Thursday, September 18, 2014
Wins for Women in Sept. 9 Primary
This past Tuesday’s primary election was full of
exciting wins for women candidates and the women of Massachusetts. Martha
Coakley, Maura Healey, and Deb Goldberg were all successful in their respective
primary bids for Governor, Attorney General, and Treasurer.
This means that two-thirds of Democratic ticket for
statewide constitutional office are women. This is important because women are
staggeringly underrepresented in politics. According to the Massachusetts Caucus
of Women Legislators, women hold 18.5 percent of
Congressional seats and 23 percent of statewide positions across the country.
Martha Coakley, the current state Attorney General
garnered 42 percent of the vote outpacing both current State Treasurer Steve
Grossman’s 36 percent and Don Berwick’s 21 percent.
Senator Elizabeth Warren told the Boston Herald
“….She has all the right basics and we know who Martha Coakley is — she was an
outstanding attorney general who fought on behalf of the people of
Massachusetts. She was out there day in and day out making it happen and now
she is going to make it happen as a candidate for governor.”
Former Assistant Attorney General and political
newcomer Maura Healey bested Warren Tolman with 62 percent of the vote compared
to Tolman’s 38 percent.
Emily’s List President Stephanie Shriock commented
on the importance of a win for Healey in November in her organization’s
endorsement of Healey.“Maura Healey is a
champion of equality with a proven record fighting for civil rights of
Massachusetts families….” Schriock said.
Former Brookline Town Selectwoman Deb Goldberg won
43 percent of the vote compared to Andover State Senator Barry Finegold’s 32
percent and Wayland State Representative Tom Conroy’s 26 percent.
Donna Denoncourt & Nancy Rosenblum, Mass
National Organization for Women PAC Co-Chairs, endorsed Goldberg saying “Mass.
NOW is proud to endorse Deb Goldberg for State Treasurer. As an Overseer of
Planned Parenthood and a Selectman in the Town of Brookline, she has been
engaged in the challenges and issues facing women’s right to privacy, wage
equality and choice….”
The mission of the Massachusetts Women’s Political
Caucus is to help recruit, train and elect more qualified, pro-choice women to
public office. It was a truly rewarding experience for the staff and volunteers
of the MWPC to have supported the winning candidates as well as our other
endorsed candidates that were not successful in the primary election, but
showed a tremendous amount of bravery by running for public office. It was a
very exciting primary night, but there is still more work to be done to ensure
that the general election in November is a historic one for women!
Paycheck Fairness Act Fails Yet Again.
Two days
ago, the Paycheck Fairness Act failed to pass for the fourth time in the
Senate. The last time (the 3rd time) it was brought to a vote was in
April, earlier this year. The roll call vote, however, passed with a
clear majority of 52-40.Unfortunately, it was 8 votes short of a majority of 60
percent, which is needed to pass in the Senate. The purpose of the bill is to
narrow the earning gap between men and women. According to the U.S.
Census Bureau, so far in 2014, women working full time have made 78 cents to
every dollar than a man makes. This is up very slightly from 2013’s figure of
women making 77 cents to the dollar that men make. Another provision of the act
is prohibiting employers from disciplining employees who wish to share their
income information with other employees. The Act would also work to increase
the legal options for workers who want to fighting income inequalities.
The common theme of the commentary given by the many Republican Senators who voted the measure down was that this was a political stunt by Democrats to appeal to women voters. It’s true that Congress will be recessing soon, and yes, many members will soon return to their home states for the campaign season. Even Senator Deb Fischer, one of the few female Republican Senators refused to vote the bill through because of this issue. Senator John McCain, in particular, saw it was a distraction from the recent international issues in the Middle East with ISIS, and the Defense Authorization Bill.
The common theme of the commentary given by the many Republican Senators who voted the measure down was that this was a political stunt by Democrats to appeal to women voters. It’s true that Congress will be recessing soon, and yes, many members will soon return to their home states for the campaign season. Even Senator Deb Fischer, one of the few female Republican Senators refused to vote the bill through because of this issue. Senator John McCain, in particular, saw it was a distraction from the recent international issues in the Middle East with ISIS, and the Defense Authorization Bill.
Understanding some of the concerns
of the Senators who voted against the bill, I still believe that this level of
income disparity needs more attention from our Congress. While women average 78
cents to a man dollar, that figure gets worse when you factor in an African
American woman’s average of 64 cents to the dollar, or a Latina’s average of 54
cents to the dollar. While this bill won’t entirely solve the work inequality
between the genders and even inequality as a whole, it might prove to be a very
helpful step in that fight.
Here are the full articles on the
topic:
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Lets keep dated and 'unbecoming' language out of Beacon Hill
Yesterday marked the 94th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment. Ninety-one years ago Democrat Susan Fitzgerald of Jamaica Plain and Republican Sylvia Donaldson of Brockton were the first women in history to be elected to the Massachusetts legislature. We’ve made some progress. Since 2008, Massachusetts has tripled the number of women we send to Congress (from zero to three!) and women serve around 24-percent of the seats in the Massachusetts Legislature. But still, we lag behind most of our neighboring states in New England at electing women to public office. We have to continue to look at the unique obstacles women encounter when they run for office. One of those unique obstacles? Weighted language and rhetoric that is used in the media, in debates, and out on the field that sets us back years. It is dividing statements that change the tone of debate and lead to the pervasiveness of sexism on Beacon Hill.
Just last night in a debate held by The Boston Globe we heard former State Senator and candidate for Attorney General Warren Tolman described his opponent, civil rights attorney and former leader in the Attorney General’s Office Maura Healey as “unbecoming.” Voting history, advertisements, and endorsements aside, the use of the word “unbecoming” has weighted meaning that dates back to before the elections of Susan Fitzgerald and Sylvia Donaldson. Just 12 years ago former Gov. Mitt Romney described his Democratic gubernatorial opponent and former state Treasurer Shannon O’Brien’s behavior as “unbecoming”. Yes, there are times when the word “unbecoming” is used to describe a man’s behavior, but overwhelmingly, it is a way to describe “aggressive” or “bossy” women. Maura Healey is a respected civil rights attorney, a former leader in the Attorney General’s office where she oversaw 250 lawyers and staff members, an advocate for reproductive health rights and consumer protection, a Harvard graduate, and a first-time political candidate who has enlivened voters across the Commonwealth. What she isn’t? Unbecoming.
Friday, August 22, 2014
What We've Been Reading 8/22
According to a new study outlined in a Jezebel article, gender biases continue to pervade perspectives about childcare and work life in the United States. The study, conducted by a Furman University professor, reveals that men who request a flexible work schedule are thirteen percent more likely to be approved than women who do. Furthermore, the study found that a quarter of the male employees were found to be “extremely likeable,” while only three percent of the female employees were seen as “extremely likeable.” Additionally, as a result of making a scheduling request, the female employees were more likely to be seen as “not at all” or “not very” committed. These findings clearly suggest that many people still possess gendered views, wherein it is expected for a woman to complete their second shift of childcare, and men are applauded and rewarded for taking time off for the purpose of childcare. As the article points out, it is important that employees and managers check their biases in the workplace to promote a more egalitarian environment.
An article published last week from The Guardian disclosed the results of a survey exploring motherhood and pregnancy in the workplace. Six out of ten women felt that their careers suffered as a result of their pregnancies, and half of the mothers polled responded that less maternity leave was correlated with them being taken more seriously in the workplace. From a management side, the results are just as troubling. From a group of five hundred managers, thirty three percent revealed that maternity leave and childcare situations with a female employee would result in them hiring a male employee in their twenties or thirties. Four out of ten of the managers would worry about hiring a mother for a starting position or senior role. As these findings suggest, there is much to be done in eliminating the barriers and discriminatory practices that continue to dominate the workplace.
The New York Post ran an op-ed written by Doree Lewak in which she expressed delight in being catcalled by strange men, an article that was critiqued on our blog by MWPC intern Emily Schacter. Also in response to that offensive op-ed, Zerlina Maxwell of mic.com came up with a list of the “10 Dumbest Myths About Feminism, Debunked”. What we’ve learned from the list is that feminism, and being a feminist, is actually OK! Feminists don’t always hate men, they can be funny, they have diverse opinions (even about what feminism means), the idea of feminism doesn’t hurt men and men can be feminists too (GASP!), and feminists can also be moms and wives. Feminists also care about other issues other than abortion, and most importantly, we are not angry. Zerlina’s list is not only funny, but it’s eye-opening, and is worth the read.
MSNBC recently came up with a “30 in 30” featurette which focuses on 30 women candidates to watch in this election cycle. Author Anna Brand notes that “women are at the forefront of many of this year’s critical and most-watched races. From candidates for governorships making waves from red-to-blue states, to game-changing senate seats up for grabs, women are making their voices heard now more than ever.” Equal pay for women, health care, campus sexual assault, and the recent Hobby Lobby decision by the Supreme Court are issues that have rallied women voters, and will most definitely bring them to the polls in November. This could very well be the year of the women, if the number of women state legislatures increases from 24% after the elections and if more women are elected into Congress as well. On Tuesday (day 12), Martha Coakley, the MWPC endorsed candidate for Governor of Massachusetts was interviewed with questions ranging from “What women in politics inspire you?” and “If elected what will be your #1 priority?” You may read the full interview here: http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/women-candidates-watch-2014-martha-coakley
The Discussion About Street Harassment
There has been a recent online discussion regarding the supposed pros and cons of “catcalling”, also known as street harassment. Generally, this refers to men commenting on womens’ appearances by whistling, calling out, or using sexual gestures. Doree Lewak, a writer for the New York Post, wrote an article expressing her love for catcalling, specifically in the summertime. Her main point was that catcalling is validating, as a man is approving of and complimenting your appearance, including your body and chosen outfit. While she does not support all kinds of catcalling, her general view is that it is a positive experience. I take a great deal of issue with Lewak’s stance, as does Hilary Sargent, writer for Boston.com. Her article, “Lighten Up Ladies, Catcalls Are a Fun Part of Summer,” pokes fun at Lewak and explains why her view is concerning. She notes that a lot of women do not want or need that kind of validation and actually find it demeaning. She also explains that “in a world where women are still underpaid, discriminated against, and consistently victimized by sexual violence, discouraging men from yelling across a busy intersection their thoughts on the sexual attractiveness of a female passerby might actually be something worth discouraging.” Street harassment is still harassment.
In my opinion, it is not empowering for women; rather, it empowers men by making them feel like they have the right to objectify womens’ bodies without any consequences. They can say whatever they want, whether it’s on the street or form their car, using sexual language and gestures, and then go on with their day without having to think twice. For many women, though, the comment will stick with them. As Sargent points out, women face the risk of having a man follow or even sexually abuse them. Catcalls can also be triggering to women who have faced such situations in the past. These men do not know the histories of the women and cannot possibly know how a woman feels about catcalling. Many women, myself included, lose any sense of safety when I am harassed on the street. In short, men need to learn to not harass women. Catcalling cannot be disguised as anything else. It doesn’t matter what she is wearing or how “good” she looks: street harassment should never be an acceptable way to engage with a woman.
Read the full articles:
http://nypost.com/2014/08/18/enough-sanctimony-ladies-catcalls-are-flattering/
by Emily Schacter
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