Urban Art Association

Anthony Lister and the #MeToo Movement

#MeToo Movement’s has the capacity to vindicate women’s rights or destroy its own credibility and set back the cause of women – a cause which should be adopted by us all.

In the late 40’s and 50’s, it was easy to accuse and black- ban so-called “Communists” and “Fellow Travellers”. There were “Reds under the bed.” For hundreds of years, Lesbians and assertive women in Europe and America were denounced as witches, tortured and even burned alive. Gay people and their sexual practices were criminalised until the early to mid-eighties in Australia.

Now it is unsafe and a huge reputational risk to defend what may be unsubstantiated and under-investigated charges against a leading Australian artist, Anthony Lister or against other men, who are similarly accused, of taking sexual advantage of women.

The #MeToo movement puts itself at risk, when it rushes to judgement and invites others to do so, too. The reputations of great talents may be indelibly sullied by rookie cops who lap up the prospect of putting someone famous on trial, even when the evidence may be thin at best.

It is very easy to make claims about what went on behind closed doors and such claims are more often made against the rich or famous – sometimes because they have something that their accusers want; mostly because such celebrities are capable of buying sexual favours and also , of exploiting their power to demand them.

It is not so easy to prove, for a variety of reasons, often including because the allegations may not be true. #MeToo can be both about giving other women the courage to come forward or dishonest and avaricious opportunists the chance to jump on a bandwagon.

If #MeToo empowers victims it is good. If it is taken over by liars or hijacked by neurotic misandrists, it will be discredited like McCarthyism and do the Women’s Movement a great disservice, taking a few male scalps along the way – of both the innocent and the guilty – because to date the movement has shown neither temperance nor discernment.

Stop victimising men without proof and end ill-informed boycotts and knee-jerk vilification.

Typical, great roll model for a child to have. Makes a lot of sense when its unpacked like this doesn't it;…

Here you are recalling yourself (as a child) watching your father walking into pubs and asking random strangers to fight him. He must've been a real tough guy, a true cultured man right? a renaissance man im sure… But here you are - the son of a 'shouting fighting father', a keyboard pub brawler no doubt, behaving like your father in that good old fashioned bully type pick on the weak ones type guy, yeah? Correct me if im wrong. But you're on a art forum, not in a pub. Its such cliche Freudian psychology, I am almost embarrassed for the transparency you publicly exhibit. How is it that despite being raised by a tyrant and a brute that you somehow remain void of any spine worth of any salt at all? The fact that you latch onto the closest most safe zone Lynch mob mentality in order to feel a sense of community 
is a testament to the damage your father did to you. 

I hope you can rise above the petty bitterness that lives deep inside you one day and grow up. Hopefully it is not too late for your children

Not at all.
Just an art lover that can still see the ARTWORK.
Focusing on negative elements of an artists personal life, either hypothetical or otherwise is not what the ARTWORK is about.
If that was the case, im sure most of your favourite writers, actors, philosophers, musicians etc would have you lost for idols. 
Maybe time to give that Tina Turner record a dust off hey champ- lol

how old are you kids, is this an art forum or a playschool afternoon babysitters club chatroom. anybody on here even study art history pre1999?
Banksyd be laughing his ass off reading y'all stupid neg try hard bully bullshit

What is the real situation with the cases against him? I thought he was going to court, but then heard no more about it.
Is there a date for a trial, or anything like that??

Obviously by law its up to the judge to discern whether he is guilty of rape or not, not an online art forum.  I believe he is charged with the sexual assault and or rape of five different women?  As for the Drugs and weapons that were found in his possession along with the GBH cases that they have actual evidence of its not looking good for him really is it?  I certainly wouldn't want any of my nieces anywhere near him and you definitely shouldn't get let off such serious crimes as rape and sexual assault just because you can paint pretty pictures.  Why has it taken so long for this to go to court?

link

I agree completely. gotta admit though, considering he denied all of the charges- one has to wonder; in the light of it being almost 5 years after the sensational media spectacle being splashed around the world and still no trial or convictions… when here is a man still making his ART and operating in society as a free man… ,makes you wonder what roll the media played in the whole 'me-too' of it all. not to mention that at the time of his arrest; I recall wasn't that the start of covid? Makes me question certain motivations of those whom see fit to accuse someone whom at the time could have been perceived as riding well on a relative wave of success … 

His art is just as shitty as his rape tactics. Highly doubt you would be on an art forum supporting a suspected rapist if your wife, girlfriend, mother, sister, daughter, aunt, etc. had been raped.

I was just reminiscing the times when the forum was clogged up with the Glastonbury thread. At least discussing some rumoured posters was better than discussing an alleged rapist.

I’ve now blocked this nobody as we are sure to get 500 more posts on the topic.

freedom of speech?
her today / wrong tomorrow hey...

love the silence

Although, I do think the thread title reads as if he hasn’t r@ped anyone in 2024. Shame about the alleged previous years.

I don't make the rules mate. I don't disagree with some of what you're saying, many people have been convicted in the court of public opinion only to be found innocent or certianly not the monster they were potrayed to be by the media. I think in his case there were multiple unrealted accusers and strong evidence against him so I'm not sure the reputational damage was undeserved. In a perfect world yes people should be presumed innocent until proven guilty but we live in a 24 hour media world which when it comes to the public makes it impossible. I also think art and artist should generally be seperated however that's just impossible to do in some cases where they commit particularly heinous crimes. 

nobody777, do you know Lister personally?

Feels like iv known him my whole life tbh.
Dudes super open online & in that doco.
Dudes website n YouTube etc kept pretty reg.
Look, I choose to remain neutral on the matter until it's all been heard through the courts and I feel that's the least I can do for him as a longterm fan of his practice.
The dude deserve the benefit of the doubt in my mind if he denies any wrong doings. 
5yrs is a very long time to be waiting for a trial.
Think about it...  



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