The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By Anna Marie Schuh April 13, 2019
In May 2018, my home state of Illinois passed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Two other states have pending ERA passage resolutions, with only one state needed to meet the required majority for the Constitutional amendment ratification process that began in 1972. The United States Congress has bipartisan resolutions in the House and Senate, restarting the ratification process. On January 3, 2019, Congress convened with a record number of female members. Clearly, women are engaged more than ever in government. The political process and women’s rights are again on the political agenda.
The concern about women’s rights and the presence of women in the political process has a long and continuing American history going back to Abigail Adams, our second First Lad. Abigail Adams wrote to her husband in 1776, “If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or representation.”
Succeeding first ladies reinforced the importance of women’s rights. Eleanor Roosevelt noted, “The battle for the individual rights of women is one of long standing and none of us should countenance anything which undermines it.” Known for a directness that was not always appreciated in the political environment of the 1970s, Betty Ford commented, “I believe the equal rights amendment is a necessity of life for all citizens. The cabinet sometimes felt that I shouldn’t be so outspoken.” More recently, Michelle Obama reinforced the importance of women’s rights when she observed that, “ No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half its citizens.”
Elected women offered additional insights into the presence of women in politics and government. With an eye toward the future, Congresswoman Patsy Mink observed, “We have to build things that we want to see accomplished, in life and in our country, based on our own personal experiences … to make sure that others … do not have to suffer the same discrimination.” Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm underlined the importance of women in government, “Women are workhorses, not show horses and our nation needs really good public service at this time.” Congresswoman Barbara Jordan highlighted the problems of a legislative body without women. She said, “I believe that women have a capacity for understanding and compassion which man structurally does not have.”
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, Iraq veteran, double amputee and the first Senator to give birth while in Congress, identified the unique problem for women in elections. She said, “When I first ran, being a woman in politics was seen as both a negative and also a positive. You could attract more women voters, but on the other hand, a lot of men wouldn’t vote for you.”
Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton provided an example of devaluing a woman’s political perspective when she said, “You want me to tell you what my husband thinks? My husband is not secretary of state; I am. If you want my opinion, I will tell you my opinion. I am not going to be channeling my husband.”
Finally, appointed
government officials give us insight into the steps woman need to take to develop
their power. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright cautioned, “It took me quite a long time to develop a
voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” Supreme Court
Justice Sonia
Sotomayor highlighted an approach that women typically take when she
said, “A
surplus of effort could overcome a deficit of confidence.” Supreme
Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg cautioned, “If
you’re going to change things, you have to be with the people who hold the
levers. Mae Jemison, astronaut
and physician, warned, “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.”
As I write this column, five women in Congress are running for president and two women are in the runoff for the mayor of Chicago. While potentially having a female president, having more women in Congress, and Chicago having a female mayor are positive signs, I know that women still have a long way to go. Sex discrimination is not over. Unfortunately, I still see it in the struggles of some of the young women close to me.
The progression of women’s rights in the United States has never been a continuous straight line. There have always been, “Fits and starts.” However, at this moment I am reminded of the words of Helen Reddy over forty-five years ago:
I am woman, hear me roar In numbers too big to ignore.
And I know too much to go back an’ pretend.
The numbers are getting bigger. The roar is getting louder. Pretending is not an option, and ignoring the numbers is perilous!
Author: Anna Marie Schuh is currently an Associate Professor and the MPA Program Director at Roosevelt University in Chicago where she teaches political science and public administration. She retired from the federal government after 36 years. Her last Federal assignment involved management of the Office of Personnel Management national oversight program. Email: [email protected]; Twitter: profschuh.
Hear Me Roar
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By Anna Marie Schuh
April 13, 2019
In May 2018, my home state of Illinois passed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Two other states have pending ERA passage resolutions, with only one state needed to meet the required majority for the Constitutional amendment ratification process that began in 1972. The United States Congress has bipartisan resolutions in the House and Senate, restarting the ratification process. On January 3, 2019, Congress convened with a record number of female members. Clearly, women are engaged more than ever in government. The political process and women’s rights are again on the political agenda.
The concern about women’s rights and the presence of women in the political process has a long and continuing American history going back to Abigail Adams, our second First Lad. Abigail Adams wrote to her husband in 1776, “If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or representation.”
Succeeding first ladies reinforced the importance of women’s rights. Eleanor Roosevelt noted, “The battle for the individual rights of women is one of long standing and none of us should countenance anything which undermines it.” Known for a directness that was not always appreciated in the political environment of the 1970s, Betty Ford commented, “I believe the equal rights amendment is a necessity of life for all citizens. The cabinet sometimes felt that I shouldn’t be so outspoken.” More recently, Michelle Obama reinforced the importance of women’s rights when she observed that, “ No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half its citizens.”
Elected women offered additional insights into the presence of women in politics and government. With an eye toward the future, Congresswoman Patsy Mink observed, “We have to build things that we want to see accomplished, in life and in our country, based on our own personal experiences … to make sure that others … do not have to suffer the same discrimination.” Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm underlined the importance of women in government, “Women are workhorses, not show horses and our nation needs really good public service at this time.” Congresswoman Barbara Jordan highlighted the problems of a legislative body without women. She said, “I believe that women have a capacity for understanding and compassion which man structurally does not have.”
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, Iraq veteran, double amputee and the first Senator to give birth while in Congress, identified the unique problem for women in elections. She said, “When I first ran, being a woman in politics was seen as both a negative and also a positive. You could attract more women voters, but on the other hand, a lot of men wouldn’t vote for you.”
Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton provided an example of devaluing a woman’s political perspective when she said, “You want me to tell you what my husband thinks? My husband is not secretary of state; I am. If you want my opinion, I will tell you my opinion. I am not going to be channeling my husband.”
Finally, appointed government officials give us insight into the steps woman need to take to develop their power. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright cautioned, “It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor highlighted an approach that women typically take when she said, “A surplus of effort could overcome a deficit of confidence.” Supreme
Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg cautioned, “If you’re going to change things, you have to be with the people who hold the levers. Mae Jemison, astronaut and physician, warned, “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.”
As I write this column, five women in Congress are running for president and two women are in the runoff for the mayor of Chicago. While potentially having a female president, having more women in Congress, and Chicago having a female mayor are positive signs, I know that women still have a long way to go. Sex discrimination is not over. Unfortunately, I still see it in the struggles of some of the young women close to me.
The progression of women’s rights in the United States has never been a continuous straight line. There have always been, “Fits and starts.” However, at this moment I am reminded of the words of Helen Reddy over forty-five years ago:
The numbers are getting bigger. The roar is getting louder. Pretending is not an option, and ignoring the numbers is perilous!
Author: Anna Marie Schuh is currently an Associate Professor and the MPA Program Director at Roosevelt University in Chicago where she teaches political science and public administration. She retired from the federal government after 36 years. Her last Federal assignment involved management of the Office of Personnel Management national oversight program. Email: [email protected]; Twitter: profschuh.
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