Speaking Truth to Power - Anita Hill [88]
“Was that the extent of that incident?”
“That was the extent of that incident … I declined and, at that incident, I think he may have said something about, you know, he didn’t understand why I didn’t want to go out with him.…”
“Would you describe for the committee how you felt at that time when he asked you out? What was your reaction?” the senator questioned.
To describe what took place was difficult, but the emotional impact of having to recall my feelings about what had happened was monumental. I struggled to keep calm. “Well, my reaction at that time was a little surprised, because I had not indicated to him in any way that I knew of that I was interested in dating him. We had developed a good working relationship. It was cordial and it was very comfortable, so I was surprised that he was interested in something else.”
The logistics of making arrangments to travel to Washington, informing and gathering my family, friends, and advisers together, had left me little time to prepare for my testimony. Yet as the questioning began I realized that no amount of preparation could have made it easy to address the kinds of questions that, ultimately, Biden asked. Senator Biden’s tone became even more somber.
“Now I must ask you to describe once again, and more fully, the behavior that you have alleged [Thomas] engaged in while your boss which you say went beyond the professional conventions and were unwelcome to you. Now, I know these are difficult to discuss, but you must understand that we have to ask you about the …”
Perhaps to ease the impact of the intrusion into my memory, Biden asked the question differently. “Did all of the behavior that you have described to us in your written statement to the committee and your oral statement now and what you have said to the FBI, did all of that behavior take place at work?”
“Yes, it did … if you are including a luncheon during the workday to be at work, yes,” I responded, thankful for the new approach.
But further probing was inevitable, and in short time the senator asked the question which had to be asked: “Can you tell me what incidents occurred, of the ones you described to us, occurred in his office?”
“Well, I recall specifically that the incident involving the Coke can occurred in his office at the EEOC.”
“And what was that incident, again?” Biden asked.
“The incident with regard to the Coke can, that statement?” I said, perhaps hoping to avoid repeating what had so disgusted me at the time, having already described it once in the opening statement.
But Biden would not allow me to avoid the matter. He would not rely on the testimony I had given. “Once again for me, please,” he half asked, half insisted.
Gradually, something moved from the pit of my stomach and expanded until it became a tightness in my chest. “The incident involved his getting up from a work table, going to his desk, looking at this can and saying, ‘Who put pubic hair on my Coke?’ ”
At once, I was twenty-five years old again, standing in the middle of Thomas’ office. By that time I had had several jobs and worked with many different people, but never before had anyone ever uttered such an absurdly vulgar and juvenile comment to me. Disgusted and shocked, I could only shake my head and leave the office. I heard him laughing as I closed the door.
The lapse was temporary. Biden’s next question brought me back to the reality of my present situation. In its way it was equally shocking. “Was anyone else in his office at the time?” Biden asked.
“No.”
“Are there any other incidents that occurred in his office?”
“I recall at least one instance in his office at the EEOC where he discussed some pornographic material and he brought up the substance or the content of pornographic material.”
Chairman: “Again, it is difficult, but for the record,… what was the content of what he said?”
I probed my memory for the details the committee seemed to require. “This was a reference to an individual who had a very large penis and he used