Time's Up protest 'will have a presence' at Oscars, say organisers

The organizers of Time's Up say the movement to eradicate discrimination in the workplace will have a presence at Sunday's Oscars show, but has no plans for a red-carpet dress code.

Producer Shonda Rhimes, director Ava DuVernay, actresses Laura Dern and Tessa Thompson, producer Katie McGrath and attorney Nina Shaw talked about the movement's progress and next steps with a small group of reporters Thursday.

Time's Up made a splashy appearance at the Golden Globes and the Baftas earlier this year, with most women wearing black as a form of protest, and several actresses walking the red carpet with activists. At last month's Brit Awards, pop stars wore Time's Up pin-badges and white roses as a symbol of solidarity.

Though these glitzy protests have been the movement's most high-profile action so far, Time's Up's organisers have stressed that the movement is bigger and broader than awards shows.

Rhimes said the effort "was launched on the red carpet, but was never intended to live there." Since it was founded on January first, Time's Up has amassed a $21 million legal defense fund for discrimination victims.

The campaign was in response to a recent spate of Hollywood sexual harassment scandals, sparked by a New York Times investigation into alleged misconduct by film producer Harvey Weinstein. The producer, who denies all claims of non-consensual sex, has been accused by more than 80 women of rape, assault or sexual misconduct.