Everyone remembers the time you opened your Tiktok, Youtube, or Instagram, and the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial was being live-streamed. The internet went crazy with their opinions and commentary on the trial, nearly all of their negativity being thrown at Amber. I can not lie and say I wasn’t joining that hatred at first; I’m a big fan of Johnny Depp films. What I came to realize during the reposted clips from the trial and TikToks that flooded my feed was that nobody was stopping to question Johnny whatsoever. Here’s the narrative: High-profile celebrity says they didn’t sexually assault/abuse their spouse, their spouse is far less famous, and therefore the spouse is a liar, and we should post horrible things about them online.
It took a while for people (primarily women) to fight back about the case, not in praise of Amber, but in opposition to the godlike pedestal, Johnny was placed upon. Regardless of whether the accusation was true or not, the outrage Depp fans expressed on the internet against Amber was disgusting. There was plenty of evidence Amber Heard was abusive to Johnny, but there was no less evidence he was just as abusive to her. Depp stans were impenetrable regarding his long history of violence, wanting to believe Jack Sparrow could do absolutely nothing wrong.
What infuriated me the most, however, were the replies to the alleged sexual assault. People took to the comments of any video possible, saying her reactions and body language were not convincing enough of someone who had been sexually assaulted. Are you serious?????? Putting assault survivors in a box is ridiculous and only paves the way for more men to get away with sex crimes. High-profile male celebrities consistently win cases where they are being charged with sexual violence. Audiences like to believe their favorite celebrities could NEVER be capable of doing anything wrong, thus allowing more influential men to get away scot-free and prolonging the cycle of silence.
Overall, the trial was a massive laugh in the face of the #MeToo movement and domestic abuse survivors everywhere. I wish people would have taken more of a middle-ground approach regarding the situation instead of siding with a knowingly violent man. By supporting male perpetrators instead of standing aside victims, the cycle will never end.