Check out this new shirt from feministing, based on a phrase Ann Friedman employed in an American Prospect article titled “McCain’s Sexist VP Pick.” Nicely done.
women’s leadership
I’ve definitely been having a hard time understanding the poll earlier this week that showed 25 percent of Hillary’s supporters voicing their disappointment by voting for John McCain. I mean, I’m hardly the first to say it, but excuse me, just what kind of feminist protest is that? (See previous post if remotely unconvinced.)
In her Aug. 25 op-ed in the NYTimes (“Second-Place Citizens”), Susan Faludi attempts to explain not this insanity but merely these Hillary supporters’ disappointment by offering a suggestive comparative analysis to an earlier moment in time–the 1920s, after women won the vote. Check it out, if you haven’t. She raises some excellent points.
Jamie Maffeo is a student at Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn and will be in tenth grade this coming fall. At age 15, Jamie has become one of Writopia Lab’s most prolific writers. She is a writer of poetry, memoir, and fiction, and has garnered multiple regional and national awards from Scholastic Art & Writing Awards in all three genres over the last three years.
We very much welcome (thoughtful!) comments on Jamie’s post. An aside: A former Hillary supporter myself, I’ve nevertheless been having mixed feelings about Hillary’s name being on the convention ballot and am still trying to understand the politics of it all. I find myself very moved by Jamie’s conviction below. – GWP
Hail to the Runner-Up!
In a recent writing workshop when Debbie asked me to write down three things, no matter how minor or grand, that I would like to change, only one thing came to mind. With each tap of my pencil I came to the realization that it was the only significant matter I wanted to write down. Quickly I wrote, “I would like to change the fact that Barack Obama became the presumptive democratic nominee-I wish Hillary Clinton had won instead.â€
Over the past months I have become enraptured with Hillary Clinton’s intelligence, experience, and ability to continue fighting even with the bellicose nature of the press coverage. Not only was the press treating Barack Obama with obvious delicacy but they were also treating Hillary Clinton appallingly. For example, whereas Hillary Clinton was harshly criticized for showing emotion at a press conference, Barack Obama came out smelling like a rose after using the same words that Massachusetts Governor Patrick Deval used in one of his speeches as if they were his own. Regardless of what I saw as the clear press bias towards Obama, I was not and am not captivated by his empty speeches no matter how grandiloquent.
Many of my friends, however, were. After watching late night primaries, caucuses and debates I began to voice my opinion in school. I had never been as interested in politics and former elections as I was now: getting into arguments with close friends and shouting out in history class. I was tired of hearing the same mantras:
“But Obama wants change.â€
“I’m sick of the Clintons.â€
“Hillary has no personality.â€
I would return their attacks with equal aggression saying, “Yes I get that Obama wants change but how is he going to make change? All of his speeches were bombastic and eloquent but they had no substance to them!†I would continue, wistfully, “She is just so intelligent. She has so much more experience then Obama. I just wish Obama had waited until 2012 or 2016 to run.â€
I would emphasize the issues. I agreed with her universal health care plan. Hillary wanted to stop health care providers from turning away clients due to pre-existing conditions. She wanted mental illness to be covered. I also liked her plan to solve health care problems by starting now as a senator and not waiting until 2009. Hillary had great ideas about fighting global warming by using cars that run on fuel cells, bio fuels, and electricity. She wanted cars to get more mileage to the gallon then ever before so that the cost of driving will diminish. To conserve energy Hillary wanted buildings to be constructed that are more energy efficient. How can you argue with that?
Hillary talks facts and her solutions are realistic. She has had the motivation and dedication and after Obama became the presumptive democratic nominee I felt somewhat cheated as her supporter, wishing the press had been more just. With Hillary no longer in the race, my interest waned and I began to only casually glimpse at newspaper articles here and there. Slowly my day-to-day Obama versus Hillary arguments died down as the race turned to Obama versus McCain.
Now, days away from the August 26th National Democratic Convention, I’m getting excited again, because Hillary Clinton will speak at the convention.
I look forward to a count at the convention and am thrilled that Hillary Clinton’s name will be put on the ballot. A delegate count will give Hillary’s delegates the opportunity to cast their vote for this outstanding woman and will give me, a young Hillary supporter who cannot yet vote, the chance to honor my presumptive candidate with some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Following on the heels of that last one, this just in from the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, University at Albany, SUNY:
A new report, Glass Ceiling in Gubernatorial Appointments, 1997-2007, provides new gender, race, and ethnicity data and a national and state-by-state trend analysis on the demographic composition of gubernatorial appointees in state governments, 1997-2007.
The report indicates that the glass ceiling remains intact for women appointed policy leaders in the executive branch of most state governments. Over the 11-year period, women’s share of policy leadership posts increased by a modest 6.8 percentage points to 35 percent. With respect to race and ethnicity, even as substantial changes in the race and ethnicity composition of the U.S. population continue to be recorded, the demographics of executive branch policy leaders changed very little between 1997 and 2007.
The report is available for download here. Read it and weep.
So check this out:
From the filmmakers of Mad Hot Ballroom comes a new social justice cause documentary, what’s your point, honey?
The doc puts a “new face on political leadership” by introducing 7 possible contenders coming down the pipeline, while revealing the inequalities that still exist today. The aim is to start the conversation — again. Teens and tweens, weave in and out to present the next generations’ take on the topic, giving the film punch. On the doc’s trail is a soon-to-be published book, She’s Out There! The Next Generation of Presidential Candidates, presenting a “doc in book form” to a mass audience.
Runtime is 87 minutes, and the film includes a 30-page study guide written by two faculty members at PACE University. Here’s the trailer — spread the word!:
As an addendum to the post I wrote about the new Catalyst study earlier this week just came in from GWP’s resident sociologist, Virginia Rutter:
Related research: In “Working for the Woman? Female Managers and the Gender Wage Gap” (October 07 issue of the American Sociological Review), Philip Cohen and Matt Huffman demonstrate that the greater representation of women in management jobs narrows the wage gap among non-management workers. When ladies are boss, all the ladies do better. But for it to really make a difference, women need to be in the higher levels of management. In fact, the authors reference the “title inflation” phenomenon: they saw evidence of a concentration of women in lower management–and that concentration doesn’t give the workers much relief in terms of the gender wage gap. Reason I like this story–and the one on board membership here–is that it gives us concrete evidence for the glass ceiling, and why breaking through matters.
And btw, for Philip Cohen’s latest, check out his post last month at HuffPo (“Women May Be Losing Jobs Too, But They’re Different Jobs”) in response to the NYTimes piece on how hard economic times are affecting women’s employment rates. -GWP
I’m still catching up on things that were released while I was away mooning over honey. And here’s one I particularly wanted to share, as it’s from one of my favorite orgs, Catalyst.
According to a new study released on July 23, Advancing Women Leaders: The Connection Between Women Board Directors and Women Corporate Officers, the more women on the board, the more women higher ups. To wit:
-Companies with 30 percent women board directors in 2001 had, on average, 45 percent more women corporate officers by 2006, compared to companies with no women board members.
-Companies with the highest percentages of women board directors in 2001 had, on average, 33 percent more corporate officers in 2006 than companies with the lowest percentages.
-Companies with two or more women members on a company’s board in 2001 had 28 percent more women corporate officers by 2006 than companies with one woman board member in 2001.
Seems rather significant in this era when folks continue to scratch their heads and ask “where are the women in senior management?” The study drew on data from the 359 companies that were in the Fortune 500 during the years under investigation, 2000, 2001, and 2006. For more on the results, click here.
I’m thrilled to announce that a report I took the lead on for the Women’s Media Center, the White House Project, and the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, will be released and distributed at the DNC in Denver on August 25. The report, “Bias, Punditry, and the Press: Where Do We Go From Here,” includes recommendations for the media and consumers of media and will be available for download after its official release.
Additional happenings of interest going on at the DNC, all conveyed via Carol Jenkins (thanks, Carol, for the heads ups!):
-On August 25, there will be a reprise of the WMC/WHP/MIJE forum, From Soundbites to Solutions: Bias, Punditry and the Press in the 2008 Election, on which the report is based. This time the panelists will be Michel Martin of NPR, Jonathan Alter of Newsweek, Patricia Williams of The Nation, Rebecca Traister of Salon, Jamal Simmons of CNN, and MarÃa Teresa Petersen of Voto Latino, among others. Video clips from the original forum, which took place at The Paley Center, can be accessed from the WMC website.
-On Tuesday, August 26, Senator Hillary Clinton will address the delegates. That is the 88th anniversary of the day the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution became law, which gave women the right to vote in 1920. Senator Barack Obama accepts the nomination on Thursday, August 28th, before a public audience of 75,000 people. That is the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
-On Wednesday, August 27, the WMC is hosting a panel with Women’s eNews at which six leading congresswomen (Loretta Sanchez-CA, Rosa DeLauro-CT, Carolyn Maloney-NY, Gwen Moore-WI, Lois Capps-CA confirmed so far) will discuss WEN’s The Memo– a status report of six areas that the candidates and delegates must address. The congresswomen will address the media’s handling of women and the economy, immigration, women in the military, international issues, war and peace, and health. Do check out my fellow PWVer Pramila Jayapal’s Election Dispatch on Immigration and Jennifer Hogg’s Election Dispatch on Women in the Military.
-And finally, this year, the convention is chaired by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, the highest ranking woman elected official in the country, co-chaired by Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Texas State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. The CEO of the Democratic National Convention Committee is Leah D. Daughtry.
Last weekend’s nonfiction writers retreat at the Woodhull house in Ancramdale was very energizing, and I wanted to send a shout out to all the participants (hi Lara! hi May! hi Leeat!). I absolutely loved working with everyone. And here’s info on the next one:
Raise Your Voice
The Woodhull Institute Prepares Women to Be Leaders on the Page
Women are underrepresented as nonfiction authors and opinion writers. In a long weekend of writing instruction and one-on-one critique from expert instructors Kristen Kemp, Catherine Orenstein, and Deborah Siegel, participants gain fundamental knowledge of Op-ed pieces, features, book proposals, and pitching ideas.
When/Where: September 5-7, 2008 (Ancramdale, NY)
Early Registration: $455
Regular Registration: $495*
Learn more and register today! Substantial discounts are available to alumnae and members.
In an article in yesterday’s Newsday, Lisa Witter issues a rousing plea to the media to unfetter our potential first ladies’ intellect on the campaign trail. Excerpts:
The new focus on Obama’s hair and hemlines comes right on the heels of the gender-biased way the media covered Clinton’s campaign. If we let this go on, we risk losing an important opportunity to have a national dialogue about sexism. We should be holding the media accountable for perpetuating stereotypes. If a white woman is strong, she’s considered cold – as the coverage of Cindy McCain has shown. If a black woman is strong, she’s obviously angry – so go the accusations about Michelle Obama….
While America’s women and girls lost the opportunity to see themselves reflected in the top job this round, what we can’t do is lose the opportunity to change the way women – and first ladies – are portrayed. It’s a tough line, no doubt. For the most part, we want to feel and look beautiful. We love our families and feel proud about our personal and professional accomplishments. But if we let the conversation about the first ladies focus mostly on the role and status of the conventional “Mrs.,” we’ve lost a huge opportunity to reframe gender and marriage dynamics in our country. We all need to take it upon ourselves to strike up a conversation about how we can end sexism in America. Contact the press when they get it right – and not so right. And I’m going to write Michelle Obama to let her know that when she portrays herself as strong, I feel strong, too.
Well said, Lisa. For more from Lisa, do check out the just-released book she coauthored, titled The She Spot: Why Women Are the Secret to Changing the World and How to Reach Them. Lisa is chief operating officer of Fenton Communications, and an inspiration to many. I definitely recommend her book!
I’ve definitely been having a hard time understanding the poll earlier this week that showed 25 percent of Hillary’s supporters voicing their disappointment by voting for John McCain. I mean, I’m hardly the first to say it, but excuse me, just what kind of feminist protest is that? (See previous post if remotely unconvinced.)
In her Aug. 25 op-ed in the NYTimes (“Second-Place Citizens”), Susan Faludi attempts to explain not this insanity but merely these Hillary supporters’ disappointment by offering a suggestive comparative analysis to an earlier moment in time–the 1920s, after women won the vote. Check it out, if you haven’t. She raises some excellent points.
Jamie Maffeo is a student at Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn and will be in tenth grade this coming fall. At age 15, Jamie has become one of Writopia Lab’s most prolific writers. She is a writer of poetry, memoir, and fiction, and has garnered multiple regional and national awards from Scholastic Art & Writing Awards in all three genres over the last three years.
We very much welcome (thoughtful!) comments on Jamie’s post. An aside: A former Hillary supporter myself, I’ve nevertheless been having mixed feelings about Hillary’s name being on the convention ballot and am still trying to understand the politics of it all. I find myself very moved by Jamie’s conviction below. – GWP
Hail to the Runner-Up!
In a recent writing workshop when Debbie asked me to write down three things, no matter how minor or grand, that I would like to change, only one thing came to mind. With each tap of my pencil I came to the realization that it was the only significant matter I wanted to write down. Quickly I wrote, “I would like to change the fact that Barack Obama became the presumptive democratic nominee-I wish Hillary Clinton had won instead.â€
Over the past months I have become enraptured with Hillary Clinton’s intelligence, experience, and ability to continue fighting even with the bellicose nature of the press coverage. Not only was the press treating Barack Obama with obvious delicacy but they were also treating Hillary Clinton appallingly. For example, whereas Hillary Clinton was harshly criticized for showing emotion at a press conference, Barack Obama came out smelling like a rose after using the same words that Massachusetts Governor Patrick Deval used in one of his speeches as if they were his own. Regardless of what I saw as the clear press bias towards Obama, I was not and am not captivated by his empty speeches no matter how grandiloquent.
Many of my friends, however, were. After watching late night primaries, caucuses and debates I began to voice my opinion in school. I had never been as interested in politics and former elections as I was now: getting into arguments with close friends and shouting out in history class. I was tired of hearing the same mantras:
“But Obama wants change.â€
“I’m sick of the Clintons.â€
“Hillary has no personality.â€
I would return their attacks with equal aggression saying, “Yes I get that Obama wants change but how is he going to make change? All of his speeches were bombastic and eloquent but they had no substance to them!†I would continue, wistfully, “She is just so intelligent. She has so much more experience then Obama. I just wish Obama had waited until 2012 or 2016 to run.â€
I would emphasize the issues. I agreed with her universal health care plan. Hillary wanted to stop health care providers from turning away clients due to pre-existing conditions. She wanted mental illness to be covered. I also liked her plan to solve health care problems by starting now as a senator and not waiting until 2009. Hillary had great ideas about fighting global warming by using cars that run on fuel cells, bio fuels, and electricity. She wanted cars to get more mileage to the gallon then ever before so that the cost of driving will diminish. To conserve energy Hillary wanted buildings to be constructed that are more energy efficient. How can you argue with that?
Hillary talks facts and her solutions are realistic. She has had the motivation and dedication and after Obama became the presumptive democratic nominee I felt somewhat cheated as her supporter, wishing the press had been more just. With Hillary no longer in the race, my interest waned and I began to only casually glimpse at newspaper articles here and there. Slowly my day-to-day Obama versus Hillary arguments died down as the race turned to Obama versus McCain.
Now, days away from the August 26th National Democratic Convention, I’m getting excited again, because Hillary Clinton will speak at the convention.
I look forward to a count at the convention and am thrilled that Hillary Clinton’s name will be put on the ballot. A delegate count will give Hillary’s delegates the opportunity to cast their vote for this outstanding woman and will give me, a young Hillary supporter who cannot yet vote, the chance to honor my presumptive candidate with some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Following on the heels of that last one, this just in from the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, University at Albany, SUNY:
A new report, Glass Ceiling in Gubernatorial Appointments, 1997-2007, provides new gender, race, and ethnicity data and a national and state-by-state trend analysis on the demographic composition of gubernatorial appointees in state governments, 1997-2007.
The report indicates that the glass ceiling remains intact for women appointed policy leaders in the executive branch of most state governments. Over the 11-year period, women’s share of policy leadership posts increased by a modest 6.8 percentage points to 35 percent. With respect to race and ethnicity, even as substantial changes in the race and ethnicity composition of the U.S. population continue to be recorded, the demographics of executive branch policy leaders changed very little between 1997 and 2007.
The report is available for download here. Read it and weep.
So check this out:
From the filmmakers of Mad Hot Ballroom comes a new social justice cause documentary, what’s your point, honey?
The doc puts a “new face on political leadership” by introducing 7 possible contenders coming down the pipeline, while revealing the inequalities that still exist today. The aim is to start the conversation — again. Teens and tweens, weave in and out to present the next generations’ take on the topic, giving the film punch. On the doc’s trail is a soon-to-be published book, She’s Out There! The Next Generation of Presidential Candidates, presenting a “doc in book form” to a mass audience.
Runtime is 87 minutes, and the film includes a 30-page study guide written by two faculty members at PACE University. Here’s the trailer — spread the word!:
As an addendum to the post I wrote about the new Catalyst study earlier this week just came in from GWP’s resident sociologist, Virginia Rutter:
Related research: In “Working for the Woman? Female Managers and the Gender Wage Gap” (October 07 issue of the American Sociological Review), Philip Cohen and Matt Huffman demonstrate that the greater representation of women in management jobs narrows the wage gap among non-management workers. When ladies are boss, all the ladies do better. But for it to really make a difference, women need to be in the higher levels of management. In fact, the authors reference the “title inflation” phenomenon: they saw evidence of a concentration of women in lower management–and that concentration doesn’t give the workers much relief in terms of the gender wage gap. Reason I like this story–and the one on board membership here–is that it gives us concrete evidence for the glass ceiling, and why breaking through matters.
And btw, for Philip Cohen’s latest, check out his post last month at HuffPo (“Women May Be Losing Jobs Too, But They’re Different Jobs”) in response to the NYTimes piece on how hard economic times are affecting women’s employment rates. -GWP
I’m still catching up on things that were released while I was away mooning over honey. And here’s one I particularly wanted to share, as it’s from one of my favorite orgs, Catalyst.
According to a new study released on July 23, Advancing Women Leaders: The Connection Between Women Board Directors and Women Corporate Officers, the more women on the board, the more women higher ups. To wit:
-Companies with 30 percent women board directors in 2001 had, on average, 45 percent more women corporate officers by 2006, compared to companies with no women board members.
-Companies with the highest percentages of women board directors in 2001 had, on average, 33 percent more corporate officers in 2006 than companies with the lowest percentages.
-Companies with two or more women members on a company’s board in 2001 had 28 percent more women corporate officers by 2006 than companies with one woman board member in 2001.
Seems rather significant in this era when folks continue to scratch their heads and ask “where are the women in senior management?” The study drew on data from the 359 companies that were in the Fortune 500 during the years under investigation, 2000, 2001, and 2006. For more on the results, click here.
I’m thrilled to announce that a report I took the lead on for the Women’s Media Center, the White House Project, and the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, will be released and distributed at the DNC in Denver on August 25. The report, “Bias, Punditry, and the Press: Where Do We Go From Here,” includes recommendations for the media and consumers of media and will be available for download after its official release.
Additional happenings of interest going on at the DNC, all conveyed via Carol Jenkins (thanks, Carol, for the heads ups!):
-On August 25, there will be a reprise of the WMC/WHP/MIJE forum, From Soundbites to Solutions: Bias, Punditry and the Press in the 2008 Election, on which the report is based. This time the panelists will be Michel Martin of NPR, Jonathan Alter of Newsweek, Patricia Williams of The Nation, Rebecca Traister of Salon, Jamal Simmons of CNN, and MarÃa Teresa Petersen of Voto Latino, among others. Video clips from the original forum, which took place at The Paley Center, can be accessed from the WMC website.
-On Tuesday, August 26, Senator Hillary Clinton will address the delegates. That is the 88th anniversary of the day the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution became law, which gave women the right to vote in 1920. Senator Barack Obama accepts the nomination on Thursday, August 28th, before a public audience of 75,000 people. That is the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
-On Wednesday, August 27, the WMC is hosting a panel with Women’s eNews at which six leading congresswomen (Loretta Sanchez-CA, Rosa DeLauro-CT, Carolyn Maloney-NY, Gwen Moore-WI, Lois Capps-CA confirmed so far) will discuss WEN’s The Memo– a status report of six areas that the candidates and delegates must address. The congresswomen will address the media’s handling of women and the economy, immigration, women in the military, international issues, war and peace, and health. Do check out my fellow PWVer Pramila Jayapal’s Election Dispatch on Immigration and Jennifer Hogg’s Election Dispatch on Women in the Military.
-And finally, this year, the convention is chaired by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, the highest ranking woman elected official in the country, co-chaired by Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Texas State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. The CEO of the Democratic National Convention Committee is Leah D. Daughtry.
Last weekend’s nonfiction writers retreat at the Woodhull house in Ancramdale was very energizing, and I wanted to send a shout out to all the participants (hi Lara! hi May! hi Leeat!). I absolutely loved working with everyone. And here’s info on the next one:
Raise Your VoiceThe Woodhull Institute Prepares Women to Be Leaders on the Page
Women are underrepresented as nonfiction authors and opinion writers. In a long weekend of writing instruction and one-on-one critique from expert instructors Kristen Kemp, Catherine Orenstein, and Deborah Siegel, participants gain fundamental knowledge of Op-ed pieces, features, book proposals, and pitching ideas.
When/Where: September 5-7, 2008 (Ancramdale, NY)
Early Registration: $455
Regular Registration: $495*
Learn more and register today! Substantial discounts are available to alumnae and members.
In an article in yesterday’s Newsday, Lisa Witter issues a rousing plea to the media to unfetter our potential first ladies’ intellect on the campaign trail. Excerpts:
The new focus on Obama’s hair and hemlines comes right on the heels of the gender-biased way the media covered Clinton’s campaign. If we let this go on, we risk losing an important opportunity to have a national dialogue about sexism. We should be holding the media accountable for perpetuating stereotypes. If a white woman is strong, she’s considered cold – as the coverage of Cindy McCain has shown. If a black woman is strong, she’s obviously angry – so go the accusations about Michelle Obama….
While America’s women and girls lost the opportunity to see themselves reflected in the top job this round, what we can’t do is lose the opportunity to change the way women – and first ladies – are portrayed. It’s a tough line, no doubt. For the most part, we want to feel and look beautiful. We love our families and feel proud about our personal and professional accomplishments. But if we let the conversation about the first ladies focus mostly on the role and status of the conventional “Mrs.,” we’ve lost a huge opportunity to reframe gender and marriage dynamics in our country. We all need to take it upon ourselves to strike up a conversation about how we can end sexism in America. Contact the press when they get it right – and not so right. And I’m going to write Michelle Obama to let her know that when she portrays herself as strong, I feel strong, too.
Well said, Lisa. For more from Lisa, do check out the just-released book she coauthored, titled The She Spot: Why Women Are the Secret to Changing the World and How to Reach Them. Lisa is chief operating officer of Fenton Communications, and an inspiration to many. I definitely recommend her book!
