We Believe Survivors
The situation now with Kavanugh’s hearing evokes memories of a different confrontation that took place 27 years ago. As Dr. Christine Blasey Ford is currently being attacked for sharing her story of sexual assault involving Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, it’s also the twenty-seventh anniversary of the Anita Hill hearings. In 1991, Anita Hill was a law professor at the University of Oklahoma who came forward publicly to accuse her then-former boss, Clarence Thomas, of sexual harassment.
Anita Hill published an Opinion piece in the New York Times on what the central figures in the current confrontation with Kavanaugh could learn from her hearing. The anniversary couldn’t be more timely.
The apt timing of the Kavanaugh hearing on Hill’s anniversary lucidly portrays just how much has changed yet also has remained the same. Author Tayari Jones reflected on this as she shared the full-page New York Times ad of 1,600 African-American women in support of Anita Hill during her testament.
Jones wrote, “27 years ago, 1600 black women took out a full page ad in the NYT to show support for Anita Hill. I was 20 years old. I put $25 toward the price of the ad and signed my name.”
“How are we going to honour Anita Hill and these 1,600 women?,” “How are we going to support Dr. Christine Ford?,” “How are we going to continue the fight against predatory men?” The answer to these rhetorical questions is “by taking action.” It’s by calling our senators, writing to our local papers, and
“It’s impossible to miss the parallels between the Kavanaugh confirmation hearing of 2018 and the 1991 confirmation hearing for Justice Clarence Thomas. In 1991, the Senate Judiciary Committee had an opportunity to demonstrate its appreciation for both the seriousness of sexual harassment claims and the need for public confidence in the character of a nominee to the Supreme Court. It failed on both counts.”
Script for Calling Your Senator
Here is a script you may use to advocate for Dr. Christine Ford, thanks to Christine Pewter
Hi, my name is [Your Name]. I am calling from [Zip Code].
I am calling on [Your Senator] to commit to not proceeding with any floor vote on Judge Kavanaugh until the details of Dr. Christine Ford’s letter and interview are fully investigated.
What was described in Dr. Ford’s letter and the Washington Post merit attention and action. Dr. Ford has made it clear what she needs in order to testify, and her wishes should be heeded.
I am asking to confirm that no hearing will take place, and no committee vote will occur, until Dr. Ford’s story is heard how she chooses to tell it.
The Senate Judiciary owes it to the American people to do their due diligence in ensuring these requests are fully carried out. To do anything less would permanently damage the credibility of the U.S. Senate, the SCOTUS nomination process, SCOTUS itself, and continue the predatory actions victims face across the country upon which they will feel further shame speaking out about.
Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121
We urge you to make this call and support Dr. Christine Ford. As a platform dedicated to health, wellness, and social justice, we stand by Ford. In the current age of #MeToo, with the current hearing, Cosby’s 10-year prison sentence, and coersive sex of Jack Smith IV, we must take action.
These are mental & public health issues. Rape, reproductive justice, and sexual health are all health issues. In the partial words of Shakespeare, "I can no other answer make but [what the actual fuck]" of our current situation and thank you for taking action against it.
