An open letter signed by more than 140 individuals and women’s rights organizations condemns the public criticism of Amber Heard following her highly publicized court case against Johnny Depp.
The letter, which was signed by activist Gloria Steinem and actress Constance Wu, among others, read, “The vilification of Ms. Heard and ongoing online harassment of her and those who have voiced support for her have been unprecedented in both vitriol and scale.”
It continued, “Much of this harassment was fueled by disinformation, misogyny, biphobia, and a monetized social media environment where a woman’s allegations of domestic violence and sexual assault were mocked for entertainment. The same disinformation and victim-blaming tropes are now being used against others who have alleged abuse.”
The author concluded, “We condemn the public shaming of Amber Heard and join in support of her. We support the ability of all to report intimate partner and sexual violence free of harassment and intimidation.”
Critics of the letter argue that it ignores the idea that Depp was a domestic violence victim, with one person tweeting, “Gloria Steinem now supports a Self Confessed Abuser who committed perjury on 3 continents soley because she’s a woman.”