Former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson speaks on sexual harassment, need to address issue

CEDAR RAPIDS - Sexual harassment is not something women should face alone, former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson says.

Since 95 percent of Fortune 500 companies are run by men, 'we need enlightened men” to help with issues such as equal pay, promotion opportunities and more, she says.

Carlson was keynote speaker Wednesday night at the 10-year anniversary dinner as a part of Iowa Women Lead Change conference.

Conference organizers said 345 people registered for the dinner alone at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cedar Rapids Convention Complex.

About 1,000 are registered for the two-day conference taking place in Cedar Rapids through today. The event focuses on leadership development for women.

Carlson brought a sexual harassment lawsuit against the Fox network's former CEO and chairman, Roger Ailes, effectively toppling the network chief this past July.

In the months since the lawsuit made headlines, Carlson said she has heard from thousands of women who had experienced a similar circumstance to hers. She said their stories emboldened her to become a public figure in advocating for workplace equality for women.

'It made me realize I was the person who was going to do this,” Carlson said in an interview with The Gazette last week. 'There was a sense of responsibility that I owed it to them because in many cases, I was the voice for the voiceless.”

Fox News eventually settled with Carlson for $20 million. According to Carlson, because of the terms of the settlement, she is not allowed to discuss the lawsuit or anything related to Fox News.

Carlson participated in a question-and-answer session with Tiffany O'Donnell, a former local news anchor who is chief operating officer of IWLC, that focused on the issue of sexual harassment and other gender-equity issues in the workplace.

Throughout the event, Carlson talked about the stereotypes she overcame throughout her career in television journalism, and offered advice to audience - consisting mostly of women - on how to face the issue themselves.

Carlson also talked about the importance of politicians taking on sexual harassment. 'I want to encourage politicians this is an apolitical issue,” she said.

The event was kicked off Wednesday by soon-to-be Gov. Kim Reynolds, who said IWLC has prepared her for her career in politics. She congratulated the organization on its decadelong success. Reynolds will become governor after Terry Branstad is confirmed as U.S. ambassador to China.

The IWLC conference, for which The Gazette is a sponsor, continues today at DoubleTree in Cedar Rapids with opening remarks at 9 a.m.

Laura Ling, journalist who was held captive in North Korea for 140 days, will speak at the luncheon, and former CEO of Chanel Maureen Chiquet will be the closing keynote speaker at 2 p.m. The conference closing remarks take place at 3 p.m.

For a full schedule of events, visit the Iowa Women Leads Change website, www.iwlcleads.org.

l Comments: (319) 368-8536; michaela.ramm@thegazette.com