Dee Friesen | Arts + Life Editor
Meredith Vanzuiden | Assistant Arts + Life Editor

Anita Hill is a professor of social policy, law, and women’s studies as well as an American attorney. She is also a very courageous woman. Clarence Thomas was a Supreme Court judge who had sexually assaulted Hill. She decided in 1991 to come forward with this information because she felt the world needed to know the truth. In the film Anita: Speaking Truth to Power, the case against Thomas is outlined and the story of Anita Hill unravels. It was a moving piece and there was a lot to learn from Hill’s outstanding courage and dedication to women in similar situations. Here is what our fellow students learned from Anita.

Alyssa Kragelund
What surprised you about the film? I guess I didn’t know too much going into the event, but it really surprised me with how vile some of the details were that the senate members kept asking about. Some of them, you could tell, she didn’t want to repeat, but they asked her to continuously. I was also very surprised with how calm and composed she was able to keep herself.
Do you think Anita did the right thing? Why/Why not. I think she did the right thing. I think it brought sexual harassment in the workplace up to people’s attention.
What would you have done in her situation? I don’t know if I would have done anything. I don’t think I would have been able to handle all of the stress and reliving some of the moments. I probably would have kept silent.

Lisa Craig
What surprised you about the film? I was surprised about how Anita was treated by the different men that were asking her questions because that isn’t something that you would really see in today society. So that was really interesting to see.
Do you think Anita did the right thing? Why/Why not. I do think that Anita did the right thing. Whether her story was true or not because we still really don’t know, she brought an awareness to us about what may be going on in the work place.
What would you have done in her situation? I honestly don’t know what I would have done in her situation. I would like to think that yes, I too would have come forward like she did but I can’t say that for sure. What she did was brave and courageous and I would hope that I would broadcast my courage the way she did.

Kayla Wilson
What surprised you about the film? The thing that surprised me about the film is the way she was questioned and how harsh some of the questions were. They did not seem like they were asking her questions they seemed like they were accusing her. I was also surprised because when they were questioning Clarence Thomas it seemed a lot faster and easier.
Do you think Anita did the right thing? Why/Why not. Yes I think that Anita did the right thing even though she did not speak up about it right when it happened. I think that if she would have said something when it was going on people still would not have believed her.
What would you have done in her situation? I would like to think that I would have done the same thing if I was in her situation. It took a lot of courage and strength to be questioned the way she was and keep composure the way she did.

Taylor Yearous
What surprised you about the film? What surprised me about the film was the fact that in what should have been an issue about gender and women’s roles in the workplace, somehow got twisted into an issue about race, even though both Anita and Clarence were African-American.
Do you think Anita did the right thing? Why/Why not. I definitely think Anita did the right thing. While I think she should have said something earlier, I realize that at this time, women’s voices, especially women of color, were not taken as seriously as others. But if I knew that a man had sexually harassed me and then was about to be inducted into our law system, I would want to raise hell about that too. Especially after we heard some of the things he said to her.
What would you have done in her situation? I would have probably done the same thing as her in that situation. As I mentioned above, I would want people to know that this man had violated me and should not be allowed into our governmental system. I think I would have said something earlier though or at least told someone who could tell someone else.