Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) shared her “Me Too” story on Friday, revealing that a “prominent” historical figure tried to put his hand up her skirt decades ago.
When asked by CNN’s Alisyn Camerota if she had any “Me Too” stories, Dingell replied: “I have too many of them.”
She then recalled an evening in the ’80s when a man made unwanted advances on her at a dinner party, despite the fact that she was married.
“I was in a first-year marriage so it tells you how long ago it was. Historical figure. The hand kept going up my leg. I took it off. A woman member recognized what was happening and got up from the table and said, ‘Switch places.’ You know, we watch out for each other,” Dingell recalled on CNN’s “New Day.
Dingell’s comments come as women across the country are coming forward to accuse high-power, influential men in various industries of sexual assault. Many of the revelations stem from the “Me Too” social media campaign, which encourages women to share their stories of sexual harassment or assault to highlight how prevalent the issue is.
Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) was the latest figure to be accused on Thursday, when a radio host accused Franken of kissing and groping her without her consent in 2006.
Multiple women in Congress have spoken out in recent days, saying they have been victims of sexual harassment, prompting lawmakers to call for reform.
“I don’t know if it’s a watershed moment or not,” Dingell said, adding that sexual misconduct has been a “fact of life” in workplaces, including Capitol Hill.