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Politics January 22, 2017
Gretchen Elizabeth Carlson might be best known for the controversial sexual harassment lawsuit that she filed against Fox News’ Roger Ailes. However, this American television commentator and author is an inspiring figure of female empowerment for more reasons than just that.
In fact, Carlson has (more quietly) been fighting gender inequality, unrealistic female beauty expectations and harmful gender stereotypes for decades. What are some of Carlson’s inspiring moments and quotes that you haven’t heard about? Here are five times Gretchen Carlson has proven she won’t be silenced in the face of gender inequality.
We might as well start with Carlson’s most well-known battle against gender inequality. On July 6, 2016, Carlson announced on Twitter that she would no longer be working with Fox News. She then filed the infamous sexual harassment lawsuit against Roger Ailes, alleging that she was fired because she refused his sexual advances.
READ MORE: What Gretchen Carlson’s Lawsuit Against Fox Means for Professional Women Over 50
There were plenty of people who challenged Carlson’s claims. More than a dozen of his employees came forward, sharing their own personal anecdotes and opinions about Roger Ailes’ character. Fox News Contributor Tammy Bruce even said that she found “Ms. Carlson’s accusations against [Ailes] as though from an alternate universe. I have had the pleasure of meeting with Mr. Ailes multiple times in his office and socializing with him at public events and have benefited enormously from his advice, opinions and encouragement.”
However, Carlson refused to back down, saying, “I wanted to stand up for myself, first and foremost … And I want to stand up for other women who maybe faced similar circumstances.” Two weeks and one internal investigation after Carlson’s allegations, Ailes resigned as chairman and CEO of the network. Then, in September of 2016, Carlson reportedly received a $20 million settlement from Fox.
Since then, she’s appeared as a guest host on NBC’s “Today Show” and has become a kind of “magnet” for messages by women who’ve been fired for sexual harassment claims. “I think this is happening every single day to women in all walks of life and in all different types of corporation,” Carlson says. “I’ve heard from so many women, from Wall Street to a tiny little town in Alabama. It’s everywhere.”
So what is Carlson trying to do to change the sad reality of women being fired for reporting sexual harassment? She’s starting with testifying before Congress about the dangers of forced arbitration in the workplace.
READ MORE: Gretchen Carlson Encourages Women to “Speak Up” and “Document” Sexual Harassment
In a nutshell, forced arbitration is fine print that companies force employees to sign. While it may seem like just another sheet of paperwork at first, these agreements mean that employees give up their right to litigation and agree to settle employment disputes through arbitration instead. For Carlson, the main problem with arbitration is that it hides claims of sexual harassment or discrimination from the public, promoting the belief that these problems no longer happen.
The sexual harassment at work today is too real, and has definitely crossed some lines, not sure what to do tbh ?
— weird honey (@childoftrees) January 13, 2017
#WhyImarch – For all the years I put up w/sexual harassment at work. Let’s not go backwards because of this administration. #womensmarchla
— Wendi McLendon-Covey (@wendimclendonco) January 21, 2017
.@Gretchen Carlson is shining light on how forced arbitration makes it harder to fight sexual harassment. My bill targets the #RipOffClause https://t.co/BXD4pIMAzW
— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) October 21, 2016
Besides examining legislative history on arbitration – “The intent of the Supreme Court when they ruled on arbitration was to unclog the courts,” she says – Carlson wants to focus on learning “what we need to do to change the system so that women feel safe.” She doesn’t claim to be an expert on fixing sexual harassment; however, she won’t passively sit aside while women everywhere are experiencing injustice.
Even before Carlson was making the news for her legal battles, she was winning headlines with her makeup-free appearance on Fox News. Now, today, the makeup-free movement is more common. In 2014, “Today” anchors Matt, Savannah, Natalie, Al, Tamron, Carson, Willie, Hoda and Kathie Lee all went touch-up free for “No Makeup Monday,” and inspired viewers to do the same. Even more recently, Alicia Keys stunned fans by ditching the makeup on the VMAs and multiple media appearances.
It’s the intl day of the girl today. What do u think i will I do to honor the self esteem of our girls? 1st time ever on cable news. 2pm ET
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) October 11, 2013
never before on cable news… my gorgeous friend @GretchenCarlson w/ no makeup! #therealstory #nofilter pic.twitter.com/Zd373CDEXD
— Jennifer Williams (@jeniontheblock) October 11, 2013
However, Carlson actually holds the title of the first woman in cable news to be broadcast without makeup. At the time, Carlson explained, “These days, it’s not easy to empower your tween daughter to become a confident young woman. Toy companies like Bratz giving dolls hourglass figures, sultry looks, and minidresses. Abercrombie designing push-up bikinis for teens. Let’s look at positive role models in the fight to let girls be girls.”
READ MORE: Ashley Graham Goes Makeup Free for Vogue
Little did Carlson know that she would be part of a movement to inspire confidence and self love in women of all ages.
A glance at Trump’s appointment statistics proves to be rather depressing in terms of gender inequality. As Carlson wrote last week, out of the 19 positions Trump has filled that require Senate confirmation, only four of his choices are women. For the top jobs that don’t need the Senate’s approval, Trump has only chosen one woman so far: Kellyanne Conway as Counselor.
Of course, Carlson admits that Trump isn’t the only president who’s struggled to place women in positions of power. Although former President Obama picked Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, other key positions in Treasure, Defense, Interior and Agriculture went to all men. So, as Carlson eventually concludes, “We still have a huge amount of work to be done no matter who’s sitting in the Oval Office.”
@caroljsroth @KellyannePolls only 4 of his 21 nominations are women. Least since Reagan and lower ranked cabinet positions under Trump
— Andre Swanston (@AndreSwanston) January 22, 2017
@charlierose If no one respects women more than Trump, where are the female Trump appointments?
— Terry Karlin (@TerryKarlin) November 19, 2016
That isn’t to say, however, that Gretchen Carlson isn’t watching President Trump’s progress.
“I can’t comment on whether or not [electing Donald Trump as President] is right or wrong for society,” Carlson told CNN in January. “But what I can say is that he has said that he loves women and that he believes in women. And I challenge him to those comments. I challenge him to then put women in high ranking positions. Show America that your words are true.”
READ MORE: Donald Trump Picks Two Women of Color To Join His Cabinet
As professional comedian Loren O’Brien once said, “‘If you are a woman you can be only one of these three: funny, smart or pretty.” However, Gretchen Carlson has been proving that (at the very least) the latter two can peacefully co-exist. Although you may not know it, she was crowned Miss Minnesota in 1988 and earned the title of Miss America only a year later. In fact, she’s still a member of the Miss America Organization board today.
@wwd @GretchenCarlson Gretchen had the most class of all. She is so courageous just love her work an her.
— Scott Olds (@solds906) January 12, 2017
However, Carlson is much more than just a pretty face. She also was the valedictorian of her high school class, graduated with honors from Stanford University and was a violinist prodigy, performing with the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra as a precocious eighth grader.
Carlson is also focuses on using her beauty and brains for good. As she told Fox news, “I’m all about recreating myself in the moment in time. I’m setting up a fund to empower girls and women to speak up, on all issues, not just sexual harassment. For me, it’s about inspiring women to come together.”
READ MORE: Being “Guardians For Each Other” at the LA Women’s March
Life may be easier if you don’t speak up against injustices. Even Carlson’s husband, Casey Close, admits, “I think there are people who might want someone as a spouse who’s a little less vocal about issues, who maybe takes a more passive role” – though he says he’s definitely not one of them!
However, for Gretchen Carlson, speaking up about gender inequality is a must – whether the injustice happening directly to her or to others. And, no matter where you stand on the Fox lawsuit or Carlson herself, Carlson’s courage to come forward and raise awareness of modern women’s struggles is impossible to deny.