This week marks the first anniversary of the ACLU sending its landmark letter to the EEOC formally requesting that they look into the systemic discrimination against women directors in Hollywood. We described this development as a “great day for gender justice in Hollywood.”

In that year the EEOC has invested substantial resources in its quest to understand how Hollywood works and if they will be able to make a charge — and more importantly, have that charge stick. (Note: I have spoken to the agency twice.)

It’s not easy. Part of the issue is that the majority of people in Hollywood who work on productions are not full-time employees, and as such, do not enjoy the protection of employment laws.

Here’s a comment from Melissa Goodman, director of the ACLU of Southern California’s LGBTQ, Gender and Reproductive Justice Project, about the case:

ACLU SoCal and the ACLU Women’s Rights Project are pleased that the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs gave careful consideration to our findings and responded by launching a wide-ranging and well-resourced investigation into the industry’s hiring practices. We are encouraged by the scope of the government’s process and are hopeful that the government will be moving to a more targeted phase.

In the year since our report was released, there has been much lip-service paid to furthering opportunities for women, but few definitive steps and no serious movement in the number of women directors hired. We are confident that the government will corroborate our work and push industry leaders to address the ongoing violations of the legal and civil rights of these directors and of all women in the film and television industries.

We are looking forward to what develops next and hope for a decision as to the next steps from the EEOC very soon.