#MeToo or #TooMuch? Petition to rescind Kobe Bryant’s Oscar nomination center around assault case
An online petition that insists Bryant is "a known rapist" who should not be honored at the Oscars for his animated short, Dear Basketball has earned thousands of signatures.
With the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements gaining momentum in Hollywood and beyond, it’s hard to know where and when to draw the line.
An online petition aimed at getting the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences to rescind Kobe Bryant’s recent Oscar nomination is nearing its goal of 17,000 signatures.
The petition, started by Kelsey B., which calls out the Academy for nominating Bryant for for Best Animated Short for his film, Dear Basketball, insists the basketball star is a “known rapist” and should be treated as such.
In 2003, Kobe Bryant faced sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in Colorado he insisted was a consensual encounter. Bryant’s 19-year-old accuser eventually dropped the charges and settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
But the petition supporters claim Bryant is a predator who should not be celebrated with Hollywood’s highest honor.
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It reads:
The Oscars almost avoided nominating sexual predators for awards. Woody Allen and James Franco didn’t get anything. But Kobe Bryant, who was charged with a horrific sexual assault.
In 2003, Kobe Bryant raped a 19-year-old hotel employee. He tried to avoid being charged by paying off his victim and settled a civil assault case out of court.
Sign the petition to ask The Academy to rescind this nomination because Kobe Bryant is a known rapist.
An important conversation has been started about sexual assault and harassment, so why is Bryant being honored for best animated short if Time really is Up?
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While Kobe Bryant was accused of sexual assault fifteen years ago, some folks feel like this is a major reach in the context of #MeToo and #TimesUp.
Thousands of people clearly believe Bryant has no business being honored.
POLL: Does the petition have a point?
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