As the Supreme Court gears up to — once again — hear arguments on abortion, there’s word that another historic court case for women’s rights will be getting the screen treatment. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed a biopic about Ann Hopkins is in the works. Hopkins was the plaintiff in the game-changing gender discrimination Supreme Court case Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins.
In 1982, Hopkins was up for partnership at Price Waterhouse, the only woman among 88 candidates. She excelled at her work, and successfully brought in new business, but her promotion was put on indefinite hold. Hopkins eventually resigned and sued Price Waterhouse for sex discrimination, “arguing that her lack of promotion came after pressure to walk, talk, dress, and act more ‘femininely,'” THR details. “These requirements, she argued, would never have been made of a male colleague and violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
The suit eventually went to the Supreme Court, which ruled in Hopkins’ favor in 1989, in a 6-3 decision. Since then, Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins has been used to protect women, the trans community, and others affected by gender or sex stereotyping from workplace discrimination.
Based on Hopkins’ 1996 memoir, “So Ordered: Making Partner the Hard Way,” the biopic will trace her legal fight as well as the end of her marriage and her experience being a single mother of three.
Eleanor Morrison, who wrote children’s book “C Is for Consent,” penned the screenplay and is set to produce. Also producing is “Official Secrets'” Elizabeth Fowler.
“This is both a timeless and timely universal story about being judged on the basis of how you look and whether you fit in with society’s expectations vs. your talent and ability,” Fowler said. “This is about a regular mom in 1982, who stood up to one of the largest companies in the world for what was right, and despite a difficult journey that cost her a lot personally, she won.”
Following her victory, Hopkins returned to Price Waterhouse and had an extremely profitable career there until her 2002 retirement. She also began giving lectures about the case and her experience when she published her book. She died in 2018.
