25 Years Later, Anita Hill Reflects on Thomas Episode

On Saturday, HBO released a film, “Confirmation,” which put a spotlight on a highly criticized 1991 Senate proceeding that reviewed sexual harassment allegations against Clarence Thomas, who was then up for a Supreme Court Justice nomination.

Anita Hill, who worked as Thomas’s personal assistant with the EEOC in the early 1980s, claimed that Thomas had made unwanted sexual advances toward her, although her allegations were met with skepticism and fell short of derailing Thomas’s bid for a SCOTUS seat.

The film has prompted the media to take a closer look at the proceedings at the time, when the Senate Judiciary Committee reviewing the allegations was led by chairman Joe Biden and consisted of an all-male cast including members such as the late Senator Ted Kennedy.

Hill is now a law professor at Brandeis University and teaches social policy, law, women’s and gender studies. She also serves as of counsel to plaintiffs firm Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, which represents individuals who claim to be victims of corporate wrongdoing.

During an interview in the lead-up to the HBO film, which has since been the subject of media commentary, Hill spoke with Melissa Harris Perry of Essence magazine about the Clarence Thomas episode 25 years ago and what she’s focusing her time on today.

Below are three of the most pertinent excerpts.

Of actress Kerry Washington’s portrayal of Hill:

“She appeared a lot more dignified than I felt during that moment, but she still lost nothing in terms of how painful the experience was. That is hard to convey, but she did it beautifully.”

Of whether any member of the Senate Judiciary committee member reached out over the past 25 years to ask how the process could have been better:

“Never. I have never been asked that question by a member of the committee. They could have asked me very simply, ‘As a citizen who was involved in the process, what do we owe you? As a citizen with information, how can we make sure you are heard?’ Even 25 years later it is still worth asking how we can make sure that when representatives call citizens to speak, their government actually hears them.”

Of her current professional endeavors:

“I want to be sure that we are thinking fairness and inclusion in our universities as we approach the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX in 2022. We’ve made great advances in the areas of women’s sports, and we’re beginning to put into place processes for eliminating sexual harassment and assault in higher education. However, Title IX addresses more than sports and sexual assault. It is also supposed to eliminate barriers to full participation in all aspects of education, including universities as places where women come to learn and where women go to work. I’m working on a project that aims to increase awareness of how this law can improve the experiences for all girls and women — especially girls and women of color. I will also propose new strategies and plans for increasing parity and inclusion in education.”