On Saturday, the descriptively-named Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace announced that they had found the person who would run the day-to-day operations of the commission. Their pick: former US attorney Anita Hill.
An accomplished lawyer and professor, Hill is most well-known for her controversial testimony during the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas. Hill nearly curtailed Thomas’ chances of being appointed to the bench with her honest, unflinching statements about Thomas’ pattern of sexual harassment. Though Clarence Thomas ultimately got the job, Hill’s stand against sexual harassment at the highest levels has made her a leading figure in women’s equality. Her unique background has also equipped Hill to pursue equality in Hollywood with particular zeal.
Anyone who suspected that this newly formed Commission was lip service to address a current trend will have to rethink that position.Hiring Anita Hill to lead the charge for equality in the entertainment industry is a sure sign of change. Or at least an intent to change.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Hill said, “It is time to end the culture of silence. I’ve been at this work for 26 years. This moment presents us with an unprecedented opportunity to make real change.”
The Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace will meet in January to prepare their mission statement. Anita Hill will begin her work in 2018.