Rose McGowan Says She Was Verbally Assaulted At An Appearance And Demands An Apology

During a book event for the release of her memoir, Brave, at Manhattan’s Union Square Barnes and Noble on Wednesday, January 31, actress and activist, Rose McGowan was challenged by an attendee who asked her to talk about what McGowan had said on Rupaul’s What’s the Tee? podcast in July, 2017.

“I have a suggestion. Talk about what you said on RuPaul. Trans women are dying and you said that we, as trans women, are not like regular women. We get raped more often. We go through domestic violence more often.”

The woman went on to say that the actress does nothing for trans women. It was at that point that McGowan came back at the woman, and the exchange escalated into a moment of pure fury as the two women talked over one another. McGowan demanded that the woman sit down, and as bookstore security stepped in, McGowan launched into a tirade filled with expletives. Now, the actress has taken to her Twitter account to call out Barnes and Noble, believing the woman was an actor paid by Harvey Weinstein to verbally assault her. She has canceled upcoming public appearances, saying she has been given enough.

McGowan laid blame for the attack at the feet of her publicists, the managers, and everyone attending the event and further pointed the finger at the attendees who did not speak up for her. She has demanded an apology from Barnes and Noble, its security team, and the audience, believing they are culpable because of their inaction.

“I would like an apology from the manager of the Union Square @BNUnionSquareNY and all security people, and the audience who did nothing and let the paid verbal assault of an assaulted woman happen. Cool?”

Andi Dier, the trans activist who spoke up at the Brave event, denies being hired by Harvey Weinstein or anyone else to challenge Rose McGowan, but said she would speak up again if she had the chance and would do it better. Dier believes that transphobia is the reason behind McGowan’s rage.

McGowan continues to believe Dier was a plant, telling Trevor Noah on The Daily Show that she was convinced Dier was not at the event as a trans woman.

“I know it was a plant because people saw that [person] being handed off. Somebody came in to harass me, and scream, and the other person was filming [gestures to show someone with a camera on their shoulder]. It was targeted and orchestrated, a Russian bot thing, they are basically after me.”

There has been no comment from Barnes and Noble.