I am writing in support of FAAD because I belong to a sister organization called WAGE. We Advocate Gender Equity (WAGE) is an academic feminist organization, organized in 1993 and based in California. It grew out of a meeting by a large group of academic women who were experiencing sexual harassment and gender discrimination at University of California but over the years has broadened to include other institutions.

As part of our support for women fighting gender discrimination in academia, members of WAGE have been involved in supporting individual women who have brought suits against institutions for their practice of gender discrimination.

For five years in the 2000s, several WAGE members were active with a group supporting the legal case of Graciela Chichilnisky, an academic at Columbia University, a woman with PhDs in mathematics and economics who had been a member of the Columbia faculty since the 1970s and who was experiencing severe harassment at Columbia, supported by the highest levels of the administration.

In the face of an all out attack on her by her colleagues and administrators, Chichilnisky, like other academic women who dare to publicly charge their colleagues with discriminatory behavior, was isolated on her campus and very badly treated. During the time she was bringing her case, we learned of the existence of FAAD and applied for their support of her case. This, they not only gave (with a substantial check) but they also helped publicize Chichilnisky's experiences and showed other academic women a model of mutual support.

The isolation and exclusion of women who dare to complain of discriminatory treatment is severe. FAAD's work helps relieve that isolation and create solidarity. Were there were many more such organizations.

Pat Washington, PhD
Co-Coordinator, We Advocate Gender Equity (WAGE)
4537 Alamo Drive
San Diego, CA 92115
Email: PatWashingtonPhD@aol.com