LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #101. Seeing Allred (documentary, 2018)

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#101. Seeing Allred (documentary film, 2018)

This documentary follows Gloria Allred, the women’s rights attorney (pro bono) widely regarded as one of the most outspoken, tireless, and inspiring activists of our time. She has devoted her life to fighting for justice, equality, and the rights of people regardless of gender or identity. Among the many battles she has taken on, two of her most high-profile challenges involved Bill Cosby and Donald Trump, whose sexual misconduct allegations brought Allred even further into the national spotlight.

 

“People say “she’s loud, she’s got an ego, she must just love the camera”, and then I just sort of pause and say “haven’t you met any men like that?”

=>This quote points out the double standard faced by powerful women. When women are outspoken, confident, or assertive, they are often labeled as loud, arrogant, or attention-seeking. Yet men who display the same qualities are often praised as strong leaders. She challenges this unfair difference in the way society judges men and women with double inequal standards for the same behavior.

 

(Gloria Allred said): “Let’s dispel this myth of the wonderful traditional family. That was the family in which women have to obey their husbands, that was the family in which women had no property rights. We don’t necessarily want the traditional family, which didn’t even allow inter-racial marriages, which sir, were a crime even up to 30 years ago in this country. And just because it was a crime didn’t make it right. It meant it was prejudice!”

=> Gloria Allred argues that the often-romanticized image of the “traditional family” was not always based on equality or harmony. Instead, many historical family structures were shaped by legal and social systems that limited women’s rights and reinforced racial discrimination. She reminds us that, for much of history, women had fewer legal protections, less personal autonomy, and were expected to obey male authority. She also emphasizes that laws do not automatically reflect justice. For example, bans on interracial marriage remained legal in the United States until 1967. The existence of such laws shows that what is accepted by society or protected by law at one time can later be recognized as unfair or discriminatory.

 

(Gloria Allred said): “Women are now empowered. And they will never be silent again. I didn’t have an end-game. Speaking out for women in and of itself is an empowering experience.”

=> This quote means that women are finding their voices and refusing to remain silent in the face of mistreatment or injustice. For Gloria Allred, speaking the truth is itself an act of strength and a form of victory, even when there is no guarantee of a particular outcome. Women are recognizing their own strength and worth and are no longer willing to hide abuse, discrimination, or unfair treatment. Telling the truth can be empowering and healing, regardless of what happens afterward.

 

(Mariann Wang, NY Co-counsel, Allred, Maroko & Goldberg said): “There’s nothing shameful about the fact that Gloria held a press conference about this issue, and there’s nothing shameful about a woman describing being sexually assaulted.”

    =>  Mariann means to say that there is always the stigma and public backlash often faced by survivors of sexual assault and the attorneys who support them. She emphasizes that speaking openly about sexual violence should never be a source of shame. The shame belongs to the perpetrator, not the survivor. She urges people to know that speaking out about sexual violence is an act of courage, not something victims should feel ashamed of. Therefore, as Allred had been doing, using the media and press conferences to bring allegations to public attention should be seen as a legitimate legal and advocacy strategy.

 

(Gloria Allred said): “As lawyers and as legislators, we should ask who benefits from a relatively short statute of limitations from rape and sexual assault and who is hurt.”

=>Gloria Allred argues that short statutes of limitations for rape and sexual assault can unfairly protect perpetrators while denying survivors a chance to seek justice. She points out that survivors may need years to process their trauma and find the courage to come forward. By the time they are ready, the legal deadline may have already passed. On the other side, perpetrators can avoid legal consequences when the deadline expires. Allred calls for lawmakers to reconsider or eliminate these time limits so that the legal system gives survivors a fairer chance to pursue justice.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

I have heard people say that women’s worst enemies are sometimes other women. But if they had ever heard of or witnessed the work of an attorney like Gloria Allred, perhaps they would think twice before making such a sweeping and dangerous generalization about women.

Allred has said that she becomes deeply emotional and personally invested whenever she takes on cases involving women who have been abused or sexually assaulted. Her passion comes partly from her own painful experience. In her twenties, she was sexually assaulted and later underwent an illegal abortion that nearly cost her life. Rather than allowing those traumatic experiences to leave her in despair, she chose to transform her pain into a source of strength. She dedicated her career to helping women facing the kinds of desperate situations she herself had once endured.

In the past, the United States was no exception to the widespread idealization of the so-called “beautiful” or "picture-perfect” family. Allred’s message encourages us to look at the past critically rather than view it only through the comforting lens of nostalgia. Many families certainly experienced love, stability, and strong values, but the social systems surrounding them also contained deep inequalities based on gender and race. Recognizing both the strengths and shortcomings of the past can help us build a fairer and more equal society. Gloria Allred’s lifelong work has contributed greatly to advancing women’s basic rights in America.

Moreover, Allred helped bring sexual violence into the open. Speaking openly about abuse can help survivors reclaim their voices and encourage others to break their silence. In high-profile cases involving powerful individuals, media attention can give survivors a stronger platform and make it harder for their experiences to be ignored. But Allred’s work has never been limited to famous cases. She has devoted countless hours and enormous energy to helping women who have suffered domestic violence, sexual abuse, and the often-quiet but deeply traumatic harassment and assaults that occur in the workplace.

While watching this documentary, I found myself thinking not only about allegations of sexual misconduct involving the current U.S. president, but also about a recent controversy surrounding the minor Rebuilding Korea Party in South Korea. The party’s former spokesperson, Kang Mi-jeong, resigned in protest over what she described as the party’s lukewarm response to allegations of sexual harassment and workplace bullying within the organization. The party’s members and leadership were criticized for appearing to distance themselves from the scandal. What saddened me most was the apparent lack of wholehearted support for the spokesperson and the victims. What can we expect from politicians who cannot even stand up for victims within their own party?

I sincerely hope that women, including myself, will continue to take pride in speaking up—not only for themselves but also for those who are too frightened or powerless to raise their voices. We can all become our own Gloria Allred.