The fierce urgency of now
How a former news anchor started a revolution
You cannot read a newspaper, tune into a talk show or peruse the internet without running into a new claim that a woman has been sexually harassed by a male colleague or superior in connection with her job.
The film industry, from Harvey Weinstein to Dustin Hoffman, is in crisis mode. Sexual harassment is our premier societal issue at the moment.
This public and continuous outcry may simply be a “15 minutes of fame” moment — or it will result in lasting change in how women are treated in the workforce.
But if former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson, who in September 2016 settled her sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News chairman Roger Ailes has anything to say about it, the outcry will be only the beginning of a muchneeded change in how women are perceived and treated in every workforce in America, from hotel cleaners to factory workers, in hospitals, schools, Hollywood casting couches, and on up into the penthouse suites of Fortune 100 corporations and the uppermost branches of government.
In “Be Fierce: Stop Harassment and Take Your Power Back,” Ms. Carlson sketches the history of sexual harassment in the United States, including references to Anita Hill and the Navy’s Tailhook scandal of 1991. She refers to the laws that specifically prohibit sexual and gender discrimination in the workforce, and outlines the administrative and legal procedures, with all their pitfalls, that must be followed to give voice to a claim of sexual harassment.
But “Be Fierce” is not intended as a scholarly treatise on the law. Its focus is to clarify that claims of sexual harassment in the workforce are not imagined, nor are they provoked by women’s conduct. “Harassment isn’t something you ask for. You don’t have to smile or ‘ bring it on.’ You don’t have to say a word. You can be dressed in a short skirt or army fatigues or hospital scrubs. ... It’s not about something you did. It’s about what somebody else did to you.”
Although the conditions of the $20 million legal settlement with Mr. Ailes (who died in May) preclude her from discussing the case (nor does she state how profits from this book will be utilized), Ms. Carlson backs up the dry legal statistics with multiple stories of real women’s plights, and how the conduct complained of harmed them.
She further asserts that the harm goes beyond the victim herself; sexual harassment of employees harms the employer and other workers: Good people are not comfortable working in a poisoned atmosphere.
“Be Fierce” makes a compelling case that it is in men’s and women’s interests, employers and employees, to end discrimination and harassment. It calls upon men to join with women in this fight. Beyond establishing that sexual harassment is not a myth made up by disgruntled or fame-seeking women, “Be Fierce” recommends strategies to combat sexual harassment at work, school and on the internet.
Ms. Carlson readily acknowledges that this can be an uphill, rock-strewn battle for an individual, and that outcomes are generally not favorable. But her nosugar-coating attitude is meant to be empowering, not disheartening. Ms. Carlson asserts that personal bravery, strong support systems, continued cultural education and awareness, and a refusal to be silenced can accomplish the goal of eliminating sexual harassment.
“Be Fierce” is part history, part myth dispeller, part self-help manual, and finally a call to arms for women (and men) to rise up and demand that women be treated as human beings in the workplace.
Persuasive and compelling through the first several chapters, the last few lean toward rallying the troops, self-congratulation, and rehashing what has been so wellestablished earlier. But Ms. Carlson’s final statement is succinct and on-point: “Take a moment to consider what you can do to be part of a movement for change. … How will you make your voice heard?”