She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement

Reporters have been working for many years to uncover the truth about Harvey Weinstein's mistreatment of women. There had been long-standing rumours of misconduct. However, his name remained a byword for power when Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey started their 2017 investigation into the well-known Hollywood producer for the New York Times. Many unsettling and long-buried charges were uncovered over months of private interviews with prominent actresses, former Weinstein staff, and other sources. A complex system of onerous hidden settlements and nondisclosure agreements was also exposed. These dubious settlements had long been used as a cover for sexual assault and harassment, but Kantor and Twohey's ground-breaking reporting method helped bring it to light. Weinstein, however, was not going down without a fight; he assembled a group of well-known attorneys, private detectives, and other associates to obstruct the inquiry. Weinstein had managed to avoid scrutiny in the past. Weinstein and the New York Times were prepared for a spectacular fight, which began when Kantor and Twohey finally persuaded several sources to go on the record.

Nothing could have prepared Twohey and Kantor for what happened after their first Weinstein report was published on October 5, 2017. A virtual Pandora's box of sexual harassment and assault was unlocked in a matter of days. Women from all across the globe came out sharing their own experiences of trauma. Following accusations of misconduct, hundreds of men from various industries and walks of life were exposed over the course of the next 12 months. But was there too much, or not enough, change? Months later, when Christine Blasey Ford came forward to testify that Brett Kavanaugh had abused her decades earlier and he was nominated to the Supreme Court, those questions remained unanswered. With exclusive access to Ford and her team, Kantor and Twohey shed light on the journey that drove her to come forward, the powerful forces that confronted her, and the events that followed her public complaint.

She Said is an exciting tale about the power of truth in the vein of outstanding investigative journalism, complete with startling new facts from unidentified sources. In addition to discussing the effects of their reporting on the #MeToo movement, Kantor and Twohey also share the moving and inspirational stories of the women who stood out for themselves, other women, and future generations.