Dr. Charlotte Laws is known throughout the world as the “Erin Brockovich of revenge porn.” She was adopted at birth and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a writer, television commentator and public speaker, but has also been a Buckhead debutante, California politician, magazine cover girl and expert on gate-crashing. Her passion is helping victims, both human and nonhuman.
Career
Charlotte is often described as “multi-occupational.” She has experimented with over 30 different jobs—some bizarre. She attributes “job jumping” to her desire to live in the bold zone, to experience adventure and to educate herself. Below are some of her occupation-related highlights.
1. Executive Director / President of a legal corporation (2012-2014, IVJC)
2. Weekly NBC commentator (2009-2013, The Filter with Fred Roggin) Also BBC TV political pundit from 2015 – 2021.
3. Politician, elected local council member (2004-2012, Greater Valley Glen Council).
4. Private detective (1986-1988 at Proficiency Investigations, plus freelance work in the 1990s)
5. Bandit cab driver (1980-1982)
6. Lecturer for the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia (2006)
7. Backup singer for an Elvis imitator (1981)
8. Bodyguard for a prostitute (1980)
9. Aerobics instructor (1992-1994, Bally’s Total Fitness)
10. Antique shop owner (1987)
11. Chip chatter (1980-1982)
12. Actress, model (1977-1985)
13. Standup comedian (2008, Comedy Store in Los Angeles)
14. Fashion designer (1982-1990, Imaginations by Missy, shop on Rodeo Dr. in Beverly Hills)
15. Live-in housekeeper (1982)
16. Professional dancer (1984-1986)
17. Nurse for a paraplegic (1983)
18. Television Host (2007-2013, Every Way Woman Show and Uncommon Sense Show)
19. Realtor (1987-Present, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices)
20. Writer, columnist, author (1979-Present)
21. Television guest and “talking head” contributor (1988-Present)
22. Loan officer for the US government (Small Business Administration)
23. Magazine cover girl (1990s)
24. Los Angeles city commissioner (912 Commission; appointed by the mayor)
And more….
Education
Charlotte jokes that she has “more degrees than a thermometer,” which she chalks up to her lifelong insecurity about intelligence. Below are some of her education-related achievements:
1. Doctorate in Social Ethics – University of Southern California (2000)
2. Master’s Degree in Social Ethics – University of Southern California (1997)
3. Master’s Degree in Professional Writing – University of Southern California (1986)
4. Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy – California State University, Northridge (1996)
5. Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre – California State University, Northridge (1985)
6. Post-Graduate Study in Philosophy – Oxford University, England (2003)
7. Graduate Study in Education – University of California, Los Angeles (1990s)
College-level coursework at the University of Florida, University of Nevada (Las Vegas), Santa Monica Community College, Pierce College and L.A. Valley College.
Charity Work and Awards
Charlotte dedicates most of her volunteer efforts to the following areas: animal advocacy, education, environmentalism and online harassment / cyber crime. She was voted “one of the 30 fiercest women in the world for 2013” by Buzzfeed (See # 29) and one of the “20 girls who changed the world in 2013” by Brainwreck (See #17).
1. Online Harassment and “Revenge Porn” – Charlotte was a boardmember at the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI), a nonprofit which aids victims of online harassment. She regularly communicates with victims from around the world by phone and email, advising them on how to get their compromising photos removed from the Internet. She has spoken to over 500 victims since 2012. Charlotte also works with legislators to pass anti-revenge porn bills. She stars in the 2022 docuseries, The Most Hated Man on the Internet, which depicts her battle against image-based sexual abuse.
2. Animal Advocacy – Charlotte was the recipient of the Los Angeles Animal Humanitarian Award in 2006 and is the founder of the League for Earth and Animal Protection (LEAP) and the Directors of Animal Welfare (DAW). The latter is a political organization that works with local councils to help animals. She wrote an 80-page, no-kill animal shelter proposal for the city of Oakland, California in 2004, and she is a regular presenter at animal advocacy events, such as the Animal Rights National Conference. She was a boardmember for the Institute for Critical Animal Studies (ICAS) for many years; it is an organization of academics.
3. Community Work and Business Achievements – Charlotte has received multiple commendations from the California State Legislature and the Los Angeles City Council for her community achievements. The Los Angeles Business Journal recognized her in 2008, and she received a community service award that same year from the SRAR. She has received multiple real estate awards, including the President’s Award and the Leading Edge Award.
4. Other Charity Work – Charlotte was a boardmember for the Public Television Industry Corporation in the early 2000s and received the Hollywood Appreciation Society Award in 1985. She was affiliated with the Aaroe Associates Charitable Foundation for many years.
In March 2015, Laws came to the aid of the LGBTQ community when an attorney submitted a statewide ballot initiative calling for the death of all gays in California. Laws submitted her own ballot initiative called the Intolerant Jackass Act, which if passed, required the attorney (the intolerant jackass) to take sensitivity training and donate a hefty sum to LGBTQ nonprofits. Here are some articles about Charlotte’s initiative: Slate, SF Chronicle, and The Advocate.
Writing and Television Appearances
At age 27, Charlotte authored her first book, Meet the Stars. It details how to promote a career, friendship, date or maybe even marriage with one’s favorite movie star, athlete, politician or millionaire.
Charlotte is also the author of the book, Armed for Ideological Warfare, and has contributed to the following works: Igniting a Revolution: Voices in Defense of Mother Earth (2006), A Call to Compassion (2010), Uncaged (2013) and Animals and the Environment: Advocacy, activism and the quest for common ground (2015).
As a columnist, Charlotte’s articles have appeared in The Huffington Post, The Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, Newsweek, Special Report, Salon, E the Environmental Magazine, xojane, The L.A. Daily News, Gawker, Publisher’s Weekly, Jezebel, The Oakland Tribune, Tolucan Times, The Globe, Counterpunch, The Daily Caller, Opinion Editorials, The NY Daily News, et al.
Charlotte has appeared as a guest on dozens of television and radio shows, including “Larry King Live,” “Oprah,” MSNBC, CNN, “The Late Show,” BBC, Fox News, “Tamron Hall,” “Dr. Phil,” “AM Los Angeles,” “Nightline,” “Dr. Drew,” “The Adam Carolla Show,” “Good Day L.A,” “1000 Ways to Die,” the “Mornin’ Show,” and “My House is Worth What.”
Personal
Charlotte lives in Los Angeles with her husband, her three rescue dogs and her assortment of rescue chickens. One of her hens, Mae Poulet, was a write-in candidate for vice-president in the 2012 election. Charlotte jokes, “I wanted to see a chick in the White House, but unfortunately some human named Obama won.”
Charlotte’s hobbies include philosophy, tennis and collecting clothes (usually from thrift shops). Charlotte calls herself a “Jewish Jain,” and cherishes the principles of ahimsa (non-injury to all living beings) and philosophical determinism.
Charlotte tracked down her birth family in her late twenties, but only recently met her natural siblings. Her natural grandfather—a lawyer who planned to run for U.S. Senate—was murdered by a devil worshipper in the 1940s.
