The Golden Globe Awards took place in Los Angeles this Sunday, and they made for a memorable evening to say the least. At times the show was funny, at other times it was touching.

But above all, this year’s Golden Globes will be remembered as a serious turning point in the fight against misogyny and gender inequality.

Following a string of high-profile sexual misconduct scandals in Hollywood and elsewhere, the energy of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements was palpable in almost every aspect of the awards.

The excitement began on the red carpet, where the wardrobe of attendees became a political statement.

Read More: The Powerful Message Behind Connie Britton's Golden Globes Sweater


Many actors showed up to the awards wearing black in support of the #MeToo movement, an expression of solidarity with men and women affected by discrimination, harassment, and abuse. Pins displaying the hashtag were also popular.

Even the young cast of the wildly popular Stranger Things participated, to the delight of fans everywhere. 

As the host of the evening, Seth Meyers used his platform, and his humor, to call out the various individuals who had been accused of abusing their power in Hollywood. Though the content of his message was serious, there were some funny moments, like when Meyers caught actor Willem Dafoe off guard in his opening monologue: 

Or when Amy Poehler flipped one of Meyers’ jokes on its head to make a point about mansplaining: 

The real magic began during the actual awards portion of the show. The internet freaked out after Natalie Portman seemed to take a subtle jab at the fact that the nominees for Best Director were all male: 

There were also the inevitable moments of awkwardness we’ve come to expect from live television events, like when James Franco blocked cult-hero and general enigma Tommy Wiseau from speaking on stage:

But the crown jewel of the evening, and the moment that sparked the biggest response on the internet by far, was the speech Oprah made following her acceptance of the Cecil B. DeMille Award for her outstanding contributions in entertainment. The media mogul spoke out in support of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, and for all of the women and men who had been affected by sexual harassment.

It was a stirring speech, inspirational in its message, and powerful in its delivery. It wasn’t long before the internet erupted in support.

The moment was so powerful that some people began calling on Oprah to follow up on a joke Meyers made at the beginning of the evening, suggesting that she run for president in 2020. CNN reported Monday morning that she might actually be considering a serious run. In any case, other presidential hopefuls were paying close attention to the reception her speech received. 

If the night proved anything, it was that the voice of celebrities can certainly help steer public conversations about important issues. As powerful men and women take action against sexual misconduct at all levels, it seems like we may actually be heading towards what Oprah so aptly called “a new horizon.” 

TopicsActivism#TimesUp#MeTooOprah Winfrey

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Demand Equity

The Golden Globes Was a Night of Activism. Here’s How the Internet Responded

By Andrew McMaster