Gretchen Carlson: Former Fox News Anchor and Advocate Against Sexual Harassment

https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/asv6d3/Gretchen_final_-_4_4_21_623_PM86o18.mp3

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Gretchen Carlson is a women’s rights advocate whose story about taking a stand against workplace harassment at Fox News has inspired millions of women worldwide to come forward and strive for change. In today’s episode, we sat down with Gretchen to discuss her journey to become an advocate and how workplace harassment can significantly change and impact a woman’s life. First, we asked Gretchen about becoming an advocate, and she told us she was inspired by not only her own story but the stories of other women. After coming forward, she was contacted by thousands of women, all of whom shared personal stories of their own workplace harassment. Their stories inspired Gretchen to write her book, introduce a bill to Capitol Hill, and to start her own non-profit called “Lift Our Voices”. When asked why she believes she received a public apology, she spoke on how important it can be for women to receive apologies from the companies that wronged them. Many women who are sexually harassed at work want an apology not only as a way to keep their job but also to feel validated. These women want their employers to acknowledge that the women did nothing wrong by coming forward and sharing their stories. Many women who file sexual harassment claims at work leave either their job or their profession as a whole, and when asked why, Gretchen talked about the harsh realities of the workplace. She revealed that many companies have secret agendas that are never discussed, ones that either shame or force harassed women into leaving to keep a scandal from rocking their business. When trying to find other jobs, companies assume that women who cannot discuss their previous work must have done something wrong rather than assuming the truth, which is that they were harassed into leaving.

We then spoke about Gretchen’s bill that she presented to Capitol Hill. Gretchen told us that the bill is attempting to prevent companies from implementing an arbitration clause in employee contracts, a clause that states that if something happens to an employee at work, they cannot go to court. When it comes to hearing and supporting women’s stories of harassment, it has been a long road towards change. Women are taught from a young age to internalize trauma and stay silent, and when they do speak up, they are deemed liars. Through her bill, non-profit organization and more, Gretchen is attempting to change this, and she told us she’s already starting to see the changes in society. Thanks to the media, women’s stories are being put online for millions to read, keeping them from being swept under the rug and forcing people to see the truth. When asked about her opinion on “Locker Room Talk”, Gretchen said she finds it ridiculous. However, she also made a point that it is important to include men in the conversation when talking about the treatment of women. By including men, we can educate them and help them become better advocates and allies. For women seeking financial and legal support in their workplace harassment lawsuits, Gretchen mentioned a few resources, including betterbrave.com, the National Women’s Law Center in D.C., the Gretchen Carlson Leadership Initiative, gretchencarlson.com, and liftourvoices.com. We then spoke about the importance of turning bystanders into allies, and Gretchen emphasized how helpful bystander training can be. Bystanders often stay silent in cases of workplace harassment, for they fear losing their own jobs by coming forward. By educating both bystanders and company leaders about workplace harassment, they will hopefully be encouraged to speak up and become allies. For boosting the confidence of young women, Gretchen spoke about how she already sees a shift in the upcoming generations.

Both young men and women are beginning to advocate for change, and continuing to educate everyone, not just women, on women’s issues helps to move society forwards. Finally, we asked Gretchen how midlife has changed her perspective, and she told us that, as a midlife woman, she believes she has more wisdom from her experiences. She also said she’s gotten better at saying no and has recovered from her own perfectionism.

Gretchen Carlson

Gretchen Carlson is an internationally recognized advocate for women’s rights whose bold actions against Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes helped pave the way for the global #MeToo movement. Named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World,” she is the author of the bestselling books “Be Fierce” and “Getting Real.” One of America’s most successful television journalists, Gretchen has reported our nation’s biggest stories for nearly two decades at CBS News and FOX News. Since 2017, she has advocated in Congress for the bipartisan “Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Act,” co-founded the non-profit Lift Our Voices to eradicate forced arbitration and NDAs and returned to television as a special contributor to the new People Magazine show PEOPLE TV. Carlson also hosts a daily straight down the middle news podcast “Get the News with Gretchen Carlson” on Quake Media. Her many honors include the Sandra Day O’Connor Lifetime Achievement award, NOW’s Women of Power and Influence Award and the Radio & Television Digital News Association’s First Amendment Leadership Award. She sits on the TIME’S UP Global Leadership Board, is a March of Dimes Trustee and supports underserved women through her Gift of Courage Fund.