Lilly Ledbetter: My #MeToo Moment

If she’s your mother, daughter, sister, wife, and so on, it’s never been “just” a women’s issue.

Ms Ledbetter, you did not wish to be seen as a troublemaker, but you were, indeed, a troublemaker. Thank God. Troublemake on.

I am female and entered the workforce in the early 1980s. While I feel for the writer having been paid significantly less than her male peers, based solely on her gender, the other harassment she relates comes across as mere words. And words can be managed. I wish she had not conflated the real, material, provable discrimination of unequal pay with the mean, childish, schoolyard bullying of stupid, small men. I know people will jump on me for saying that, but I have experience such workplace abuse myself. And more. Even in the dark ages of the 1980s it was possible to push back against verbal insults. Yes, they break your spirit if you let that male chatter get to you. But in the end they are just words. Discriminatory pay is real and measurable — and life changing. Retaliatory reviews and shunning for speaking up, ditto. But a woman saying she’s traumatized because male coworkers commented on her breasts or said they wanted her to sleep with them? It’s not the same. Even a supervisor dangling the threat of her losing her job if she doesn’t have sex with him rings false, in a huge corporation like Goodyear. Corporations document everything. Especially firings. That supervisor would have had to concoct a reason for firing her. I think he was speaking nonsense. [One of the best ways to get back at a lout like that is to ignore him. His behavior is a bid for attention. Don’t reward (enforce) bad behavior by gifting him a reaction. The behavior will diminish over time.]

Ahhh, the nostalgic refreshing memory of Obama the Real President, taking firm decisive presidential action to assure women a harassment free equal pay workplace. But wait, what has the groper in chief done lately for women? Well he's been calling them nasty childish names....and paying off his mistresses..

Feminist propaganda. Bunch of victims encouraging other women to become victims and legal liabilities for companies. Many businesses are catching on and learning that feminism is encouraging women to become legal liabilities which will ultimately lower the number of employed women. Stick to career fields that pertain to women, honor your husband and make sure your family sticks together. Talk about discrimination, why aren't men who are being discriminated against in courts being heard? Both sign up for marriage but then if the women feels like it, she can just wake up and leave the man with an alimony and child support bill while using the child as leverage. It's not about women, it's about the home in America that is being destroyed by feminism which gives the women the delusion of being the head (the man) and leaves the man out of the picture who the child needs for strength, guidance and to be grounded and what society needs to stay alive and protected. Never forget it was man who built society. It's also about the innocent unborn children who are legally being murdered in the mother's womb. Those babies are the victim, not the woman who is deciding death for her own child. Feminism is the death of society and as you see here, the death of women being respected and employed. Honor the man again and you'll see society rise again. Men are more mentally sound than women. Women are not to have authority over men much less be the head of the house. Nature, not delusion.

I too have mixed feelings about the #metoo movement. The tragedy of Al Franken was the end of it for me. However I found your letter refreshing and on the mark. Of course there is sexual harassment and pay/workplace discrimination against women in the workplace. I worked in a female dominated profession and saw this enabled by women as well as men. It is an insidious problem that is built into the American culture. I will never identify with #metoo or with feminism. The women I admire in this world act on many fronts of public service without identifying as a feminist e.g. Angela Markell, Golda Meir, Eleanor Roosevelt , Florence Nightingale, Jane Adams, Sojourner Truth, and many more. I thank you for your letter. It brought truth and reasonableness to many issues which affect not just women, but men also.

What might the accumulated value be today of Lilly Ledbetter’s missing pay over all those years? $1,000,000? $2,000,000? $3,000,000? If a few million women loudly and publicly vowed that they would never buy a Goodyear tire or a new car equipped with Goodyear tires until Goodyear paid Ms. Ledbetter her missing pay with interest, how long do you think it would be before Goodyear sought to right their wrong? How long? Not long.

Thank you, Ms Ledbetter, for such an articulate statement of the problem. You are correct when you say that it's all about power.

Amidst positive progress and welcome spotlighting, there are two disturbing common denominators to these "me-too" stories. Both are the direct result of an open-ended no-holds-barred extension of the Weinstein scandal to a myriad of other cases, with some similarities to be sure, but also quite a few differences: 1. "Get both sides of the story" is ignored and denied into near non-existence, although it is a basic principle which even grade school children learn. 2. Of course, often there is no "other side": the guilty perpetrator of abuse and/or harassment is silent because there no credible defense could even be attempted. But it defies common sense to assume that this must always be the case. Yet that is what the me-too stories almost always do. That contributes to their being perceived as part of a witch hunt craze. I would like to believe this particular account, applaud the outspokenness, and join in supporting whatever positive reforms and changes might be forthcoming (I would be more specific on that, however such practical specifics are rarely dwelt upon in these stories), but after the umpteenth instance the lack of basic journalistic double-checks and confirmations, or at least a mention of past checks and confirmations, becomes too worrisome.

Is there information about relative wages in companies/organizations led by women?

So telling that the first handful of comments that I read were from men who claim to know what's true about #metoo and Lilly Ledbetter. Laughing and crying at the same time. But the the truth is we are turning a huge ship around and there are still quite a few dopes on it who want to keep it going in the same direction.

Everything in the workplace is about power. Don't believe for a minute that it's limited to gender differences.

Multivariable analysis has empirically shown the wage gap is not ALL due to sexism. Women can help themselves here by being more assertive and asking for more money

To commentor Eduard: How telling that you are trying to threaten women because they are not tolerating inequality. And we know that the many men you refer to who "have adopted a very unsympathetic attitude already about "equality", were always unsympathetic about women being equal. You "doubt that women will win this round". Huh? So according to you, inequality is some game that men have been "winning". I guess in your mind, if women are equal to men then men have lost the game. Can't you just think a little about why you're so afraid of women as equals?

Sigh. I am approaching retirement and it seems that there has been little improvement from the time when I entered the full-time workforce in the 70s. What disturbs me most is the thought that the money from that margin of difference flowed right into the pockets of the 1%; that it increased year after year as more and more women, eager to prove themselves, performed competently across the work spectrum for less money than their male counterparts; that the value of work in a field declines precipitously when the majority of its workers becomes female; that the net effect has been to reduce wages in general; that the wages stolen from women have been used to promote the alt right agenda. I hope that I will soon see women band together to demonstrate their power. Time's up.

If it really was "equal pay for equal work", if the performance were 100% exactly the same, there would be 0% female unemployment. Why would an employer pay more for the exact same productivity? It's simple. Like it or not it's not equal. Female employees are always juggling a home life, snippy remarks about their co-workers, inability or unwillingness to change the water bottle and dozens of other seemingly trivial differences. And now, with #MeToo, one has to constantly be on guard for some perceived slight. It may not be PC to acknowledge it, but anyone who'e been an employer will tell you that's the truth.

One can only hope and keep opinions flowing relative to women, whether it be for equal pay or many of the other things they have had to deal with, and not just recently but for decades and centuries. to insure that this period in our history will finally elevate women to their rightful place - a place of equality, respect and understanding. Where there will be no need (at least in this country) for women to endure marches, court appearances, payoffs and intimidation to acquire the rights they have deserved since man stood upright. And once we have those rights secure for women in this country we can then change the rest of the world.

To Chris in Boston and others who believe "market" pay is a response to choices women make...painstaking research has examined all "choice" factors and has concluded in some cases women simply do not choose jobs that pay more than their suitors or do not choose jobs that interfere with family commitments or do not negotiate as long or as often at men. But all the research combined is insufficient and woefully inadequate to cover the gap. So aside from changing societal attitudes it is left for reasoned rational leaders to examine why the gap exists in their organization. My point is that the movement is about both the irrational beliefs that govern behavior AND the rational blatant practices that are simply allowed, e.g. we can get her for less, so why not? Women typically do not have the advantage when competing for the top jobs because they have fewer opportunities and greater risk of losing what they have previously gained at home and at work. Hence, the stakes are higher. Take some time to get to know the research before you make grand assumptions about the imperfect market.

In reading the comments over the past months on #MeToo and sexual harassment issues, it seems many believe that ONLY MEN can harass, can be accused and found guilty of harassment. Is it true that only men can be abusive employers and employees? Should reporting cover instances where women may be abusers, whether as harassers or as those sitting in judgment on persons who have been accused? Are investigative reporters neglecting the whole picture? Yes, male miscreants surely outnumber women who abuse power, but is that a valid reason to avoid reporting more than the obvious? Doug Giebel, Big Sandy, Montana

I'm a dresser at a most renowned regional theater. If I were a stagehand, over the course my employment, I would have received over $100,000 more in wages. Same union. Equal tier of job classification. Throw in sexual harassment, and that's why we need equal pay and metoo.

Ms. Ledbetter, the Supreme Court did not "deny you justice." You did not file your claim within the time limits prescribed by law. The law was clear, and the fact that you were on the wrong side of that line is not the fault of the Court, no matter what you and Democratic politicians like to claim. The role of the Supreme Court is not to rewrite laws to get a politically desirable outcome, but to determine if the law as written is compatible with the Constitution and legal precedent. In your case, the law met both tests, and thus it was up to Congress to rewrite the law to attain the desired political results. Just because you did not get your way does not mean you were denied justice. You got your day in court of law and lost. Then you got your day in the court of public opinion, helped change the law, and won. That's how democracy works.

Like most people I know, I have mixed feelings about the "Metoo" movement. I am glad women are finally standing up to assault and intimidation. But, the other shoe dropped quickly. I'm sure everyone knows the examples. If you think what happened to Aziz Ansari was justified or that Terry Gilliam was wrong in his opinion, then you probably disagree with me. But, right now, it seems to me I personally know more women, mostly middle-aged, who are negative about the movement b/c of the overkill. Obviously, there are a lot of true stories, but some are not fair and those who engage in personal destruction through social media are repugnant to me. I also can't help but notice that of all the women in my life who have confided to me about being sexually assaulted, so few suggested that they were sexual harassed at work. I rarely saw what I thought would qualify as it, though I'm also sure that under today's standards, much of what I am sure was consensual would be considered harassment, including my now 27+ year long relationship with my former secretary (who, believe me, I still have no power over). I'm really glad that some of the Weinsteins and Nassers of the world are getting some of what they deserve and that many women feel empowered to resist bullying or worse, but I also feel very sad for young people who will miss a lot in the Bonfire of the Vanities office environment they will now work in. There has to be a balance. Perhap in time.

Hats off to you Ms Ledbetter. We need to keep these reminders 'fresh', so not to forget the harm being done to women, and not of any fault of their own. You see, the truth is that women have always been 'better' than us men, with the exception of our 'brute force'....and that has nothing to do with real strength. Women's wonderful built is better suited for our survival as a species, not only for their unique ability to bear children, but their inherent communion with nature, and seeking it's protection as a matter of course. We men seem the weaker 'sex', insecure and never completely mature, perhaps the reason we fear letting go of our irrational dominance. Ideally, as equal pay becomes the law of the land, we must consider ourselves lucky not only as individuals...but as a duality man-woman, opposites in many ways but co-equal and in perfect harmony as a couple. Now, we cannot expect a remedy to the current iniquities by edict; our education to change for the better must start at infancy, mutual respect -if not love- to be imbued by a caring family, in a climate of trust and the freedom to think for ourselves. A tall order but not impossible. Solidarity in Trumpian times may be a mirage, but 'evil' can be ousted if we have the will; and the courage, hard work and perseverance to see the changes towards a more humane, and joyful, society. Otherwise, we shall become irrelevant and wallow in our own ugly pettiness. It is ironic how your loss is now our gain. Thank you!

I live in one of the wealthier NYC suburbs. I used to work in finance, and some of the men in town treated me awfully over the years. It is often hard to reconcile how terribly these men act in the workplace with their Saturday morning soccer coach persona. Speaking up about this dichotomy and the #metoo reality of women on Wall Street has not been easy. The families of these successful guys don't want to hear it. So they blame the messenger. Female disempowerment does not happen in a vacuum, or just at work. There are many enablers (family members, golf buddies, HR professionals, board members) who benefit from the patriarchical status quo, and they will do almost anything to maintain it, even if they are on the board of say, the Feminist Majority, or otherwise are full-throated supporters of #metoo. Remember, Harvey Weinstein was a large contributor to Hillary Clinton. #discrimintationisagordianknot

Unbelievable. It still amazes me that Lilly Ledbetter LOST her case. If it weren't for President Obama, that just would have been another case, closed. Thank goodness her fight was able to have a bigger outcome for many, even though it didn't have a just outcome, for her. I think of her ever time I see a Goodyear advertisement. Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it, business owners. Susan Expat living in Ireland

Your article's blurb reads "I’ve realized that my story about sexual harassment at work should be as much a part of my fight for women as my pay discrimination story." Three "my"s and and an "I" in one sentence. It's clear what is the focus of your world. But should that be the focus for everyone else? Maybe the Times should stop with editorials and op-eds that tell people what they need to think and get back to just reporting the news. Let's talk about something other than just ourselves.

I know this discussion is primarily about harassment, but I wanted to add something about pay discrimination. I just returned from Iceland, where they now, as of a few years ago, have a law requiring businesses to prove to the government that they pay men and women equally for equal work. They are in the process of implementing it. Something to keep an eye on.

There are workplace situations wherein a woman supervises a man. Not every female boss harasses her male subordinates, just as not every male boss harasses his female subordinates. But some bosses of both sexes do sexually harasses their subordinates. As Ms. Ledbetter states so succinctly, sexual harassment is about power. If a supervisor is inclined to abuse that power, he or she will. The difference is that a man will assume - correctly - that a claim that he has been propositioned will be laughed out of court, if he's dumb enough to sue.

As with Facebook, expect humble insincere apologies while nothing changes.

I had always reported to male CEO's and I was routinely sexually harassed, paid less, and required to do more than male peers just to stay above water. In my last job working for a man, I was so harassed, with violent sexual threats on bathroom walls, that the police were called. I still had to walk alone to my car at night, afraid I'd be raped. All for seventy-nine cents of his dollar. Then I got lucky. A powerful woman who also hadn't been valued hired me. Unlike most women I see in corporate america today, she gave me permission to be a mom and worker, valuing the totality of my contribution. I grew her business enormously and she made me the highest paid executive, and pushed me to hire others like me. She valued women and knew her business thrived with more of them. The recent NYT's article about Ford said it all. Even when held accountable, as wasn't the case in Ledbetter, companies don't do the right thing. Not without people mandating it. It's up to women, like my boss, to lift other women. It's up to men who say they want to be part of the solution to ask their CEO and HR departments why there aren't more women, why they aren't paid on parity. Change will come when there are enough of us in positions of power demanding the diversity and equality we claim is so important. Support women owned businesses, professionals, doctors, restaurant owners. If a business doesn't support parity, don't spend money there. Look at your investments. Don't finance misogyny.

How true and how sad; "women hold up half the sky" is a quote from Mao Tse Tung, capitalism is indeed part of the problem.

Response to Liberty(pushed send too soon): Liberty: (1) career choice e.g. teacher vs investment banker: no...that’s a different pay for THE SAME JOB! Mistake #1. (2) willingness to travel, stay late at the office. Oh, so since it’s the responsibility of the woman to care for family...that’s the punishment? (3) taking a few years off to have kids. First of all, most women don’t take a few years off, second, why don’t the men take on more responsibilities for child care? (4) willingness to negotiate salary. Often, there is no acknowledgment that money is different and men tend to bully their way though negotiations with women. Why don't we look at the real facts and figures after taking these factorsinto consideration. BTW, these are the real factors that result in less pay for women...you get real!

Thank you for your bravery and for this article. Sadly many women still don't support the #metoo movement. They are put off by what they see as "piling on" by questionable woman and their claims. It continues to sadden me that they consider men to be more believable in these instances. "Look at all the men's lives now ruined" they say. We cannot come close to estimate the number of women's lives ruined because they were afraid to speak up. Women, have courage and speak the truth. You will improve the welfare of women everywhere.

Thanks for sharing your story, Ms. Ledbetter. My mother told us many similar stories and, to this day, I am always amazed at how she kept at it, year after dogged year. Here's hoping that the #MeToo movement will finally make a lasting difference.

Sexual harassment and lower pay: two ways in which women are systematically devalued in the workplace. Thanks to Ms. Ledbetter for so forcefully pointing out that these are two sides of the same tainted coin.

Once again it appears as if the unquestioning left (when dealing with a narrative they believe in) swallow hook line and sinker the pay gap myth. There is no pay gap -- when adjusted for job type, industry, location, experience, performance, hours spent per week on the job etc., there is no pay gap. I've seen the data for an entire industry that makes up a huge portion of the US economy -- and there is no pay gap when you adjust for those reasonable factors. It's like this: If you have a large corporation and you have many lower level employees (tellers, retail assistants) and in the company those jobs are more often filled by females -- even if the CEO is female and half the executives and half the professionals are female and all pay is equal at every level -- the disproportional representation of women in the lower paid ranks will result in a pay gap if you look at avg pay -- when none exists. You can argue companies aren't doing enough to promote women, but some women may want a job that can be part time, or less stressful. OR maybe it is easier to recruit women to work in sales at a large dept store. But if you already have the executive and professional ranks fully represented with women who are paid equally with males in the same jobs -- then the disproportional representation of women at the bottom is not evidence of a pay gap. And you may find that many men who might otherwise work at the bottom levels of corporations opt for more blue collar jobs.

Most of the difference in pay can be traced to: (1) career choice e.g. teacher vs investment banker (2) willingness to travel, stay late at the office (3) taking a few years off to have kids (4) willingness to negotiate salary Why don't we look at the real facts and figures after taking these factorsinto consideration?

You are truly and inspiration. Workplace harassment isn't just about the personal anxiety and discomfort it causes. It also limits women professionally, which contributes to the gender pay gap.

Ok, let's go over it again for the umpteenth time. 1-Sexual harassment and discrimination against women has been illegal since app. the 1960-1980 period. 2-Since then countless women have complained, started grievances, sued and won. I know I saw many in the company I worked for. 3-If you feel you are being harassed or discriminated against in pay and the law was broken, sue. 4-If not re #3, don't co depend or enable the predator/discriminator by waiting 20 yrs. to say something, complain only when the raises or promotions stop, protect the offended because they are contributing to liberal causes or worse start the sexual activity that countless women do. 5- Last but not least don't cherry pick, finger point, ax grind, rationalize, intellectualize, blame all men for your problems and hope it disappears.

This article displays a need for unions in the work place. Worker would have a spokesperson, (union rep) who could vouch for her rights. I realize that she was in management. Management needs unions too. To be able to speak up, without fear of retaliation should be a basic right for all workers, regardless of sex.

I had to file a complaint with HR to equalize my pay with that of a senior male colleague......in a hospital.......as a physician......2 years ago. I was successful, but there's always a price. Keep speaking up, ladies.

I thank you for speaking up for women and men. I am sure women are biased against woman as well. Some women voted against Hillary just because she was a woman. I have read some blind studies recently that show that bias towards women is common. One study showed proposals created by women scored higher when the gender was unknown then when known. There are some takeaways. Give our girls names that are gender-neutral (smile). Vote for women in all elections unless the man is outstanding qualified. We need more woman in powerful leadership positions everywhere. For example, Washington is lead by men and it is pretty disfunctional. Women leadership would do better.

Thank you Ms. Ledbetter. You faced down a tough situation in your small Alabama city. It must have been extraordinarily difficult. Thank you for your fortitude. You prevailed. Others now benefit from your perseverance.

Thank you for this excellent, thoughtful, and brave piece. By sharing your personal experience(s) and perspective, you offer to all of us precisely the right perspective in the ongoing discussion about systemic discrimination against women.

It is crushing to know that most women faced insurmountable odds in Ms. Ledbetter's day and that today we are marginally better. We need more women at the top of organizations and in all levels of management. We're not perfect but all the evidence suggests that more women in the workplace makes it safer for all.

Thank you, Ms. Ledbetter, for your sage words, strength and courageous actions. I teach your story in my undergrad course on culture and diversity. Now I know to (sadly) add the detail on sexual harassment as well. You truly never received the justice you deserved. It is all too common in organizations that when there is one form of discrimination or bad behavior, there is often more going on as well. Your story continues to be important and will continue to make a difference!

I have long admired Lilly Ledbetter and as a male know that the #MeToo Movement is long overdue. However, my legitimate concern, borne out by history, is that a movement pendulum can swing too far, that the desire for justice or for retaliation or to eliminate a chronic problem can lead to over-zealous actions including witch hunts and Star Chamber procedures. If we demand fairness in the workplace, we must demand fairness for accusers as victims and fairness for the accused. My concern is well-founded on personal experiences involving vicious administrative actions including a false charge of sexual harassment that ended my long career as a popular educator and arts professional. It has been encouraging to find many women who were not pleased with the abusive treatment of Senator Al Franken and his being unceremoniously bounced out of the United State Senate, even though he was a dedicated supporter of women's issues. Let no good deed go unpunished. We should note that little or no serious investigative reporting has occurred regarding the consequences of false allegations of harassment since Harvey Weinstein made headlines. However unpopular the topic may be, false charges happen, and those falsely accused are also victims of the harassment enterprise. Where is editorial leadership when it's needed? Doug Giebel, Big Sandy, Montana

My heartfelt gratitude for what you have accomplished. One Hundred years from now, you will still be remembered, and shining example for ALL Women. We must keep up the fight, and motivate young people. It's a slippery slope to going backwards, especially with this " president " and his Collaborators. I'll be thinking about you in November, on Election Day.