and the Duffer Brothers, they do the best job. And always create a comfortable space. And if I felt uncomfortable with anything, I wouldn’t have done it.”
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