“In our society, people look at women who are tenacious, smart, attractive and talented and for whatever reason say, “There must be something wrong with that equation. She couldn’t possibly be all of those things at once.”
That’s Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson talking with CNN’s Carol Costello in an exclusive interview for the February issue of Good Housekeeping, on newsstands January 17.
Gretchen Carlson had it all — fame, family, a job she loved. She has now vowed to rebuild, help her family heal — and fight to protect other women from what happened to her. She shares her blueprint for surviving any setback, making her 13-year-old daughter proud, never giving up and her badass side.
Here’s some:
On putting the responsibility for fixing sexual harassment on society and not just women: “This [harassment] is not an issue that women should feel pressure to solve by ourselves. It’s an issue for our society, for men and women, to fix. One of the most important things to do is to raise our kids in a respectful way with both genders. I want [my son] to respect women when he gets to the workplace. Whether you work inside or outside the home, it’s important to have that respect.”
On being honest with her family about her sexual harassment: “My daughter is learning a lot about [what happened] at school in her current-events class. It’s incredibly powerful to have your 13-year-old child tell you how proud she is of you. [She] has told me she’s done things at school this year to stand up for herself that she might not have done before, and she said, “Mommy, I saw what you did, and that’s why I did what I did.”
Gretchen on fake news and why it’s important to get all the facts: “Fake news is a huge problem. A blog will say something, and everyone goes with it because it’s more important to be first on a story than right. A lot of stories that aren’t true get out into the mainstream, and it’s hard to correct that. People want to hear what they already believe.”
On why we need a woman in the White House and why compromise doesn’t make you weak: “We need a woman in the White House right now. I really think that women want to work together. In the past 10 or 15 years, what has Congress done? Nothing. Our nation is so divided…“compromise” is a bad word. But you’re not weak if you compromise. I’m not encouraging people to give up their true beliefs, but I do think we need to find common ground on some of these major issues facing our nation. I see this as an unbelievable opportunity for our new President to prove what he can do.”
On never giving up and her badass side: “I’ve had fire in my belly ever since I can remember. I’ve always pushed myself to accomplish goals, and to do that, you need to have a steely side. Maybe it’s because I’m short and blond, but people have really underestimated me. They don’t know the real Gretchen if they don’t know my badass side, but it’s what’s gotten me through many of the trials in my life. I think more people know it now.”
www.goodhousekeeping.com/gretchencarlson
Gretchen wears a top by Vince, skirt by Carven, earrings by Pandora, bracelet by Gold Philosophy, and heels by Delman