Being an ethical consumer is exhausting. If you want to be an ethical consumer you have to work at it.
You have to decide whether it’s something you care enough about to invest your effort. It’s like veganism, except all-encompassing.
Now, if you want to know if someone in a t.v. show or movie you're dying to watch has been roped into the recent barrage of sexual misconduct allegations you can check The Rotten Apples.
It combines two of my favorite things: fruit and holding people accountable for their actions.
All you have to do is type in the title you're looking to binge and it will tell you whether or not someone accused or charged with sexual misconduct was involved.*
If anyone on the cast or crew is involved, all you have to do is click their name, which will take you to a reputable news source's article on the charges and/or convictions.
This comes at a time when sexual misconduct allegations are top of mind for many. Every day a new allegation seems to surface against a powerful man or woman, though these allegations are made largely by women against men.
With new allegations being brought to light frequently it is important not tune them out. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center an estimated 63 percent of sexual assaults are not reported. Additionally, only 2 to 10 percent of all reported sexual violence cases are falsely reported.
Rotten Apples is helping to make ethical media consumption easier in this era of, "Awww, damn, I liked their work." The idea of being an ethical consumer isn't a new one. It's been around since those harrowing photos children in sweatshops surfaced at the turn of the century making the masses more conscious of where they were sourcing their goods from.
But applying that ideology to media is a very 2017 movement. Rotten Apples is a tool that can be used to help make sure you're not supporting someone who maybe does not deserve your support.
Stay strong, 2017.
*We tested it in the newsroom and it seems to not work with teledocs. For instance "19 Kids and Counting" has Josh Duggar in its cast who was alleged to have molested 5 children, including his own sisters, according to documents released in May of 2015.
Destiny Johnson is a digital reporter with First Coast News. Her interest in human and women's rights stems from her being both human and a woman. You can follow her on twitter @hello_destiny
