The Lift Our Voices Timeline
As a result of being forced into silence, a movement of hundreds of thousands of women rallied together, demanding to be heard.
2006
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Tarana Burke coins the term “Me Too” as a way for survivors of sexual assault and harassment to share their stories.
The term grew out of her own experience of sexual abuse and her work at the 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement, where she met many young women who spoke out about the sexual abuse they had endured.
2011
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On May 14th, Nafissatou Diallo comes forward to accuse Dominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the IMF and leading candidate of the 2012 French presidential election, of sexual assault and attempted rape in New York.
The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements launched Lift Our Voices into action, a non-profit becoming
“…the leading organization on eradicating silencing mechanisms that allow toxic workplace behavior to thrive”
…in record time.
2016
Gretchen Carlson files lawsuit.
2016
July 6th, 2016
Gretchen Carlson files a sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes, prompting dozens of other women to step forward to accuse Ailes of harassment.
Just two weeks later, Ailes is forced to resign.
September 2016
Rachael Denhollander, a former Michigan State University gymnast, is the first to publicly accuse Dr. Larry Nassar of sexual assault. At the time of her accusation, Nassar was the team doctor for USA Gymnastics. Ultimately, Nassar is accused of sexually assaulting at least 265 young women and girls.
2017
Julie Roginsky files lawsuit.
2017
April 1st, 2017
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A New York Times article is published detailing allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against Fox News star Bill O’Reilly, whose show is later canceled.
April 3rd, 2017
Julie Roginsky files a lawsuit against former Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment and against and Fox News for retaliation.
October 2017
Former Harvey Weinstein employee Zelda Perkins breaks her non-disclosure agreement to expose Weinstein in The New York Times and the New Yorker, detailing decades of sexual harassment and assault allegations and the payments he made to keep women quiet.
Other survivors come forward, including Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd. Harvey Weinstein is fired from Miramax days later.
Based on Tarana Burke’s coining of the term “MeToo” in 2006, actress and activist Alyssa Milano encourages people to take upBurke’s rallying cry and share their stories of sexual harassment and abuse on social media using the hashtag #metoo.
Actor Anthony Rapp accuses Kevin Spacey of making an unwanted sexual advance on him when he was 14. In 2022, the case goes to trial in New York City and Spacey is found not liable for battery
2018
January 1st, 2018
TIME’S UP LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN
Time’s Up launches with an open letter signed by more than 300 women in the entertainment industry. It aims to support lower-income women seeking justice for sexual harassment and assault in the workplace, and to advocate for legislation to punish companies that tolerate persistent harassment.
November 2018
Google, Facebook, Airbnb, and eBay end forced arbitration provisions in employee contracts for sexual harassment cases.
2019
Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky found
Lift Our Voices
2019
December 2019
Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky found Lift Our Voices
A nonprofit organization dedicated to ending silencing mechanisms in the workplace that protect abusers and enable toxic environments.
March 18th, 2019
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New Jersey enacts a new law banning all NDAs for toxic workplace issues, including for harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
2021
October 7th, 2021
California Governor Gavin Newsom signs the Silenced No More Act, which bans NDAs and nondisparagement agreements in settlement agreements relating to harassment, discrimination or retaliation at work.
2022
Historic Bill Signed by Joe Biden
2022
March 3rd, 2022
The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021, championed by Gretchen Carlson, is signed into law by President Biden.
March 24th, 2022
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Washington State enacts the Silenced No More Act, making NDAs and non-disparagement provisions for toxic behavior illegal in employment agreements or at any stage of employment or prospective employment.
June 8th, 2022
Microsoft eliminates NDAs for all employees and noncompete clauses for most employees.
2022
Speak Out Act
June 29th, 2022
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
With the advocacy of LOV co-founders Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky, the Speak Out Act, which prohibits the use of predispute non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of sexual assault and sexual harassment, is introduced in the House of Representatives.
November 16th, 2022
SENATE
The Speak Out Act, which bars the use of predispute NDAs for workplace sexual assault and sexual harassment is passed by the House after previously passing in the Senate.
December 7th, 2022
SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
With the advocacy of LOV co-founders Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky, the Speak Out Act, which prohibits the use of predispute non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of sexual assault and sexual harassment, is signed into law by President Joe Biden.
And we’re just getting started!
Education •
Education •
Your Rights
State-by-State
We’ve done the research for you. Look up your state to see which laws are currently in place to protect you in the workplace.
Take this language
And bring it to your human resources department, employers, and employees. We’ve done the research. Now it’s your turn to ensure a safer workplace for all.
