Holly took a deep breath to settle herself. It was only that old story, or something like it. #metoo, the only thing anyone wanted to talk about these days. Not the job posting.

“I heard your speech this morning at the PGA,” the reporter went on. “Powerful stuff. I’ve been thinking about that pledge Genders United is asking all the studios to make, to hire more women.”

“Fifty percent,” Holly corrected her.

“Yes! I love that you guys are setting a high standard, but do you think any studio will ever reach it?”

Reporters were such an odd breed, plagued by questions most people were happy to leave unasked, either because the answers were so obvious (“What should we do about poverty?”) or so complicated (“What should we do about poverty?”). This one was young, probably not more than twenty-five. She wore a cropped cotton shirt with palazzo pants and loafers without socks.

“Why not?” Holly said. “They’ve got nothing to lose by trying.”

“Sure,” the reporter said, thinking this over. “I guess I just wonder what Genders United can do when the excuses start rolling in. You know, all the reasons why the studios tried to hire women but they just couldn’t. This one wasn’t experienced enough. That one was too difficult. Is there a plan for that? I mean, look at Caitlyn Alvarez. Anyone who watched that video could see that Caitlyn was in a real bad spot, but instead everyone was worried about Nick Williams’s sobriety and whether she’d gotten Vic Henry canceled.”

Holly started to smile in spite of herself, the way she did when she made her way through security at LAX. But there was no need to panic now. Caitlyn was last year’s news cycle, and On Set loved the Stablers. Holly forced her face to relax into a warmer expression that exuded sympathy and pity.

“You know, I never really knew Caitlyn and I’m not informed enough to speak about her particular situation. But it’s awful when any woman is disrespected like that, obviously. I think what Genders United can do is, you know, just keep holding everyone’s feet to the fire. We have to do better. For our daughters’ sakes.”

Holly looked ahead to the parking lot, where James was waiting inside the SUV. She had another twenty feet to clear and then she’d reach him.

“So true,” the reporter said. “Well, I know you’ve got to go so I won’t keep you. But one more thing? What do you think about Phoebe Lee? How can Genders United help address the harm caused when someone like her is sidelined?”