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Anita Hill to chair Hollywood commission on sexual misconduct

by Max Greenwood - 12/16/17 8:42 AM ET

A newly formed commission to combat sexual harassment in the entertainment industry has named Anita Hill as its chairwoman.

The Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace announced its founding and Hill’s role on Friday, according to Variety.

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Hill garnered public attention in 1991, when she brought allegations of sexual harassment against now-Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas during his confirmation hearings.

Since then, she has remained a key figure in national discussions surrounding sexual harassment and other forms of misconduct in the workplace.

“It is time to end the culture of silence,” Hill said in a statement on Friday, according to The Associated Press. “I’ve been at this work for 26 years. This moment presents us with an unprecedented opportunity to make real change.”

The creation of the commission comes as Hollywood — and the entertainment industry as a whole — grapples with sexual misconduct allegations against some of its most prominent figures.

“The Commission will not seek just one solution, but a comprehensive strategy to address the complex and inter-related causes of the problems of parity and power,” Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm, said in a statement, according to Variety.

Kennedy was among the top Hollywood executives that met to convene the commission, along with Nike Foundation founder and co-chair Maria Eitel, Del Shaw partner Nina Shaw, and venture captialist Freada Kapor Klein.

“The fact that so many industry leaders — across film, television, music, digital, unions, agencies, ATA, AMPAS, television academy and guilds — came together, in one room, to explore solutions speaks to a new era,” Kennedy said.

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