Congrats, Kevin Spacey! Conservatives are using your story to paint all gay men as pervs
We knew it was only a matter of time before conservative wingnuts began using the news of Kevin Spacey’s coming out to fuel the age-old “all gay men are pedophiles” myth.

www.queerty.com/congrats-kevin-spacey-conservatives-using-story-paint-gay-men-pervs-20171104?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Women Speak Out About The Sexual Harassment They Face Every Day At Work
The allegations against Harvey Weinstein have triggered a wave of revelations about powerful men in the entertainment industries, politics, media and FTSE companies. The behaviour of those in the public eye is being scrutinised. But what about in the real world where a boss in a restaurant, office or hospital holds as much power over their employees as Weinstein did over the young actresses he is said to have harassed?

Sexual harassment permeates through most industries. A Trade Union Congress (TUC) report last year found that on average 52% of women reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment but that in some industries it was much higher. In hospitality industries it is 67%.

Women opened up to HuffPost UK to describe their everyday experiences of harassment at work – from the young woman up against the “Harvey Weinstein of the New York restaurant industry” to a temp worker who has nowhere to turn after a manager groped her behind.

Natalia Ribbe-Szrok has worked in restaurants and bars in London and New York and has had a number of disturbing incidents both here and across the Atlantic.

When she was 21 years old, the owner of the restaurant she worked in, a man who she refers to as the “Harvey Weinstein of the New York restaurant industry” repeatedly touch her inappropriately. 

The owner, who was about 60, “stuck his fingers inside” Natalia’s shirt and would touch her bottom without consent, she tells HuffPost.

“Because I was a young, 20-something-year-old girl working in the restaurant industry in New York, I didn’t really think much of it because I was watching other women just tolerate it,” she says. “I didn’t feel in a place to really say anything.”

Ellen, whose name has been changed in order to protect her identity, was on a temporary contract while working in a restaurant in Glasgow when a senior colleague grabbed her bottom.

“One guy walked past me and groped me as I was carrying a massive plate of food and he just carried walking on. I was so shocked that this happened,” the 19-year-old explains.

The art student, who studies in Dundee, says the hospitality industry can be “especially bad” as it is a very fast-paced environment and there is “so little care for the people working there generally”.

Natalia adds that the restaurant industry in itself is problematic because of the anti-social hours that staff work and the sociable side to the job can cause problems.

“There is this convivial atmosphere and sometimes that can be misconstrued for flirtation,” Natalia says. “You want it to be this hospitable environment where you are all best mates. But there is a line and I think a lot of women are afraid to say, ‘actually that’s not cool’.”

And the waters only get murkier when customers – especially those who are inebriated – are thrown into the mix.

Natalia, 32, who moved to the UK six years ago, says that some customers feel they are entitled to make unwanted advances towards waitressing and bar staff.

“You would get these high-powered (customers).. thinking that you were the waitress and that they could speak to you like you’re nothing.

“It’s little things too, like them calling you ‘sweetie, darling’. It’s the demeaning names, it’s putting the arm around your waist while you’re stood next to the table.

“Or sometimes it’s the discerning looks. You can feel it when you’re standing away from the table and they’re all looking at you.

“That’s the thing, you don’t speak up about it because it seems so small and petty,” Natalia says.

“They are a guest in their restaurant. You’re looking after them but that doesn’t mean they get to do whatever the hell they want.”

While working in a restaurant in Fitzrovia, central London, a customer tried to kiss Natalia before she pushed him away. As he was a regular, Natalia would have to continuously see him following the “awkward” encounter.

“If I’m not engaging with you, why are you forcing yourself on me? Don’t mistake my hospitality as an open invitation to try and touch me,” she says.

Ellen says that in one of the expensive venues she worked in, customers would see waitresses and bar staff “as part of what they paid for”.

“They saw it as part of the package,” she adds.

Often the recipient of inappropriate comments, men would ask if she was “on the menu”. They also asked her to sit on their laps and commented on the “view” when she was clearing tables.

“They think they can bully you,” she says. “But also because no one does anything about it there’s this whole culture where it is just accepted.”

Workers on temporary and zero hour contracts, who might also get work through an agency, can be particularly vulnerable.

“I think the whole zero hour culture.. enables people who do abuse women, as there is no accountability,” Ellen, who says she has never been on a permanent contract, explains.

She wants greater regulation for staff on temporary and zero hour contracts and a clear structure in place that allows employees to raise sexual harassment concerns.

Ellen says that, because she was not on a permanent contract then there was no mechanism in place for her to talk to an employer.

“I never felt like I could talk to anyone because there was never an opportunity where we could have a chat with a manager,” she says. “If something was wrong you never really had any time to raise it.”

“You feel like you don’t have any protection, you just have to try to appease it,” she adds.

“Without changing the way that casual work is and the structure that exists it’s really difficult because there is just no accountability on any level.”

Danielle Parsons was 24 when she was working on a temporary contract as a secretary in an office in the midlands.

Her experience of sexual harassment while working in the office spurned her on to purse a career as an employment lawyer.

Danielle, now 35, says that she was informed that she did not get a promotion in her workplace because she was not attractive enough or willing to perform sexual favours for the boss.

“I was told by a senior colleague that I did not get a promotion I went for at the time because I had ‘not been hit hard enough with the beauty stick’ and that this man didn’t want a blow job from me.

“Those were the exact words he said to me,” she tells HuffPost.

“I want to say that I was surprised (by the comments) but I wasn’t.. I felt like I knew the kind of person he was.

“It was unfortunate to be in a position where I felt like I deserved the job and this was the reason why I didn’t get it. I was extremely upset about that,” she adds.

Danielle says that she was told that the only women who would get promoted in the company were brunettes who the boss was attracted to.

One such woman was Danielle’s friend, who she recalls started to feel increasingly uncomfortable in the boss’s presence as he “was trying to look for excuses to touch her” and even moved her desk into his office.

Danielle says that she did not feel able to speak out about these injustices at the time because she was so dependent on the salary and losing her job “wasn’t an option”, especially as it was during the recession.

Danielle says: “I was extremely under pressure with my financial situation at the time because I paid my way through college.

“I was in about £10,000 of debt so I was very much struggling at the time.”

The need to hold on to a job means that many women feel as though they cannot jeopardise their employment by speaking out about sexual harassment.

In the hospitality sector, staff are even encouraged to flirt with customers in order to get tips, Ellen says.

And Natalia agrees: “In New York when I waited on tables we got tips, that’s how we made our money. And you don’t want to upset a table that’s some of your rent.”

Soon Ellen will have to start looking for another job, but she remains pessimistic and feels dishearted about what she will have to face when she goes back to work.

She says: “The reality of it is that, when I do go get a job again soon, there’s not any jobs I can imagine myself getting that would be exempt from this.

“All you can hope for is to get somewhere that is run by nice people. It’s really hard to get a job that is a nice place to work in and is also the hours that you need.

“I’m just expecting to deal with these issues again when I do go back to work because it’s just everywhere. I’ve never had a job in hospitality where I haven’t had to deal with these issues.”

Natalia says that there is progress being made in the hospitality industry, but that it’s still an environment fraught with difficulties, due to the nature of the work and anti-social hours.

“It’s gotten better since I started working in the industry,” Natalia says. “There’s more female presence and there’s more women speaking out loud. People aren’t sitting down anymore. They are like ‘no, I will not be spoken to like that’.”

If you have been affected by sexual harassment at work but you felt you couldn’t speak out about it, contact [email protected]

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/sexual-harassment-women-speak-out_uk_59fc4369e4b0415a420af805

Kevin Spacey Fired As Producers Consider How to Make the Show Without Him

Netflix toys with focusing the show on Robin Wright’s character in the wake of Kevin Spacey sexual abuse scandal. 

www.advocate.com/television/2017/11/04/kevin-spacey-fired-producers-consider-how-make-show-without-him

Jo Brand Praised For Taking All-Male ‘Have I Got News For You’ Panel To Task Over Sexual Harassment Jokes

Jo Brand has received widespread praise after taking last night’s Have I Got News For You guests to task over why sexual harassment should be taken seriously. 

The comedian offered a ringing rebuke following a series of jokes by the all-male panel over recent misconduct allegations within Parliament, with viewers accusing panelists of trying to “downplay” harassment. 

While Daily Mail columnist Quentin Letts called journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer a “big strong girl” following accusations that former Defence Secretary Michael Fallon repeatedly touched her knee at a dinner a number of years ago, Ian Hislop laughed over one allegation of a Tory MP taking his personal trainer to the cinema. 

“Some of this isn’t high-level crime, is it?” Hislop said. “Compared to say, Putin or Trump.”  

Fallon stepped down from his Defence role earlier in the week, admitting his previous conduct had “fallen short” of military standards, fellow Conservative Charlie Elphicke last night had the Tory whip suspended following ’serious allegations” that have been referred to the police. 

The Dover MP has denied any wrongdoing. 

#HIGNFY panel, but she did it well.”

Meanwhile, other viewers hit out at the show for failing to have a single female guest on the panel, bar host Brand. 

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/jo-brand-sexual-harassment-jokes_uk_59fd9d5de4b0baea2631f0f4

89 Photos of Guys Who Love to Show It Off

www.advocate.com/photography/2017/11/04/89-photos-guys-who-love-show-it

‘House Of Cards’ Will Not Continue With Kevin Spacey, Netflix Confirm
Netflix have confirmed that they will not be producing any new episodes of ‘House Of Cards’ that feature Kevin Spacey, following a series of sexual harassment allegations against the actor.

As Frank Underwood, Kevin is the focal point of the show but Netflix and production company MRC have not ruled out finding a way to carry on without him.

A statement reads: “Netflix will not be involved with any further production of ‘House of Cards’ that includes Kevin Spacey.

“We will continue to work with MRC during this hiatus time to evaluate our path forward as it relates to the show.”

They’ve also confirmed that another Spacey project, a Gore Vidal biopic, will not be released.

“We have also decided we will not be moving forward with the release of the film ‘Gore’, which was in post-production, starring and produced by Kevin Spacey.” the statement concludes.

During the past week, a number of ‘House Of Cards’ have speculated over the show’s future, with many suggesting that the focus could shift onto Robin Wright’s character Claire.

Spacey is the subject of a number of harassment accusations and on Friday (3 November), two anonymous ‘House Of Cards’ crew members alleged the actor had acted inappropriately towards them while on set.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/kevin-spacey-netflix-house-of-cards_uk_59fd8286e4b0baea2631e2e1

Wetherspoon’s Boss ‘100% Certain’ Brexit Can Mean Cheaper Food – But Can’t Say If His Prices Will Drop

“I’m 100% sure what I’m saying is true,” Tim Martin tells HuffPost UK, after printing half a million beermats that tell Wetherspoon’s customers Brexit can make their food and drink cheaper, despite repeated warnings that leaving the EU will do the opposite.

“If by any chance I’ve got it wrong, I’ve not made myself look too clever.”

Lots of people would say the chairman of Wetherspoon’s, Britain’s biggest pub chain, has not made himself look too clever.

the British Retail Consortium and former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg have warned Brexit without an EU trade deal will drive up food prices. Clegg said leaving the EU without a deal would mean a 22% tariff on food from the EU.

Undeterred, Martin has printed his beermats for people to read as they down cheap pints at 895 Wetherspoon’s pubs across the country.

The mats say prices will fall – if only politicians had the sense to “stop messing about” and follow The Wetherspoon’s Manifesto: Quit the EU without a transitional deal and use the freedom of World Trade Organisation rules to abolish tariffs our EU membership obliges us to charge on food imports from outside the bloc.

The rules let you do this, he says, so long as you don’t discriminate, so his vision would mean the abolition of food tariffs from in and outside the EU.

The Wetherspoon’s boss thinks axing the tariffs would take 3.5p off each meal served in the chain and 0.5p off each drink.

The avuncular, staunch Brexiteer, who grew his empire from a single pub in 1979 to the huge chain it is now, has been a colourful voice in favour of Brexit.

His chain is such a national institution that a scathing Sunday Times review of one of its newest pubs last weekend caused an uproar and discussion about the role cheap pubs plays in a time of poverty. The review called Martin “a multimillionaire Leave donor who’s now complaining he can’t get the staff”.

This is the second time Martin has pulled the beermat stunt. Before the referendum, he put out ones posing a series of questions doubting the future of the Euro, and urging people to vote Leave.

Announcing the latest beermats in a press release, he said people like Clegg and Taylor were part of “a coordinated campaign to dupe the public”.

One reason he is so confident is his claim that he has not been contradicted, despite being challenged by Andrew Neil on BBC One’s This Week in September. He also set out his views in an article last month headlined: “Project Fear has morphed into Project Stupid.”

Speaking to HuffPost by phone, Martin says his claims have already circulated widely within his trade, who are “mostly Remainers” and he has had not had any reproach, “nor will I”.

“What I’ve said, I’m certain it’s true… I said it on television… I contradicted Andrew Neil and not one person has come back and said ‘no, no, you’ve got that wrong Tim’.”

Conventional wisdom about Brexit’s impact on food prices seems to trouble Martin. He insists there would be no need for extra custom checks, which would make food more expensive. 

The fall in the pound’s value, which has already fuelled inflation since the vote, also doesn’t faze him and he says its affect on food is “almost negligible”.

He is more certain than anyone else in the debate, it seems. Revered think tank the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) does not share his confidence. It said in July that Brexit’s impact on food prices was “highly uncertain”.

LSE economist Thomas Sampson viewed Martin’s press release and told HuffPost it had a “partial truth”, as axing the tariffs would make food cheaper but only cheaper than if Britain left the EU and kept them.

Sampson said: “Are food prices lower following Brexit than if we hadn’t voted to leave the EU? That’s where the claim has less to back it up.”

photo of himself wearing a dunce’s hat in Wetherspoon News, the free magazine given to customers.

“I’m trying to help you,” he adds apologetically. “Not sure what I can say… That’s a tongue-in-cheek comment. The best I can say.

“It’s 18 months down the line, that’s almost impossible to make a commitment. If I was wrong, you would’ve found out by now.”

He may be unable to commit to what he’ll do if he’s wrong but his commitment to being right, if anything, only increases. He repeats it boils down to the fact that, if the Government axes the tariffs, food will be cheaper.

“If the Government adopts a sensible policy, food will be cheaper than if we’d stayed in the EU.” Is he still 100% sure?

“I’m 100% sure of that,” he says. “If the Government bangs on huge taxes, it won’t be cheaper. If they adopt a free trade route, I’m 100% certain food will be cheaper.”

“What we can’t say is what might happen in the next 18 months. If the Government whacks on a mass of other taxes… It’s very difficult for me to say anything sensible or realistic.”

This is beginning to sound as if it’s impossible to prove Martin wrong. He keeps repeating the equation that if tariffs go, food will be cheaper. “That’s a definite. That’s axiomatic. It’s not a question I can be wrong on that. On that particular point I can’t be wrong.”

But, I say, he is telling me food will be cheaper than if we voted Remain, which is a much broader claim than simply whether we retain tariffs after leaving the EU.

I suggest there that maybe there are too many hypotheticals but ask, if prices rise, is there anything firm he can commit his chain to doing?

“I just can’t see how I can say anything that makes any sense at all,” he says. “No one running a business can say. It’s a weird question… It’s like saying ‘if the Government drops alcohol tax on beer, what can you offer?’ What could I offer?”

So Martin is sure Brexit can make food cheaper. He’s just not so sure his customers, who can read about how on their beermats, will get to reap the benefits of it.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/wetherspoons-brexit-beer-mats-tim-martin_uk_59faf3cee4b0b0c7fa38185c