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Frankel: ‘2018 Will Be the Year of the Woman’

Congresswoman says Golden Globes was a preview of what Democratic Women’s Working Group plans this year

Written by: Alex Gangitano, Roll Call

Women in Congress fighting to bring attention to sexual harassment got a boost from women in Hollywood at the Golden Globes on Sunday.

“I just texted my girlfriends in Congress, ‘I’m for Oprah!’” Rep. Lois Frankel of Florida, chairwoman of the Democratic Women’s Working Group, said Monday.

When Oprah Winfrey accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award for her contributions to the world of entertainment on Sunday at the annual awards ceremony, it instantly created buzz that she was running for president.

“I think it would be fantastic,” Frankel said.

Other actresses and actors wore black to the awards to show solidarity against sexual harassment, and some brought women’s rights activists as their guests on the red carpet.

“I can tell you this — we couldn’t have asked for a better preview of what we plan to do this year,” Frankel said. “They brought in some of the activists, which we plan to do.”

Frankel is leading the working group’s push for hearings in Congress about sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace.

“I’m hoping that we will have hearings throughout the next few months. That will give an opportunity to hear testimony from women, whether they are farmworkers or domestic workers or coal miners,” she said. “We’ve heard a lot from the women who, I would say, are in the more glamorous professions, which has been a great way to kick off the ‘Me Too’ movement.”

Aside from bringing activists to Capitol Hill, Frankel wants to hear from women who have accused President Donald Trump of sexual misconduct.