Excuse Me, Miss, but Are You a Member? -- Reaction

The Male Culture of the Capitol

Reserve Reading

There was a lot of surprising information in this reading. Unfortunately, there is a lot of discrimination even though some women argue that there isn't. The comments at the end were very insightful and well put. That it would be more effective for women to work with men instead of excluding them and working against them. It was very interesting to read all the different women's viewpoints on whether there was sexual discrimination or not.

The discrimination is a very hard thing to measure because there are so many factors in every person besides their sex. It's especially hard to tell whether newly entered women are being discriminated against because of their sex or their lack of seniority. It was also good to know that there are men working with women and for traditionally women's issues. The entire ballgame of politics is slowly becoming more androgynous, but there's a long way to go before it gets there.

Women Raising Money for Women -- Reaction

The Creation of EMILY's List

Reserve Reading

Ellen Malcolm's story, along with the stories of many of the women her group has helped, makes her a true inspiration. Of course, there is something to be said that to start off her PAC she had a lost of money that was passed down to her, but it's nice to know that it's possible she could have done what she did without it. The fact that she hid her wealth at first definitely leans towards that. I was glad to hear in class that she helped set up WISH List, a Republican version of EMILY's List, because her ideas and effective ways of fundraising should be extended to more then Democratic, pro-choice women.

She is, most likely, a highly controversial figure because of her support of abortion. The article wasn't really focused on that, although it was mentioned in the last paragraph. Even other Democrats have attacked her for splitting the party apart by choosing who to support and leaning behind them. However, it wouldn't be a particularly useful group if it didn't piss someone off, and the fact that it's worth attacking means that it is actually a threat. That was actually mentioned in the reading as well, that advisors did think their opponents being backed by EMILY's List was something to consider.

I had no idea about the Texas election, and I'm not surprised that Richards won after reading some of the excerpts of how Williams, her opponet, acted. The fact that she won by such a slim amount shows how much discrimination there still is. After I read the comment he made about rape being inevitable, I was just disgusted. And the fact that he wouldn't shake her hand? To me that isn't as big a deal, but it is just plain rude and stupid when running a campaign to do something that rude.

Women Raising Money for Women -- Notes

The Creation of EMILY's List

Reserve Reading

-Ellen Malcom, tall imposing, from Montclair, New Jersey, daughter of Repub committeewoman
-At Hollins College Malcolm got involved in antiwar movement + Gene McCarthy's pres campaign
-changed to a Democrat and worked at Common Cause and National Women's Political Caucus
-White House staff in 1980 as press secretary for Ester Peterson
-Father died when she was 8 months old and she had inherited much of the IBM fortune from him, but she didn't let people know it.
-Anonymous $5,000 checks went to the Caucus to advance women
-Went to Georgetown to get a master's degree in business and created a secret foundation named Wyndham Foundation after the street where she lived
-Lived in the building owned by her fund but no one drew the conclusion, so she decided to tell.
-1982, Malcolm tried to get Harriet Woods elected to Senate but people wouldn't help her fundraise
-Woods defeated Democrats person in primaries. Almost defeated Repub incumbent John Danforth, lost by 1% of the vote
-This loss made Malcolm act, she sent out a chain letter in 1984 describing the female candidates which asked women to contribute to the candidates of their choice and then pass the letter along
-After the defeats in 1984, decided money would only go to women who had a change of winning
-"Early Money is like Yeast, it makes the dough rise" (EMILY's List name)
-EMILY's List women contribute $100 annual membership fee, and give $100 or more to at least two candidates/year
-Malcolm traveled the country holding "Rolodex Parties" to raise money
-Had never raised money, hated public speaking, and yet it worked.
-Malcolm went against advice of marketing professor at Georgetown
-1986: EMILY's List first year of operation, it attracted six hundred doners, raised over $350,000 and claimed some credit for the 1st Dem woman ever elected to Senate in her own right
-Barbara Mikulski announced running, social worker/city council member from baltimore
-Mikulski unlikely prospect, old style, 4'11", but she got things done
-Part of the House from Baltimore
-"The Mouth" is her nickname, can be abrasive, champinoned many cuses
-risked safe house seat for senate at almost 50
-didn't "look like a senator"
-Mikulski ran against Barnes in primary and used Emily's List to establish her as a candidate and raise money.
-Was portrayed as hostile, but turned it into"When it comes to Maryland, I'm a fighter"
-accused of being a lesbian, common charge against female candidates, because she wasn't married, but it was a common state in her social status
-Won primary and then defeated Chaves to become Senator, and served for three terms
-Laid out a strategy to get recognition in Senate
-Tried to get onto the Appropriations board, met with many senior Senators in DC, only having an hour drive into DC from Maryland
-2 years later, made chairman of Appropriations subcommittee dealing with the space program/veteran affairs
-Wrote Captiol Offense with Marylouise Oates in 1996 about a new female senator
-Wood lost again due to bad advice and bad advertising; "The Crying Farmer"
-Emily's List disappointed and cut off Woods who went to lork at the Kennedy School at Harvard
-Woods became president of NWPC after cajolnig by Jody Newman
-Carol Mosely-Braun helped by Woods before by Emily's List
-Loretta Sanchez won against Robert Dornan without much helped from Emily's List
-1980's stalled Emily's List and women's progression, only two women won in 1988
-Martin became Bush's secretary of labor
-Feinstein in CA and Richards in TX ran fr gov in 1990 with Emily's List backing
-Ran against Williams who said "fog is like rape, if its inevitable, just relax and enjoy it"
-Also refused to shake Richards' hand at a public gathering
-Richards won against Williams with 51% to 49%
-Emily's List electing a governor almost tripled # of wmn in Emily's list, 12,00 in 1988 and 3,500 in 1990
-To be a candidate for Emily's List you must be prochoice and have a reasonable chance of winning
-1990's makes emily's List single most important endorsement for Dem woman candidate
-Used to be just Malcolm and Lichtman, her old boss at Women's Legal Dfense Fund
-1998: nearly 50,ooo members in all states, contributed $7.5 mill and helped elect 7 new pro-choice Dem women to the house
-Emily's List chaleneged as making divisions in the party.

Style Over Substance -- Reaction

Newspaper Coverage of Female Candidates: Spotlight on Elizabeth Dole
- Sean Aday and James Devitt

Reserve Reading

The entire time I was reading this, I was thinking about what would happen in a similar study of the Democratic race during this year. Even just glancing through articles it's obvious that Hillary Clinton's personal traits were emphasized, but I have no way of comparing that. It's truly unfair and demonstrates how wide-spread sexual discrimination is. The fact that men cover women differently and the inequality in the press arena just shows that women are fighting in every field. Even if we managed to reach political equality, it would have to be accompanied in equality with almost every other field of work.

The fact that all of these fields reflect each other and that there is a fight in each of them offers an explanation for why equality is trudging along such a slow path. It would be interesting to examine a female dominated newspaper, if there are any ones, that is at the same height of importance as a male dominated one, and see how it's read and reacted too. In even more connections, newspapers tend to cater to their readers, so it depends on whether men or women read the newspaper more. The connections just keep going. But hopefully, that also means that offsetting one would start a chain reaction.

Reading this has inspired me to go research Elizabeth Dole, who I knew nothing about until reading these articles. What she's doing now, and what her policies were. I also had no idea that McCain had run before, and event hen the press were after him, although they were after everyone.

Style Over Substance -- Notes

Newspaper Coverage of Female Candidates: Spotlight on Elizabeth Dole
- Sean Aday and James Devitt

Reserve Reading

-After Geraldine Ferraro's nomination:
-"Ferraro has nicer legs than any previous vice-presidential candidate"
-"Will she be the first VP to enter a wet T-shirt contest?"
-If she became president:
-"What is she is supposed to push the button to fire missiles and can't because she's just done her nails?"
-"Does the country go to hell during that 'time' of the month?"
-Similar conditions still exist for female elected officials
-biased coverage of women is not isolated, it's systematic, differences in coverage that undermine female candidates
-66% of Americans say press would be tougher on female pres then male
-Academia mostly studied gov/congress running, but studied how Dole was covered

Executive Summary
-Quantity: Dole received less coverage then Bush but more then McCain or Forbes
-Quality of Issue Coverage: Dole=less issue coverage than any of male pres candidates
-Quality of Personal Coverage: Dole=more personal coverage than any of male candidates
-Quality of Candidate Quotes: Only Bush quoted more then Dole, but reporteres directly quoted Dole less and more often paraphrased her statements
Gender of Reporter
-male reporters=bulk of paragraphs studied, 65%
-female reporters more likely to describe Doles position on issues
-men more likely to describe male candidates positions
-male reporters more likely to describe Doles personal traits

Findings
-expanding on White House Project
Candidate Frames
-studied Des Moines Register, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post
-Studied paragraphs
-Dole was treated differently then male counterparts in a way that enforced gender stereotypes
-Dole had more coverage then McCain and Forbes even though she dropped out first
-Bush 52.4%, Dole 19.9%, McCain 13.5%, Forbes 9.7%
-All five papers had less about Doles issues then the other candidates
-only 17% of paragraphs about Dole were issue/policy based
-25.5-40% of paragraphs for male candidates were.
-Readers learned more about Doles personal traits
-Personal coverage does not offer info on how candidates will govern,, suggesting they don't have credibility
-4% of Doles paragraphs in USA Today had issues
-Most newspapers equally likely to use personal traits and issues in paragraphs
Accounting for the Findings
-Dole didn't run a personality-based campaign and didn't spend less time talking about issues
-Dole didn't emphasis her gender apart from "making history"
-Often say "she'd rather discuss what she felt were important issues"
-Personal frames: age, appearance, background, family/marital statues, persnality +
qualifications
-Mostly mentioned her background and personality
-Dole has long-standing reputation for keeping distance from reporters
-Personal frame not solely gender based, McCain got a lot of personality coverabe
-Less likely to talk about her background then that of her male counterparts, because it was to be taken less seriously
-gender of reporter did influence coverage
-female reporters gave even issue coverage, didn't advantage Dole
-men gave other men more issue coverage while shortchanging Dole
-strategy frames used the same so the difference is between issue and personal;
Candidate Quotes
-Dole had less direct quotes, reporters didn't let her speak for herself
-Dole either less quoteable or taken less seriously
-Less likely to back up Dole's ideas with evidence

Conclusion
-Dole downplayed significance of her gnder
-On suraface reporters tried to treat her the same, but they covered her very differently
-"few women get taken seriously as potentional presidential candidates"
-voters couldn't learn what she stood for as well because it wasn't covered
-difference partially from difference in gender of reporters
-Bush had much more money then her, so press would have helped her get her message out but it didn't
-"woman making a bid in a male-dominated world of politics being covered by an almost equally male-dominated press corps"

Previous Research
Female Candidates and Public Officials
-Researchers concluded journalists rarely employ simple gender stereotypes in covering women leaders
-Previous research found newspapers covering personal info of wmn more then men
-Wmn are less likely to have issues focused on even though they are more likely to make issues the cornerstone of their campaign
-similar conclusions over coverage of congress members
-press focus of "female legislators" as a group isntead of individual women
-wmn more likely to be subjected to negative gender distinctions
-similar quotes conclusions as well
-because of discrepencies in coverage, public believes men better at handling tough issues
-media portray men as strong and women as approachable and sensitive
-women shouldn't act more hostile to compensate
Female and Male Reporters
-female and male reporters did not treat female and male sources differently
-difference in the coverage of female andmale gov candidates
-journalists focus on personal on women, news media focus on professional covering men
-creates less understanding of females stand

Methodology
-parts from 5 newspapers all analyzed by paragraph
-covered only news stories, not opinion, editorial etc.
-also only looked at campaign stories
Coding
-story topic, gender of reporter, descriptions of male + female candidates, candidate quotes
CANDIDATE DESCRIPTIONS
-if both candidates mentioned, both counted
-looked for strategy frames
CANDIDATE QUOTES
-examine quote to see if backed by evidence, reasoning or details

Women, Politics, and American Socity pg. 76-102 -- Reaction

Textbook Reading
Women, Politics and American Society

It's unfortunate that the information in the reading is all true, but there is no help for it at the moment. The barriers are slowly being broken down but we need something to blow them apart. I had never heard of the idea of multimember districts and I think that it actually works out well, if not better, then our one person per district system. It would increase representation of different people, two opposite people could be from the same district which would greatly increase the chance of everyone in the district being accounted for and fairly represented. This would also make the political system itself less formidable

To change to a multimember system would be a huge effort and a lot of people would be against it because it would make things more difficult for them possibly, that is for people already in politics. It would possibly also make politics more family friendly, making them less cut-throat and "either-or". Reading about Jane Swift was inspirational, doing conferences from her hospital bed, and it would be interesting to talk to anyone who was on the other end of the conference calls and see what they thought. It's really too bad that she was pushed out, and I think rather unfair, but maybe she'll run again in the future.

Women, Politics, and American Socity pg. 76-102 -- Notes

Textbook Reading
Nancy E. McGlen, Karen O'Connor, Laura can Assendelft, Wendy Gunther-Canada

Political Participation
-Expect women less involved then men, however women are equal in participation in politics

Voter Turnout
-2/3s of men but only 1/3 of all women voted in 1923, Chicago
-Women chose not to vote, especially immigrant and uneducated women
-South, attitudes more conservative, poll tax + racial discrimination eliminated many voters, only few women went to polls
-LWV help educate women about politics and political activity
-Areas with advantageous political parties to register women, registration rates for wmn were higher
-Great Depression of 1930's politicized immigrants, lower=class women + young people
-1920: women favored Repub party, by 1932, women strong ties w/democrats
-1964-1978 slightly less women then men vote, since 1980 women have voted more then men
-whites have highest participation rates, largest gender gaps in African Americans + Hispanics
-African American women have greater feminist beliefs from double discrimination
-Hispanic voters greater ties to community, especially church
-Small children make it hard for women to get to polls
-Greater number of women in electorate, women could be forceful presence if they voted as a bloc

Issue Positions
-Few gender differences across views
-Women typically opposed to war and use of force more generally
-1980: avg 9% gender differences on 87% of questions
-terrorist attacks, sep 11, seemed to erase gender differences
-Women more likely to say sep 11 was life-altering and still following news about terrorism at two-months after attacks
-78% men, 74% women approved of going to Iraq
-women's slightly different views more favorable to Dems
-women : less militaristic, opposed to force in nonmilitary situations, protect environment, help economically disadvantaged, achieve racial equality, less likely to bo optomistic about country's future
-gender gap over 20% women choose more liberal positions
-women's issues effect vote only when "electoral environment" emphasizes gender

Party Identification
-how individual views themselves in parties
-prior to 1968 men and women little differences
-women more likely to identify with democrats now

Voting Patterns
-electoral gender gap as well
-Eleanor Smeal first used gender gap
-Reagan's "woman problem", battled by focusing on the women who would vote for him
-Dems nominated Geraldine Ferraro as VP candidate but didn't use her to champion women's issues in fear of angering male voters (backfired)
-lots of explanations for gender gap, ERA, militarym SES
-Feminization of Poverty
-subgroups of women drive gender gap not women as a group
-economically disadvantaged and minority women for Dem Party

Political Activism
-lobbying, campaign work, office holding

Lobbying Community Involvement
-women play role in organizing charitable and civic projects on PTA and local library boards
-Womn lead pressing local officials to include family, children's and women's issues
-women loby a lot at local level, altered policies of local libraries and provided chid=care services and provided centers for victims of rape
-wmn activists make personal problems political
-african american women huge contributions to antilyching campaigns and civil rights movement
-men slightly more liikely to work informally to deal with community problem
-women restrict activity to local affairs more
-women generally more concerende with education
-Americans have reduced commections with their communites

Campaign and Party Work
-involvement run counter to cultural expecataions, viewed as exclusively male
-Polling places were located in pool halls and bars, addition of women to the electorate also altered game of politics
-Women not being asked to become involved in campaigns
-LWV adopted nonpartisan posture
-1952: gradual decline in overall disparity in campaign activity btwn sexes
-lag slightly behind men on these measures, lesslikely to wear campaign buttons, lower levels political and economic resources
-2000: 17% of men and 9% of women contributed moent
-wmn essential in maintenance of both major political parties, do daily work of keeping parties functioning
-Dem party: 50-60% state party officials African American or women
-Women more liberal

Office Holding
-1917-1970 women never constitued more then 5%
-1991: 18.3% of state houses and 6% of Congress
-108 wmn won partie's nomination for seats in house and 11 in the Senate, 1992
-1st African American Woman to take seat in Senate: Carol Moseley Braun
-Wmn 13.7% of 108th congress, 73 women
-state levels have more gradual advances, women now hold 25.3% of executive positions
-17 wmn=lieutenant gov, 5=attorney general, 10 sec of state + nine as state treasurer

Barriers to Women in Elected and Appointed Positions
-Barriers: five categories: stereotypes, career choice, trad fam demands, sex discrimination, and political system
-deter women from running, keep ones who run from succeeding
-women still as likely as men to win
-women fail to "toss their hat in the ring"

Stereotypes
-Women and men thought women running for office was innapropriate
-women less likely at every time interval to be as interested as men in elective + appointive office
-both young men and women perceive the barriers
-80% agree that it is very or somewhat hard for a woman to run for political office
-Women have hard time breaking into politics

Media Bias
-Women sentatorial candidates are routinely portrayed as less viable than male candidates
-stereotyping articles+reader reaction might help explain women's lower success
-media bias is possibly diminishing pipeline of women's leadership
-reporters focus on personal characteristics of women candidates, age, marriage, family, personality, and appearance
-gender plays role in establishing viability of candidate, news media coverage can disadvantage women.
-Dole not receive quantity or quality of coverage
-Women have to think of public perceptions
-In commercials women dressed more formally and used male announcers, stressed compassionate side
-women present themselves differently from men in order to achieve same lvl of effectiveness
-need for women to provide record w/tangible examples, preferably w/nontrad wmn issues like crime/taxes/economy

Career Choice and Preparation
-trad female occupations less compatible w/politics (teaching, nursing)
-makes less wmn in "eligibility pool" which makes less wmn in politics
-relationship btwn # of wmn lawyers and # of wmn legislators
-75% of wmn in 108 Congress had previous elective office
-many successful wmn have pursued women's careers

family Demands
-public perceptions that wmn w/ (young) kids = less suited for office
-wmn postpone running for office until their kids are grown
-wmn officers less likely then men to half young children
-conflict btwn parenthood +politics
-Jane Swift: pregnant w/1st child when elected lieutenant gov of Mass in 1998, replaced Paul Cerlucci as gov in 2001 but widely criticized. 2001, premature labor w/twins + held meetings using speaker phone from hospital bed
-Nancy Pelosi came to congress in her 40s after her 5 kids were grown
-no young wmn building seniority
-politics needs to be more family friendly
-1/3 Americans say less likely to vote for woman if pregnant
-2 wmn Clinton considered nominating for attourney general withdrew after revealed that they had employed undocumented aliens to care for thair kids
-Spousal preference: acceptance/ecouragement of political activity by spouse + family = crucial
-shared marraiges where both partneers have careers = more after women's movement
-more wmn then men in elected officials = not married
-wmn either remain childless, have fewer kids, delay political career until after kids are older, remain single, or marry supportive spouse

Sex Discrimination
-wmn seldom recruited by party, often discouraged from running
-women disproportionately encouraged to run in unwinnable races/ "woman's seat" (where there already is a woman)
-African American women more underrepresented then men

Political System
MONEY
-Adequate funding=essential for successful campaign
-incumbants have fundrasing advantages (win over 90% of reelection bids)
-women have to raise more money then male incumbants to unseat them
-money provided by women's PACs
-campaign fund deficit of women in 1970 declined in 1980s
-1988+1992 women outraised men
-political experience/incumbancy status have greater influence on fundraising then gender
-wmn = fewer contacts with rich people
CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS
-Geraldine Ferrero and to sell property + take out personal loans to raise money for campaign
-Now 49 PACs for women: EMILY's List, NOW PAC, WISH List
-financial obstacles help lifted by these PACs
-Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act bans soft moeny, increases amount individuals can contribute
PARTY ORGANIZATION
-wmn candidates= marginal party support
-wmn may actually get more money then men from the party
-2003: 113 dem wmn entered House races, only 73 repubs
-1994: Repub wmn = 50% success + Dem wmn 38% success
-"triple play of wmn in politics" -deciding to run, contributing money, working in campaigns"
ELECTORAL SYSTEMS
-avg of 14% of parliamentary seats worldwide.
-US below national avg
-US electoral system of single-member "winner-take all districts"
-Other countries=bigger districts w/more reps (2nd + 3rd place win too
INCUMBENCY
-political system favors incumbents
-90% of Congress seek reelection + win
-# wmn candidates relflects # of competitive opportunities available to wmn
-1/3 wmn obtain seats in special elevtions (when incumbanet left office btwn elections)
-"women's nature" makes more difficult for wmn to run against incumbant
-1992: unprecedented # of open seats + alot of media coverage
-wmn have advantage when they run as women
-term limits would force male incumbents to retire so wmn can run, but then wmn incumbents forced out too
-Congress incumbents so far avoided term limits

Women, Politics, and American Socity pg. 68-76 -- Reaction

Textbook Reading
Nancy E. McGlen, Karen O'Connor, Laura van Assendelft, Wendy Gunther-Candy

When I was in eighth grade we were talking about women in politics and whether women could be presidents. I was surprised to find how many of the boys, my actual friends, said they wouldn't vote for a woman for president. This was in 2007 when Hillary Clinton and Obama had just declared they were running. When I asked my male friends about this, completely surprised and pissed off, they said, in a complete over simplification, that they didn't think a woman could "push the button that would bomb another country if the US were under attack".

Now, I walked straight up to my friend, more then one, glared straight at them and asked "You think I couldn't do anything I could to defend my country if it were under attack?" Every single person I asked that either backed down or said "Well not you Miranda, just women" This was the clearest demonstration of stereotypes and discrimination that I have ever seen. It showed how much people, especially men, look at the stereotypes instead of the woman. Media focuses on what women look like, how they fit stereotypes, instead of who they actually are. When the boys in my class put what they were saying into perspective of who I was and what they new about me, they changed their minds. But the first thing they hear is woman and the first thing they think of is sweet, docile, and emotional.

The statistics in this last reading supported that idea, although thankfully those views have been decreasing. Strong women stepping forward and proving stereotypes wrong have definitely helped and if I ever did enter into politics I would want to be one of them. It was also interesting that when the book mentioned the women in most likely to be interested in running for office, I fit the bill exactly. "parents who vote in every election, have been told that they should run for office, and believe they can make a difference in solving problems". Not only this, but I fit demographically as well. "white, full-time college students, daily Internet users, and registered voters" (the last part I will be as soon as I can). Seeing myself in the statistics I'm reading as well as seeing them actually play out in my life makes the reading more personal, more real.

Women, Politics, and American Socity pg. 68-76 -- Notes

Textbook Reading
Nancy E. McGlen, Karen O'Connor, Laura can Assendelft, Wendy Gunther-Canada

-After suffrage poor women denied right to vote through poll taxes + unfairly administered literacy tests
-Negative cultural attitudes about women who participate in politics
-Women not prepared for political activity, discrimination of party leaders

Cultural Attitudes About the Political Participation of Women
-Little polls of social attitudes before and after 1920, but views of political women very negative
-1937: 27% men, 40% women would voted for qualified woman for president
-1946: 88% of people voted mayor should nearly always be a man
-Some areas good for women, head of Red Cross or PTA
-Over 40% of people in 1955, 1963, and 1969 would not vote for a woman president

Impact of Wmn's Rights Mvemnt of Political Rights + Participation
-Political support increase after 1960s, gets more publicized
-1967, 51% wmn college grads support wmn pres, 1975, 88%
-Sandra Day O'Connor appointed to Supreme Court, 1981, supported by 87% of wmn, 84% of men
-Voters turned to more candidates after scandals and Anita Hill trial.
-2000: 93% wmn, 91% men vote for wmn if she was nominated by their party

Continuing Cultural Barriers
-25% of people agree "Most men are better suited emotionally for politics"
-Believe that male president would perform better then a female pres
-preparedness to go to war, ability to lead nation, ability to make difficult decisions, men all higher
-sexes equal in intelligence and ability to compromise
-women more honest, trustworthy, and better understand normal people.
-believe women don't have mental or emotional toughness to succeed in politics.

Political Socialization
-Girls traditionally not socialized to take an active role in politics and less interested in politics
-girls nationwide own an average of eight Barbies
-women most interested in running for office have parents who vote in every election and believe they can make a difference in solving problems.
-Birth of woman's first child is critical in when gender stereotypes come into play

Political Resources
-women less likely to have money or professional involvement necessary for some forms of political involvement

Citizen Duty
-1923: more then 10% believed wrong for women to vote, women shouldn't butt into men's work
-1980: women recorded slightly higher levels of citizen duty than men.

Psychological Involvement in Politics
-Women have lower "psychological involvement" in politics
-33% of wmn nonvoters in Chicago have "no interest in politics"
-2000: 36% men + 25% wmn said very interested in politics
-1964: no difference in interest in presidential candidates
-Men know moer about politics then women.

Political Efficacy
-Individual's beliefe that he or she can influence governemntal decision making
-Lack of self-confidence about political matters, 64% women think politics is too difficult for them

Other Resources
-Wmn earn less money then men/contribute less to family income.
-2000 survey women identify work schedules/inadequate child care as obstacles to politics

Sex Discrimination: The Hidden Barrier
-Few men willing to admit they discriminate
-cultural stereotypes about abilities/appropriate position of wmn in politics
-selt-interest in male-voters and politicians reluctant to share power with women
-women of color more dicrimination then men of color

Why Are Women Still Not Running For Office? -- Response

Reserve Reading
Fox and Lawless

This study made a lot of sense to me. It has never really made sense that men get more money then women, and this just shed light on the entire issue. Family is, of course, a huge component, and that comes as no surprise. I've always thought that fathers should be just as big a component as mothers, but I've grown up in a very progressive family. My stepfather is the one who cooks, or my stepmother, but things really rely on each persons interests and skills rather then on what gender they are.

I hope that there are interest groups, or groups in general, that are forming who's sole purpose is to seek out women who are well suited for politics. To have a group that is specifically made to recruit women would be a real booster, as long as it's done the right way. Also making politics a more family friendly environment would help and, again if done the right way, it could actually help out a campaign by making it more family friendly in general.

Hopefully we will continue to make moves forward and with the whole country leaning more towards the left at the moment, that does seem like a possibility. Also, with Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton, and Condeleezza Rice making such big names for women, there should be improvement. A lot of it depends on the women, and men, who want to make a difference and try to help out women and make them run for office

Why Are Women Still Not Running For Office? -- Notes

Reserve Reading

Fox and Lawless

Executive Summary

-Women underrepresented because they do not run; gender gap in political ambition

-Women less likely to: be willing to endure rigors of political campaign,

-have freedom to reconcile work+family obligations w/political career

-don't think they are qualified to run

-Don't perceive a fair political environment

Still a Man's World: Under-Representation of Women in Elective Office

-110th Congress, Jan 07, 84% male. 41/50 govs are men. 90/100 mayors of big cities =men

-80s=gradual increse, 90s=surge, last decade very little increase for women.

-US is 84th nation in % of wmn in national legislature

-Under rep not from discrimination, women are just as likely to win when the yrun.

-fundraising and vote totals has no gender bias

Citizen Political Ambition Study

-Goal: find out how wmn + men initially decide to run for political office.

-Four professions the most often have political candidates: law, business, education + politics

-Made two equal groups from same professional credentials, one male one female.

-Initial survey: 2001

-Women less likely to consider running; lwr lvls of encouragement + recruitment, more household obligations, + self-perceptions of unqualification

-Redid survey in 2008 after the events of the years inbtwn

The Gender Gap in Political Ambition

-In 2008, more then half of respondents, 51%, thought of running: 56% of men and 42% of women, gap consists across other variables

-Wmn less likely to take steps to launch an actual campaign

- Wmn more likely to express interest in school board

-Men nearly twice as likely to express interest for any federal position, 25% vs. 13%

-Men almost 50% more likely to consider running at state level (30% wmn, 43% men)

-Women more in local politics, fits sterotypic strengths

-Gaps somewhat smaller in 2008 btwn wmn taking steps to run

-The women who do consider running are just as likely to always think about it.

Explaining the Gender Gap in Political Ambition

-Attitudes about campaigning

-Lvls of encouragement + recruitment to become a candidate

-Traditional family dynamics

-Self-perception of electoral viablitiy

-Perceptions of political environment

-Factors play more with women then with men, making candidacy beyond realm of possibility

Not Interested in the Game: Attitudes Toward Campaigning

-Women less likely to view activites in candidacy positively

-54% men + 67% women deterred by at least 1 typcial campaign activity

-Most respondents more likely to want political position if they didn't have to campaign

-73% women + 69% men report more likely to seek political position if they could w/out campaign activities

-Women more likely to let negative factors stop them from running

No One Ever Asked: Electoral Gatekeepers and Political Recruitment

-2001, wmn far less likely to recieve support for candidacy

-Still a strong gender gap in recruitment, strong deterrent

-Women just as likely to respond favorably to recruitment, less likely to be recruited

-26% of women recruited by a women's orginization, making a big difference

-These organizations already narrowed gender gap some since 2001

Women's Work is Never Done: The Persistence of Trad Family Dynamics

-Women in higher positions less likely to be married/have kids then men in higher positions

-therfore, women in higher level professions already let go of some trad fam

-Women living w/partner 7 times more likely to be responsible for household tasks + 15 times more likely to have shouldered majority of childcare

-Women spend 50% more time each week w/ household/children then men

-As women's responsibilities in house decrease, their interest in running for office increases

-Household division not correlate w/ men's likelihood of running for office

-Not enough information/data to see if marriage/children affect choice in rnning for office.

-"Women may now think about running for office, but they probably think about it while they are making the bed"

Qualified, But Not Feeling That Way: Self-Perceptions of Electoral Viability

-one of the biggest barriers in 2001, and in 2008

-men 65% more likely to asses themselves as "very qualified"

-women's self-doubt a huge effect on depressing likelihood of considering running

-Do not stem from differences in direct political experiences/proximity to political arena

-Wmn's self-doubt doesn't reflect actual credentials.

-Men + Women well-matched in survey group via qualifications

-Perceptions more linked to subjective assessments then actual performance.

Bias in the Electoral Arena: Assessments of the Political Environment
-Women think the election outcomes are biased, so they don't pay attention to the actual facts.
-wmn more likely to judge local/congressional elections highly competitive
-12% of wmn think they are the "wrong sex" to run for office
-women less likely to think they will win first campaign
-"perceptions trump reality" - women perceive difference so they don't run

Where Do We Go From Here? Summary and Discussion
-2008: gender gap in interest in seeking office
-gender gap driven by wmn's aversion to campaigning, lwer lvls of recruitment + trad family
-Women's own perceptions impede ambition
-subtle progress from 2001-2008
-wmn more likely then before to be recruited and to engage in precursors to launching campaign
-more need to be recruited more to work on gender gap in ambition
-move towards more family friendly work + campaign would help women
-change perceptions by spreading facts and making campaigns less negatively viwed
-training programs very effective, wmn say more likely to consider running i she went to training program.

Concluding Comments
-many changes conicine with major cultural and politcal changes
-women inspired by the other women in politics

The Year of the Woman -- Reaction

Reserve Reading

There were huge leaps in 1992, but since then there has been little improvement. In my entire lifetime (I was born in 1993) there has been almost no step forward in the representation of women. We remain dormant, docile, and domestic. What will it take to just light the fire beneath the humming timbers of the woman's movement? It's not that women have stopped working, but we are disorganized and too separate, there's nothing to rally behind.

I'm glad the government is making a turn back towards the Democratic side. Personally, I agree more with Democratic ideals, but Democrats have also tended to be more accepting of women. What with Hillary Clinton almost receiving nomination this year and the difference between the Republican and Democratic conventions mentioned in the reading, it makes the Democratic Party look much more friendly too women.

It's interesting to read an article from the leader of NWPC because you can really see in her writing the actual split between the women's parties. The way she wrote about NOW draws a huge line between the parties. It does make sense, but it's too bad that even in the Year of the Woman we couldn't agree, it really shows what is stopping bigger progress. Why can't all the groups come together in one organization called just Women. You could even make it into a fun acronym like the rest of them.

This article speaks of both success and failure. One year, in centuries of fighting, to reach less then equal representation, and look at how excited everyone was. And afterwards? Nothing. It'd be interesting to read some of the women's documents now, what they say about the Year of the Woman.

The Year of the Woman -- Notes

Reserve Reading

-Actually the "year of opportunity" that was seized by women.

-Women in House went from 28-47 + women in Senate went from 2-6

-1 or 2 unexpected victories to ignite whole country

-Illinois: promised to run woman against Senator Alan Dixon, Dem who voted for Thomas: Carol Mosely Braun

-1978. Braun won seat in Illinois House

-Braun said "Whites wouldn't vote for a black and nobody would vote for a woman"

-Dixon and challenger Hofeld knocked each other out, ignoring Braun as insignificant

-Penn: Lynn Yeakel filed for US Senate to defeat Rep Sen Arlen Specter, one of fircest interrogators of Anita Hill

-Year for the outsider + women = ultimate outsiders

-Cali: former mayor Dianne Feinstein + Congresswoman Barbara Boxer + both progressive women won.

-Washington State: Patty Murray ran for Senate against Sen Brock Adams who was charged w/ sexual harrassment

-EMILY's list grew, raised a lot of money.
-WISH list formed in 1992, repub counterpart. raise more then $400,000 in 1992
-Women candidates were raising more on their own as well.
-Approached magazines in new york
-NWPC gave quick reliable info to newspapers who then wrote lots of articles.
-213 wmn candidates for the house at the end of april
-NWPC didn't participate in NOW march for reproductive rights, was annoyed about it
-Women should be focusing on electing women, not on pressing one issue
-LWV also declined, but the rest of the groups marched to be in on the sisterhood
-"Don't Just Sing, Remake the Choir"
-Women benefited from antiincumbency mood since they were outsiders
-end of cold war changed agenda to domestic issues instead of foreign policy
-larger number of open seats from redistricting
-Pool of women with the right qualifications
-Hill-Thomas hearings + rape trials of William Kennedy Smith + Mike Tyson
-Began to focus on Bush and Clinton race w/ little women's action in the party conventions
-Parties dealt carefully with women, "the others"
-10/11 wmn nominated for senate were Dem
-Tried to get women in convention, leaders were evasive
-congressional wmn candidates displayed on the podium in prime time tv, + each had her own minute on camera
-Women used clinton, even though they weren't thrilled about him, and he used them against rumors of womanizing.
-Clinton: "I am the grandson of a working woman, the son of a single mother, the husband of a working wide... I am the father of a daughter who wants to build space stations in the sky"
-Tried to make women part of convention everyday.
-Tanya Mellich: "The Republican War Against Women"
-Repub's used to be major party for women, Reagan made big shift to right and women stayed where they were which ended up being with the dems
-Women more then 40% of Repub vote
-Held meeting in Houston in what had been a men's club
-Repub convention very against the women, didn't really let them work
-Many moderate repub women considered going dem
-20% of statewide offives + more then 20% of state legislative seats
-Washington State held almost 40% womn in legislature

Anita Hill -- Reaction

Reserve Reading

It's surprising to me that I had never heard of this trial. I was raised in an extremely liberal family and although I believe I had heard the name Clanrence Thomas, I'd never even heard of Anita Hill. There were some very good points made in the aritcle though, that in the end it didn't really matter who was telling the truth, what got the nation fired up was the way the Senate treated Anita Hill.

I just tried searching for the add run in the New York Times that was mentioned in the article, "What If?", but I was surprised to see that I couldn't find it. It sounds like a great add and I will keep looking, maybe hey could make a modern spin off of it.

Viewing this trial in the context of the time explains a lot. That women were so angered and eager to run, that Senate was in disgrace, all contributed to the Year of the Woman. Without this trial, the results would have been much less successful and so it makes sense that tha year couldn't be replicated. However, there are still many things to be fought over and to spur women, we just have to find one. The fact that this only happened 16 years ago makes it seem much less like history and much more like current events which brings it closer to home.

Women still are greatly under-represented in every section of the governemnt, except no one really seems to care. Women can bitch and moan about how hard things are, but they never get together and make a big change. We just need something to unite under so we can create a Year of the Woman and possibly actually bring equality to the US government.

Anita Hill -- Notes

Reference Reading

-Anita Hill = young law pr from Oklahoma
-Charged Appellate Court Judge Clarense Thomas, Supreme Court nominee, with sexual misconduct 10 years before at EEOC
-Hill talked candidly about sexual harrassment, opening way for other cases including Tailhook
-Sexual harrassment claims filed with EEOC went up 50% in 1992 + almost doubled over next couple years.
-Companies made classes, public services ran annoucements
-Hill's trial showed women their power
-Major consensus against Thomas anyway because of writings/opinions about minority and women's rights; he supported natural(religious)law
-D. Joe Biden was Judiciary Committee chair
-Committee of Women made on last day of appeals, brought up privacy laws and minorities, and low representation for women
-1991: 49 women/740 life-tenured judges (7%)
-Thomas claimed never to have discussed Roe v. Wade in his life + had no view on the issue
-Senators thought abortion was women's only issue
-Thomas's speeches and writings made him seem part of the right-wing extremists but he stayed neutral on most things.
-Many Senators thought he didn't express his real views.
-Erwin N. Griswold argued that Thomas had no real experience.
-Senate committe passed to whole Senate
-Senate committee had been aware of sexual charges but had ignored them.
-Senate sent message that they didn't care about sexual violence
-"Senate is a men's club"
-7 cogresswomen marched to Senate to demand repoening of the trial but they were denied
-Biden agreed to many constraints for the hearings
-Senators set out to tear apart Anita Hill, "she didn't even have legal counsel forty-eight hours before the hearing"
-No woman on Judiciary Committee
-1986: Supreme Court ruled sexual harrassment form of job discrimination that prevents worker from enjoying euqla employment opportunity.
-"Thomas was Senator Danforth's protege"
-Senate room was completely full, with huge long table for Senators, smaller table for witnesses, and "theater seats" for observers
-Thomas, strong/emotional vs. Hill, cool/dignified
-Thomas's rebuttal "he was victim of high-tech lynching"
-Dem's caved under accusations of a leak+racism
-Rep's ruthlessly attacked Hill's character
-Hill said later that people readily believe men in harrasment cases
-Thomas, educated, gentleman couldn't have done it, professional woman wouldn't have allowed it?
-Thomas confirmed with 52-48
-Public polls believed Thoas, Hill became sumbol of courage for women.
-20 years before, Jo Carol LaFleur fought for women's right to teach when pregnant
-Ida May Phillips, Florida waitress w/7 children, won case because she was rejected or a job because of her preschool aged children
-Members of Congress rushing to go on record against sexual harrassment
-Americans couldn't agree on who was telling the truth, but they agreed that the Senate "had performed abominably"
-Powerful image of all male committee grilling Hill with no sensitivity made clear connection between who's elected and women's treatment
-"This was about male arrogance of power; it was about insensitivity to women's life experiences", on Nightline when there were no women speaking.
-Made the famous add "What If", designed by Mandy Grunwald

Of Husbands and Toilets -- Reaction

Reserve Reading

I just typed up notes on the entire 14 pages of this article, and then my computer decided to shut off. But I'm writing my response anyway. I think it's sad how this entire amendent was stopped by one woman, or so it seems. Phyllis Schlafly joined together the "homemakers" in a way no one else had managed to do and although she didn't stop the amendment entirely by herself, she was vital in stopping it.

The fact that women banned together behind the idea of unisex toilets to defeat the ERA, even though the Senate had already addressed the issue and invalidated it, showed how little they actually knew about the situation. It was this ignorance that really cost women the amendment, in my opinion. They weren't well organized, didn't get their views out there, and were often fighting each other as well as the other side. On the other hand, there was Phyllis Schlafly.

I was surprised that she didn't come into the picture until so late in the process. Her first article was in 1972, right before the Senate passed the amendment, and only after that did she start to really focus. That she could have done so much in so little time is remarkable. Although I greatly disagree with what she did and what she believed in, I have to give her grudging respect on how much of an effect she made. If someone of her training, intelligence and personality had been on the pro-ERA side from early on it might have been very different.

It was also interesting to find out that it was mostly the lower class women who were still house makers, and thus it was them who were threateed. In retrospect, it does make sense. If they worked outside the home, with their bare education, they wouldn't get any type of higher level job and have very little hope for advancement. Better to cling to what you have right?

NOW should have focused on these women, showing thtem what they could have in the way of protection and equal working laws. Reading this article continued to make me think that homemakers seemed to think they were better then men. Having the ERA didn't necessarily mean stripping protective labor laws for women, it could have added labor laws for men, and don't they diserve those too?