Last week millions of Americans were shocked to learn of the behavior of billionaire mogul Harvey Weinstein. We were not. This same kind of inappropriate, sexually harassing behavior cuts across every industry and facet of our society. No matter a woman’s age, weight, religion, sexual orientation, race, social status, or position of power, she is not insulated from this behavior. It is pervasive.ꢀꢁ Enough.ꢀꢁ As women leaders in politics, in a state that postures itself as a leader in justice and equality, you might assume our experience has been different. It has not. Each of us has endured, or witnessed or worked with women who have experienced some form of dehumanizing behavior by men with power in our workplaces. Men have groped and touched us without our consent, made inappropriate comments about our bodies and our abilities. Insults and sexual innuendo, frequently disguised as jokes, have undermined our professional positions and capabilities. Men have made promises, or threats, about our jobs in exchange for our compliance, or our silence. They have leveraged their power and positions to treat us however they would like.ꢀꢁ Why didn’t we speak up? Sometimes out of fear. Sometimes out of shame. Often these men hold our professional fates in their hands. They are bosses, gatekeepers, and contacts. Our relationships with them are crucial to our personal success.ꢁ We don’t want to jeopardize our future, make waves, or be labeled “crazy,” “troublemaker,” or “asking for it.” Worse, we’re afraid when we speak up that no one will believe us, or we will be blacklisted.ꢁ These degrading acts over time cause us to shrink back in our personal and professional lives. While advocating for the causes and clients in which we believe, and working to advance our careers, we must concurrently balance these activities with worry, fear or shame.ꢀꢁ We worry if the dress we wore sent the wrong message; if we are somehow at fault for our own harassment and abuse. We fear the ramifications of coming forward. Many of us feel ashamed that we have failed to protect our friends from abuse. We have felt powerless to stop the cycle.ꢁ We’re done with this.ꢁ Each of us who signed this op-ed will no longer tolerate the perpetrators or enablers who do.ꢁ What now? It’s time for women to speak up and share their stories. We also need the good men, and there are many, to believe us, have our backs, and speak up. Until more women hold positions of power, our future is literally dependent on men. It’s time to promote women into elected office, in positions of leadership, and onto corporate boards.ꢁ For those in power, this means choosing to work with firms that hire and treat women fairly, and asking for a woman to be the lead on your account.ꢀ It means choosing to patronize businesses that are led by and empower women.ꢀAnd when you see - or experience - inappropriate behavior, don’t sweep it under the rug. Speak up, speak loud, and know there is a community of people who will support you.ꢁ Do you want to get involved in finding a solution? Do you have a story to tell? If you feel comfortable sharing your story, or want to get engaged, join us as at:ꢀWeSaidEnough.com Adama Iwuꢁ Samantha Corbinꢁ Alicia Lewisꢁ Christine Pelosi, Chair, CA Democratic Party Women's Caucusꢁ Victoria Stewartꢁ Danielle Kando-Kaiserꢁ Leah Cowanꢁ Deanna Johnstonꢁ Asm. Cristina Garcia ꢁ Pamela Lopezꢁ Buffy Wicksꢁ Angelica Gonzalezꢁ Amy Thoma Tanꢁ Kim Stoneꢁ Marva Diazꢁ Venus Strombergꢁ Connie Sanders Emmerson ꢁ Shawnda Westlyꢁ Mandy Leeꢁ Raquel Simentalꢁ Jennifer Fearingꢁ Martha Miller ꢁ Paula Treat ꢁ Rebecca Lubyꢁ Mariko Yoshiharaꢁ Faith Conley ꢁ Jodi Hicksꢁ Maggie Shandera Lindenꢁ Carla Saporta Chang ꢁ Kelly Boyd ꢁ Cristina Uribe ꢁ Laura Parra ꢁ Maral Farsi ꢁ Sen. Nancy Skinner ꢁ Nora Vargas ꢁ Christine Duggerꢁ Shaina Brownꢁ Jeli Gavricꢁ Wendy Mitchell ꢁ Tam Ma ꢁ Elena Lee Reeder ꢁ Lea-Ann Trattenꢁ Jena Priceꢁ Tish Rylanderꢁ Jan Owenꢁ Senator Martha Escutia (Ret.)ꢁ Emily Cohen ꢁ Angela Tate ꢁ Margaret Gladstein ꢁ Erin Norwood ꢁ Cassie Gilsonꢁ Carolyn Veal Hunter ꢁ Laura Braden Quigley ꢁ Nicole Evansꢁ Tracy Pillowsꢁ Marcey Brightwellꢁ Annie Notthoffꢁ Libby Sanchez ꢁ Carrie McKinley ꢁ Asm. Autumn Burke ꢁ Erin Wolff ꢁ Four Waters ꢁ Kassy Perry ꢁ Amy Brownꢁ Andrea Gutierrez Oh ꢁ Darin Walshꢁ Angie Georgoulias ꢁ Kristin Bertolina Faust ꢁ Rhianon See-Barnatoꢁ Missy Johnson ꢁ Tanya Hoffman ꢁ Lisa Kaplan ꢁ Nicole Wingerꢁ Elise Gyoreꢁ Asm. Laura Friedmanꢁ Natalie Leblancꢁ Claire Conlonꢁ Amber Maltbie ꢁ Madeline Dyer ꢁ Lindsay Bubar ꢁ Jann Taber ꢁ Jennifer Wada ꢁ Meagan Subersꢁ Karen Greene Ross ꢁ Anya Lawlerꢁ Alicia Priego ꢁ Kathy Van Ostenꢁ Taylor Jacksonꢁ Eve Bukowskiꢁ Annie Lamꢁ Christy Boumaꢁ Erin K. Taylorꢁ Asm. Sally Lieber (Ret.)ꢁ Cynthia Bryant ꢁ Anne Bosanacꢁ Soyla Fernandez ꢁ Carolyn McIntyreꢁ Naveen Habibꢁ Hannah Strom-Martinꢁ Katie Kincaidꢁ Erica Waltersꢁ Asm. Blanca Rubio ꢁ Asm. Susan Eggmanꢁ Fiona Ma, State Board of Equalization Member ꢁ Viviana Becerraꢁ Cheyanne Cookꢁ Rose Kapolczynskiꢁ Pam Woudstraꢁ Kristy Wieseꢁ Maya Ingramꢁ Alex Rooker, Vice Chair, CA Democratic Partyꢁ Leah Barrosꢁ Rebecca Griffinꢁ Carol Dahmen Eckeryꢁ Amanda Gualderamaꢁ Jayme Chick ꢁ Sabrina DeMayo Lockhartꢁ Kellyn Blossom ꢁ Linda White ꢁ Courtney Jensenꢁ Anette Smith-Dhoringꢁ Tina McKinnorꢁ Fiona Huttonꢁ Cassandra Pyeꢁ Donna Lucasꢁ Karen Skeltonꢁ Traci Stevensꢁ Taylor Girouxꢁ Beth Millerꢁ Susan Riggsꢁ Devon Andersonꢁ Allison Barnettꢁ Katherine Scottꢁ Angela Pontesꢁ London Biggsꢁ Susan Rubioꢁ Nicole Millerꢁ Samantha Stevensꢁ Natasha Minskerꢁ Sadalia Kingꢁ Rachel Michelinꢁ Erin Donnetteꢁ Amy Durbinꢁ Roxanne Gouldꢁ Alison Rameyꢁ Alice Kesslerꢁ Angela Blanchard ꢁ