Former Rep. Katie Hill is ready for the next chapter of her life.
The 32-year-old California Democrat is speaking out about the events that led to her high-profile resignation last year. Hill, who has apologized in the past, reiterated that she has major regrets but is focusing on getting other women elected to public office.
Hill, who is openly bisexual, served less than a year in the House of Representatives before resigning last October amid an ethics probe into allegations of having inappropriate relations with staff members. She blamed the scandal on nude photos of her that were published online without her approval, and said they were leaked by her estranged husband.
She recently chatted with Know Your Value via email about her new book, “She Will Rise: Becoming a Warrior for True Equality,” what she learned from her time in office, the “double standard” women face in politics and more.
Know Your Value: What message do you want readers to take away from your new book and your journey?
Hill: ”In many ways, the reason I wrote the book is to expose all of the roadblocks women still face — the inequality and sexism women face every single day that stands in our way of being fully autonomous and having the ability and opportunity to access power. “She Will Rise” not only outlines those roadblocks, but also talks about the solutions, mainly that we need to elect more women, and we need women to stand up in the face of all of it and run for office. Truly, that is the only way things will change. I also want to ensure young women aren’t deterred from entering politics because of my story and instead are inspired to run.”
Know Your Value: Tell us about the immediate aftermath of your resignation and what you were going through mentally. How were you able to pick yourself back up and “rise” again?
Hill: “A few things come to mind, but the biggest thing that allowed me to continue to fight was my family, my friends and my supporters. I know I had already let people down, and one of the reasons I resigned is so they all wouldn’t have to keep going through the pain of seeing images and private text messages be leaked. I talk about thinking about my family in my darkest moments, and ending things was just something I couldn’t do to them, especially after everything. Luckily, I have access to mental health care, and therapy has helped me to process everything since.”
Know Your Value: Tell us about the double standard and misogyny you experienced leading up to your resignation. Do you think a man would have faced the same criticism/consequence?
Hill: “I fully admit that I have regrets around the lack of boundaries with my staff. And though my relationship with the campaign staffer was consensual, there was a power dynamic there that I didn’t acknowledge at that time. That being said, there are men currently in positions of power who have assaulted women and somehow that is dismissed and tolerated. I do think the fact that I am a young woman, that it wasn’t a traditional relationship and that I am a bisexual woman all played into the ways in which I was treated, none of which happens when men are in similar situations.” Know Your Value: Do you have any regrets? If so, what are they? Hill: “As I mentioned previously, I do wish I had set different boundaries with my staff early on. When we first started the campaign, most of us were young adults in our 20s working around the clock to do something that most people said was impossible. That led to relationships with staff that were much more like friendships than boss-employee relationships, and shifting the dynamic from the start is something I wish I had done.” Know Your Value: What is life like for you now? And what do you hope to do next? Hill: “Life is very different. My time is my own, which is something that hasn’t been the case for more than a decade, especially on the campaign trail and in office. My words are my own too – I no longer have staff wordsmithing everything I say, which is probably apparent in my tweeting since leaving office. And, I am living alone for the first time in my adult life, which is honestly an amazing feeling. Next, my focus is on electing more women, both through the political action committee I started – HER Time – and the book.”
Know Your Value staff Recommended
