What do Anita Hill and Mom Jeans have in Common?
Unfortunately, history is repeating itself. And I thought this moment in history too important to not take note.
For the last week or so, I’ve been glued to my computer watching the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. This historical deja vu is important for me. The Anita Hill hearing changed the course of my life. Anita Hill is why Work. Like A Girl. exists. I was a freshman in college in the Fall of 1991. I thought for certain that her testimony would disqualify Clarance Thomas from the Supreme Court. She had so much more to lose if she was lying. If he was believed, he had a lifetime appointment to gain. The fact that she was not believed was incomprehensible to 18 year old me.
I became politically active. I volunteered on campaigns, and moved to DC at age 19 to pursue a Senate internship. Professor Hill’s why I went to law school. Make no mistake, this battle personal. But it’s not about politics. It’s about believing women.
By the time I graduated from college, I would have several stories of my own regarding violence, sexual assault, and rape at the hands of men who were allegedly “good guys.” I repeatedly heard the message I don’t believe you, You’re lying, He’s a good person, He’d never do that, You must have misunderstood. That made me doubt my experience. My self worth plummeted, leading me to the conclusion that I deserved to be abused. In a world that already undervalues women, it wasn’t a hard sell.
Here’s what I’ve learned in the 20+ years that have passed:
I am not alone. In fact almost every woman I know has a survivor story. I will continue to speak up and advocate for all women not merely because of what I have endured, but because of what you have endured. And more importantly, I will continue to advocate so that I prevent our daughters from enduring sexual assault. If you’re hesitant to “get political,” please realize that this is not for you alone. I will walk through a wall of fire before I lay down and allow this to happen to another generation. I can’t time travel and save Anita Hill, Christine Ford, or Deborah Remeriz from the scrutiny and injustice they’ve endured. But I will do everything in my power to stop it from happening again.
There are many preventative measures we can take to end sexual assault and violence against women. But first and foremost, we have to believe women and survivors. In order to advocate, perhaps we must educate ourselves.
For me, understanding the science behind trauma is important. It normalizes my experience and allows me to answer questions from well-meaning individuals who don’t understand what happens to victims: why they don’t report, and why they question their experience. For you, it might mean something different: telling someone what happened to you, or perhaps you’ve never experienced assault, and need to ask questions. We’re here to cultivate a safe community that supports you.
Thank you for reading. We’ll pick up next week with another episode of Work. Like A Girl.
