Long before sexual harassment allegations surfaced against filmmaker Harvey Weinstein, there was Gretchen Carlson, the journalist who first made claims against late Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes. The former Fox News host told Cheddar Monday that a lot has changed since she spoke out seventeen months ago. “Now when high profile men have been accused, or their cases have been proven, they’re immediately apologizing, people are getting fired,” she said. “Now we’re seeing real consequences. That empowers more women to realize, ‘Wow, if I do speak up, there might actually be a consequence.’ And women are being believed...We’re starting to see those three major shifts in a short period of time. Who could ever have predicted that?” Carlson may have opened the doors for the #MeToo movement, which has seen women make accusations against high-profile men across industries, from media to entertainment, from technology to politics. The ex-anchor released a book titled “Be Fierce” shortly after news of the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke. In it she shares her experience and those of other women who have faced sexual harassment. Earlier this month she joined members of Congress to introduce a bipartisan bill to prevent secret arbitration clauses in employment contracts. Many feel that discourages women from speaking out. “The idea that I could get Democrats and Republicans to come together on that was a huge accomplishment,” she said. For the full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/sparking-the-metoo-movement).
