Glorida Allred Seeking Ways To Prosecute Limbaugh

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15. Hey, Gloria Allred came to my aid back in the late '70s when I was first on the air, and

was confronted by several different kinds of sexist and unprofessional treatment. Moral support, mainly. She was kind, sympathetic, listened with great objectivity, and very discreet. She recorded Public Affairs features for a series of drop-in messages we had on the air. So I'd see her every week, especially during a time that was proving rather uncomfortable for me for a few reasons. She took me to lunch, let me cry on her shoulder, talked to me, gave me advice, and shared her own experiences. She talked about how, in many stations where she contributed on-air or was invited in as a guest, ANY hallway she walked down, some female employees would pass her little notes about issues they were facing in the workplace. Never failed, she said. She took this seriously and decided to make it one of her pet causes. And she assured me she would keep my complaints confidential and would not pursue anything without my consent.

I chose not to pursue any action, with her or any other legal counsel. Especially since I was being threatened with blackballing if I sought any recourse. And I was 23 and pretty new and the only woman - hell, the only person left in the newsroom, and fearful for my job when there'd already been heads rolling down the hall. It was a really shaky time for me and I was intimidated and terrified. Women who were achieving any measure of success back then were just emerging from the widely-held prejudice that "she slept her way into it." We'd just cracked that door open! Male radio executives and programmers were just starting to get used to having the chick on the air, as a deejay - usually on the late night shift or the overnight. SELDOM during drive time. Up til then, it had never even occurred to their mindset that women could be hired for on-air work that was every bit as competent and ratings-worthy as any man they'd hire. The change only happened because the FCC, in effect, responded to the growing clout of the women's movement by stepping in during the mid '70s and telling them they had to. I was always the "newsgal" and the only air shifts that allow any news are usually morning or afternoon drive, so I was always on in a prominent position by default. But we were still the anomaly in every newsroom at that time (it was almost like we were the "family pet," every newsroom had its token woman) and we were all, to one extent or other, afraid to rock the boat and assert ourselves too much. Gloria Allred was there from the beginning, and if she gave me a lot of moral support, she gave dozens of us that kind of moral support. And she never ambulance-chased or called back several times trying to solicit my business. She honored my request not to push it.

And I will always GREATLY appreciate her. When she gets loud and annoying and pushy and noisy and camera-hoggy, I find myself saying - "YOU GO GIRLFRIEND!!!!" And I say a little thank-you. Again. Gloria Allred is okay by me!