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Monday, March 18
The Indiana Daily Student

arts

COLUMN: Fans condemn Johnny Depp’s abused ex-wife

WORLD NEWS AUSTRALIA-DEPP-DOGS DPA

Ever since Marlon Brando died in 2004, Hollywood has been in desperate need of a worthy successor to what many consider the infamously disobedient actor.

Johnny Depp is, without a doubt, that successor. When you have been best friends with the likes of Brando and outlawed journalist Hunter S. Thompson, there’s no way you’re coming out of those relationships unflawed.

So when Amber Heard, Depp’s wife, accused Depp of domestically abusing her earlier this year, some weren’t surprised.

Heard alleged that Depp cut off the tip of one of his fingers after hitting a phone against the wall a month into their marriage.

After this, Depp allegedly dipped his bleeding finger into blue paint and used it to write on the mirror. During this whole time — while under the influence of alcohol and ecstasy, Heard alleged — Depp was accusing Heard of having an affair with actor Billy Bob Thornton.

In May, Heard filed a restraining order against Depp after he allegedly threw an iPhone at her during a fight. The two divorced earlier this month. Depp has denied the abuse allegations.

Were some people angry over this news? Of course. Was everyone? Far from it.

In fact, the scariest part of this entire scandal, perhaps even more so than the possible inhumanities inflicted upon Heard, is just how far Depp fans have been willing to go to defend their idol.

Many Depp fans are speculating that Heard created a “Gone Girl” scenario by faking all of the abuse in order to blackmail Depp.

Others have accused Heard of being heartless and a gold digger for filing for divorce with Depp shortly after the death of Depp’s mother.

It’s really no wonder women are so unlikely to speak up whenever they have been abused. Can you think of an instance where society has unanimously come to their aid? Because I sure as hell can’t.

Female celebrities really aren’t at liberty to do anything except look pretty and serve their significant others unconditionally in the kingdom male celebrities have created.

None of this is really new to us, though. Abuse of any kind has become so normalized by Hollywood entertainment that it is not only accepted, but fetishized by fans everywhere.

Bonnie and Clyde, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Harley Quinn and the Joker, and Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey are just a few examples of the countless amount of couples who are still romanticized by the media to 
this day.

Why is this okay? What is it about celebrities, particularly white, straight cis-gendered male celebrities, that make them impenetrable to 
justice?

Answer – us. That’s right. It’s our fault as fans that terrors like these continue to happen among celebrities, relatively without punishment.

I love celebrities just as much as anyone else, and I want to believe they can do no wrong, but I know that is hardly ever the case.

For the past decade, we have seen a strange and disturbing amount of defense toward male abusers. Chris Brown, Bill Cosby and Dr. Luke still have a decent following among fans, despite their severe allegations against them.

We have to remember that icons are not gods. While they may have talents and wealth we do not possess, than are no different than us. Therefore, they should be as entitled to judiciary action as 
we are.

In an industry where abusers are glorified and victims are brutalized, change is necessary. If your fandom requires you to sympathize with a real-life misogynist, misandrist, racist or anything ending in “-phobe,” then perhaps you need a new fandom.

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