Name: Anita Hill on Being an Outsider
Uploaded: 2016-10-19
Duration: 2 min 7 s
Description: It’s not as bad as it sounds

[ SOUND ] Let's talk a little bit about your childhood and your family. And women that were role models to you when you were growing up in Oklahoma .>> Well first of all let me just say for those of you who don't know. How many of you grew up on a farm? A couple, couple of people? Okay. And how many of you grew up in Oklahoma [ LAUGH ] So how many of you grew up at a form in Oklahoma? [ LAUGH ] With 12 siblings. [ LAUGH ] So, when you look at those numbers what you realize is that the chances of me being here today talking in front of you, [ INAUDIBLE ] less even sitting out in audience, are pretty slim And I often think about what that meant. Especially when I deal with a lot of young women who feel like an imposter. They feel like in a school setting. I know none of you feel that in your businesses. You feel like of course I belong here. But For me, I think that in many ways, I'm always feeling like an outsider in many of the settings that I come into. And so it's good, and it's bad. But the good part is, I've already defied all the odds. I've defied all the laws. I've broken, really what anyone would have predicted, would happen to me in my life. By going on, going to law school, becoming a professor, continuing in my career in that way. And so, it's sort of liberating, in some ways. To be that person who doesnt feel ike they exactly belong. And I think if we take that power and that we use it, then we can make some changes in the places where we exist, that will be more accommodating to people who are like us, and that can open up different opportunities for us in ways, but is also just personally liberating and there's absolutely nothing wrong with feeling personally liberated where you are. [ APPLAUSE ] [ MUSIC ]