For weeks I was used as clickbait and a meal ticket for certain reporters who pumped out whatever stories they could...

For weeks I was used as clickbait and a meal ticket for certain reporters who pumped out whatever stories they could with my name in the headline. One writer questioned my upbringing, using a comparison to the convicted murderer Paul Bernardo. There were few limits to how far some would go.

When the scandal broke, dozens of female friends, some of whom I’d previously dated, reached out in support to say they would speak on behalf of my character. As the storm grew, many backed away, too scared or conflicted or shocked at the headlines to take a public stand. Several friendly artists and celebrities wrote to say they would need to stay silent because it might affect their careers. I was grateful for their candor. Many others, even those I thought to be close friends, simply have not spoken to me since.

https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/10/11/reflections-hashtag/ ⟲

Reflections from a Hashtag

Before 2014, it was unimaginable to me that I would become a poster boy for men who are assholes.