Actress, Rose McGowan will replace Bernie Sanders as the opening night speaker at a national gathering of women beginning tomorrow. The Women's Convention 2017is an extension of the Women's March, which attracted nearly 1 million people worldwide the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration.
Ms McGowan has gained national prominence in the wake of the downfall of film producer Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment allegations, and has been chosen to deliver the opening remarks at the inaugural Women's Convention in Detroit on Friday until Sunday. This will be her first public appearance since she broke her silence on Twitter.
A large number of women have come forward naming Harvey Weinstein as a sexual predator with allegations of assault, groping and rape. The latest rape allegation to be brought to light was Natassia Malthe who described being attacked by Weinstein in 2008 in her London hotel room.
Organizers of the Women's Convention made the announcement on Wednesday, after what has been described as a ‘strong backlash’ from critics who said having a man open the convention gave the wrong message.
The 44-year-old activist and founder of the new hashtag #ROSEARMY (the army of truth) will also head a panel, ‘Fighting for Survivors of Sexual Assault in the Age of Betsy DeVos’ alongside a number of groups fighting against sexual violence as well as survivors of sexual assault.
Liked this? You might also enjoy:
Me Too Twitter Campaign Shows Just How Common Sexual Harassment Is
Meet The Australian Women Fighting Sexual Assault At Universities
Women Boycott Twitter Is Great, But We Can’t Pick And Choose When We Support Women Who Are Silenced
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.