Dear Ms. Hill,
I am writing on behalf of many young women who do not relish any opportunity to shoot down members of their own gender, the young women who believe that you can be a feminist and still wear girlish clothing, those whose mothers rammed the teachings of Gloria Steinem down their throats and those whom believe your comments regarding the David Jones Sexual Harrassment case are of a completely different era. I am writing to inform you that I will never be purchasing anything bearing your Label again.
Image via SMH
Throughout this whole debacle, it has proven once more how little progress women have made in their pursuit for equality. It has also demonstrated profoundly how women are the first to drag down other women. Your comments, however flippant you intended them to be, send the message to women suffering from sexual harassment that they should be grateful for such attention from men at all. That it is a privilege to be harassed and threatened by a handsome, wealthy and powerful man. That we should take such attention, if it occurs, willingly and not draw attention to ourselves. I cannot adequately express how poisoning such thoughts can be.
Young women, my peers, are reluctant enough as it is to even admit that they care about women’s rights without the harsh and confusing comments of our elders who think otherwise thrown into the mix. Fewer and fewer girls will call themselves, openly, a feminist. Even fewer will support women who find themselves in situations such as Kristy Fraser-Kirk as this backlash has indicated. These are depressing realities of which I’d hoped someone older and wiser than myself would be concerned about. As a successful businesswoman yourself, I find it difficult to swallow that you couldn’t control your thoughts and also that you don’t comprehend the shocking conditions faced by women in the workplace.
Throughout your apology on Fox FM, I still failed to sense any true remorse on your behalf. I understand that you do not hold any unkind feelings towards Mr. McInnes and that, of course, is your prerogative. If you like the man, you are entitled to say so. No one asked you to defend the claims of Ms. Fraser-Kirk, no one has forced you to believe her. Under no circumstances, however, should you believe that your own personal feelings allow you to disrespect the claims made by others in such a public forum. Especially other women and especially when it comes to something as serious as sexual harassment.
As someone who has, in the past, admired your products, I refuse to give you any more support. The basis of your clothing’s appeal is that is seems like that from another era, I never knew that the backwards belief systems were part of the old-fashioned package.
I am utterly disgusted.
