The article reflects on the #MeToo movement's failure to achieve lasting change, using the case of architect David Adjaye as a central example. Adjaye was accused in 2023 by three women of sexual exploitation, harassment, and creating a hostile work environment at his firm, Adjaye Associates, allegations he denied. Despite initial backlash—including termination from projects like Westminster's Holocaust Memorial—many clients quietly resumed working with him, illustrating a broader pattern of institutional cowardice.
This matters because it exposes how liberal institutions, after brief public reckoning, often revert to protecting powerful figures rather than enforcing accountability. The Adjaye case, involving a high-profile architect with major museum commissions (including the Studio Museum in Harlem), shows that #MeToo's promise of consequences has largely evaporated, allowing alleged abusers to return to prominence. The article underscores the fragility of social movements when institutions prioritize convenience over ethics.