Anita Hill Stands by Her Words – Again – as Thomas Book is Released

By Anastacia Mott Austin

"It’s deja-vu all over again."

Those who are younger than 35 may not know why Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas is considered a controversial figure, or why his recently released book is generating so much interest.

But for the rest of us, we remember all too well the 1991 confirmation hearings for Thomas’ Supreme Court appointment, and the great national debate it sparked about sexual harassment in the workplace.

Anita Hill, a former employee who worked for Thomas from 1981-1983, testified at the hearings (which seemed to last forever) that Thomas had made inappropriate sexual comments to her at their workplace, as well as unwelcome sexual advances. Thomas adamantly denied the charges.

What followed was a national discussion about sexual harassment: what constituted harassment, how should it be dealt with, what was the big deal?

The Thomas-Hill hearings, as the confirmation hearings are also known, have been credited with helping to catalyze the "third-wave" of feminism, as well as the motivation behind creating rules for sexual harassment in virtually every office across America, which are still in place today.

The question has been asked of the notoriously silent Thomas: why speak up now? Thomas asserts that he has never been able to clear his name and has always wanted to do so. The 1.5 million dollar advance probably didn’t hurt either.

The book has received mixed reviews. Some say that the chapters exploring Thomas’ childhood and his life with his grandparents, who raised him, are strong and riveting, helping to explain Clarence Thomas the man. Thomas writes that his grandfather was responsible for teaching him that hard work and determination would help him accomplish anything he wanted.

But the part of the book receiving the most attention in the media are those chapters which address Anita Hill and the 1991 confirmation hearings. Most reviewers agree that Thomas exhibits a lot of residual anger over the process.

Thomas contends that Hill was a "mediocre" employee at best, that he hired her as a favor to a colleague. He continues to claim that the charges made by Hill about his harassment are baseless, and that she was merely used as a tool by the "lynch mob" who did not wish to see him confirmed.

Hill, for her part, stands by her testimony. "I’m surprised at the level of intensity 16 years later," said Hill to reporters.

In an opinion article written for The New York Times, titled "The Smear This Time," Hill defends – again – the claims made by Thomas in his book.

Though she validates Thomas’ right to write a book about anything he wishes, Hill writes, "But I will no stand by silently and allow him, in his anger, to reinvent me."

Regarding his accusation of her mediocre performance as an employee, Hill responds, "Regrettably, since 1991, I have repeatedly seen this kind of character attack on women and men who complain of harassment and discrimination in the workplace. In efforts to assail their accusers’ credibility, detractors routinely diminish people’s professional contributions."

Hill concludes by writing, "Our legal system will suffer if a sitting justice’s vitriolic pursuit of personal vindication discourages others from standing up for their rights."