Not just Woody: The dark history of young girls in Hollywood
Thanks to the open letter from Dylan Farrow recently published by Nicholas Kristof, we’re talking about Woody Allen again. Specifically, the accusations of sexual abuse that originally surfaced in 1992, when Farrow was seven. They were dismissed at the time because of inconclusive evidence, but are clearly still unresolved. My purpose here is not to delve into the ugly particulars of Allen and Farrow’s history – these things are complicated enough without another round of speculative commentary. Instead, I want to look at how these stories of sex, rape and celebrity, and in particular Hollywood’s penchant for underage girls, unfold for all concerned.