The African-American attorney who changed modern feminism

Seven things you need to know about Anita Hill, the subject of HBO's new film 'Confirmation.'

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Complex Original

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1991 was a big year for feminism.

That's when Naomi Wolf’s bestselling book, The Beauty Myth, first described how mass media exploited women by creating unrealistic and harmful beauty standards.

It's also when Susan Faludi argued that the media was silently waging a war against women following the advances feminists had made through the 1970s in her influential book, Backlash.

But perhaps most importantly, there was the Anita Hill case, which showed America that women frequently faced widespread (and largely unreported) sexual harassment at work. In 1991, Hill testified to a U.S. Senate Committee that she was sexually harassed while working under Judge Clarence Thomas. The case divided the nation, resulting in a heated “he-said, she-said” battle, as Thomas was being considered for a seat on the Supreme Court. 

Ultimately, Hill's allegations against Thomas, who went on to win the nomination, were dismissed. Still, her case put workplace sexual harassment at the forefront of the feminist agenda, and encouraged more women to speak out. 

Ahead of HBO's upcoming film Confirmation, which stars Kerry Washington as Anita Hill, here are seven ways Hill changed the face of modern American feminism.

1. She encouraged women to speak up about their sexual harassment

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2. Her story pushed more women to enter politics

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3. She started a national conversation about sexual harassment

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4. Her case showed the dangers of the 'he-said, she-said' debate

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5. She proved African-American women can speak out against sexual abuse

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6. Her story got more female toliets installed in the Senate

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7. She was a black women entering conversations dominated by white women

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