Ellie Gelser is the daughter of Sara Gelser, the current Oregon State Senator, Earlham College graduate, and one of many women who have spoken out about their experiences of sexual harassment.
Sen. Gelser detailed in a formal complaint filed in November a years-long pattern of unwanted touching and sexual harassment by Sen. Jeff Kruse.
Kruse denies crossing boundaries, but he has been relieved of his committee assignments and there are calls for him to resign.
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Sen. Gelser’s act has landed her, along with the likes of Taylor Swift, Ashley Judd, the founder of the “Me Too” movement Tarana Burke, Alyssa Milano, and many others in Time magazine, sharing their experiences of sexual assault and harassment, some at the hands of prominent figures.
It’s no secret that the “Me Too” hashtag has sparked a movement, especially on social media, and with the topic of sexual assault already being difficult to discuss, Ellie says that it was unsettling with it being her own mother’s story.
“It’s not something you want to look on Facebook and see, Oh, my other is experiencing this”, said Gelser .
Nonetheless, her mother’s courage has allowed Ellie to open up about her own experience of sexual harassment, and she hopes it will encourage others to do the same.
“I think what my mom did was incredibly brave and amazing --- but I think it's also really important to acknowledge there are so many other people who have experienced this and they don't have the power to come forward”, said Gesler.
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In addition to Ellie, many others are proud of Sen. Gelser’s courage. She is stirring pride in Richmond, even from those who share the bonds of Earlham College with her.
“We've been very proud of all she's been doing in the world. And so to see her in this moment is an extension of who she has been for a long time. And Earlham's values out in the world for a long time.", said Alan Price, President of Earlham College.
Sen. Gelser expressed how pleased she was with the feature through a tweet that stated: “Time Magazine did an extraordinary job. What an honor to be included, and I hope that women and men in every profession know this is their time to be heard. No more silence. There is no shame in telling your story.”
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