On the same day Robin Williams died, I went back to work after taking 12 weeks off for maternity leave after the birth of my son, the greatest birthday gift I’ve ever received. I already had a toddler girl at the time and I felt so fortunate that I finally got to have a family of my own. It was hard to believe that just a few years ago, an older brother told me to get 12 cats and name them all "Frisky” because he thought I would end up a "spinster”.

Fast forward to October 2014. I found an offer letter on the printer at work congratulating the person I trained to cover for me when I went on maternity leave the first time, in 2012. He was hired in 2012 with no previous experience or qualifications. I had been hired in 2001. This guy was promoted over me behind my back. My autistic sense of justice cried foul and I filed a charge of sex discrimination against my employer. Without a lawyer, I lost at the Maryland Civil Rights Commission’s so-called “Fact-Finding Conference”. It was a complete joke.  But I was SO proud of myself for standing up for myself and my family and fighting for my civil rights. I sometimes joke that it took having a son in my womb to grow a pair of balls. 

My fight for justice is never-ending. There can be no peace without it. I have been silenced since I was a child. My dad hurled a chopping block at my head because I wouldn’t shut up. I ducked.

Maybe this is why I am so passionate about being able to speak up and speak out. 

I have not asked my family members or in-laws or relatives to sign this, to protect their privacy and mine. I am counting on the kindness of strangers and people who knew me from work, befriended me and considered me to be a decent person. What saddens me is seeing people I would expect to sign - people who know of my character and courage, avoid signing because they are afraid it would cost them something - be it their reputation or their job - I have no clue. I think you can sign using an alias if you have these concerns, but at least I know who my supporters really are. 

Please get the word out for your friends, family and open-minded coworkers to sign this petition. I cannot use my real name because of an NDA I signed when I “won” a settlement for being sexually harassed by a male coworker. I also cannot rule out retaliation by the parties I have described in my grievance here.

I would greatly appreciate it also if you shared my petition on other platforms since I do not have an Instagram, X or Tiktok or a public-facing YouTube channel. Thank you so much for caring!