| New Girls on the Hill (This article originally ran in December 2010.) By: Surbhi Sarang Scanning over the lists of previous presidents or members of Congress, it's easy to see that the number of women in such leadership roles is much lower than it should be. “Our government should look just like our country...There should be men and women in about equal numbers. But right now, we’re way behind. Only about 17% of our Congress is made up of women!” exclaims Emma Shapiro, Communications Assistant at Emily's List, an organization that helps women run for office. Women vying for top positions have traditionally faced tougher obstacles than their male competitors; just consider how long it took for women to win voting rights. On November 2nd, 2010, however, the mid-term elections saw new women walk away with new positions. These women give weight to Shapiro's statement that “More and more you see women in high-power positions all around the world! They are constantly breaking barriers and proving that women are strong and effective leaders.” Erin Vilardi, Vice President of Programs & Communication at The White House Project, another organization dedicated to helping women gain leadership roles, says, “The largest obstacle women need to overcome is not being afraid to declare our political ambition.We can teach you all the skills you need to know about how to navigate the political waters, develop skills for the campaign trail, and create a strategy to win. But you must make the initial step to seek training, networks or support.” Being willing to go into public and brave potential failure can be a challenge, but Vilardi insists that women “must quiet the voices and ignore the messages that I 'can't' or 'would never win' and declare your political ambition.” Getting more women to run for office is the first step to seeing more women in political offices, she says. “We need hundreds, if not thousands of women...[to run]...Without a steady stream of women ready to run, we will ... remain stagnant in our representation of women leaders.” Shapiro stresses the importance of role models for future female leaders, “One woman, Terri Sewell, made history by becoming the first African American female elected to Congress from Alabama... Women like Terri Sewell are role models for women and girls everywhere because they prove that through hard work and determination, you really can do anything! It’s so important for women to be in politics, because they have unique ideas, and because they open doors for future female leaders – like you!” One such woman to open those doors a little wider this November is Mayor-elect Nancy Tyra-Lukens of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Tyra-Lukens says “There is no reason at all for girls/women not to go into politics, or any field that they desire, today.” In her new position, she hopes to “lead the city through the current tough economic environment...The difficulty will be maintaining high standards while keeping the tax burden low.” She also shared a funny story about her campaign: “This year I spent a lot of time walking though neighborhoods and knocking on doors to talk with residents. One time I knocked on a door and the woman answered, 'Oh, come on in. I hope you found the place okay,' and she ushered me into her home. It turns out she was an acupuncturist and she thought that I was her next client!” Mayor-elect Mary Giuliani Stephens of Woodbury, Minnesota entered politics because of “my love for our community and our citizens who make Woodbury a great place to live and work.” Her first leadership position, “was class president of the Student Bar Association when I was in law school.” For her, campaigning was a family activity: “I have three nieces, ages 9, 9, and 11... one of my nieces composed a song for my campaign that encouraged people to vote for me. Later that summer, I was in our community parade... My three nieces were very excited to march in the parade, and that morning they composed a second song. All along the two-hour parade route, they sang both songs with passion and energy. And my 2 month old granddaughter joined us [too]...” Finally, she says, “the message I would hope to send [to girls] is how important it is to to set goals, work hard, stay true to their values, do their best, and treat everyone with respect and kindness.” Every additional woman who enters office makes it easier for subsequent women. “Role Models Make the Difference,” says Vilardi. “Whether you agree with the policies of prominent women leaders or not, seeing them on the national stage creates a feeling of "I can do that!" When we see others who look like us, who experience life similar to us--whether it be raising kids or experiencing sexism-- our own political self becomes more of a reality. The latest batch of governors, and the increased media attention on women candidates, helps tremendously in normalizing women leaders and our place on the national stage. These governors, and the growing number of women in the media - whether they be corporate or political leaders - will positively affect the perception of our kids, our partners, and our selves that women can and must lead.” |
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