On Tuesday afternoon, Variety broke the news that Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) would be playing former Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA) in a TV series produced by Blumhouse. Hill resigned from her post representing California’s 25th District after reports alleged that she’d had “inappropriate” relationships with staffers, and following the leak of nude images of Hill to the Daily Mail by her estranged husband in an act of revenge porn.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, someone claiming to be “Katie’s former staff” took over her @RepKatieHill Twitter account to express their disappointment in Moss and Blumhouse.
The anonymous poster wrote, “This is an incredibly sensitive situation. We appreciate the instinct to defend our former boss, an LGBTQ+ woman who faced abuse from her husband. What happened to Katie Hill shouldn’t happen to anyone. But, this moment requires more nuance, as Katie Hill’s story - our story - is also one of workplace abuse and harassment. Katie Hill can be both a victim and perpetrator. And, staff can experience severe consequences for speaking out against their powerful boss. No one should have to put themselves in harm’s way for the public to understand a simple truth: Katie Hill is not a hero for women. We deserve heroes who embody our values even in the most difficult moments.
They continued, “She caused immense harm to the people who worked for her, many of whom were young women just beginning their careers in politics. Workplace abuse and harassment can take many different forms, but one thing is certain: it is never okay, even if your boss is a woman and/or a survivor.”
