The New York Times printed a great article this week. Here it is. But, if you don't want to read it, I'll summarize it...along with some of my own commentary.
Basically it talks about women in politics, namedly Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton. With Pelosi taking center stage as speaker and Clinton announcing her candidacy, we have a changing American leadership.
In the past women in politics took the role of copying men in their role of politics. That is changing. Since Diane Feinstein first asserted her role as senator of California, women in political leadership has changed. They are taking on their own roles and using their own capabilities within our country, namely that of being a mother.
Clinton said this, I’m going to be asking people to vote for me based on my entire life and experience,” she said. “The fact that I’m a woman, the fact that I’m a mom, is part of who I am.
Inevitably voting women into Congress and possibly into the presidency will, in my opinion, help our country. Statistics show that women pay closer attention to children, poverty and the overall healthcare of our citizens and worldwide.
Of course there are reservations made by some. Condoleeza Rice stated that a woman could still be valued in politics without being a mother and that being single shouldn't diminish her good decisions. I agree with that, but I also think it is healthy for one to have all sorts of women in politics. Isn't that what women in the early part of the 20th century were fighting for? That all women were given a chance to take a stand and be heard? Married or not. With children or not. At the same time, a mother certainly cannot hurt the well-being of our country.
These are women that have grown children with grandchildren. They do not have babies of their own in the home. They have been there and done that and have more to contribute because of that.
I would like to think that having a woman in leadership will inevitably create changes in how things are run. That we think about lives lost (soldiers or not) before taking on the time sensitive responsiblity of war.
That's a powerful article. I really like the fact that people (the world, men) are becoming more comfortable with women in powerful positions. It's taken long enough...It's 2007! I don't agree that we need to COMPLETELY "feminize" politics(I'm referring to the article I've linked below), but it's obvious to me that we need the influence of BOTH men and women in politics.. "Perhaps the time has come to demand that our leaders cultivate the traits of compassion and the ability to hold a mutually respectful dialogue for resolving world conflicts. The very definition of a leader needs to be redefined: we no longer need merely ambitious, smart, aggressive, acquisitive, will-break-but-not-bend leaders. What we are most urgently in need of are leaders with traits, which have derisively been labelled "feminine" throughout recorded history. We need leaders who are pliant enough to bend from their unflinching stand on issues, who are ready to sacrifice the short-term goals of their own survival for the greater good of humanity."
ReplyDeletecheck out:
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2002/09/15/stories/2002091500210400.htm
Great post. I love that more and more women are confidently making their mark in politics. I know the speaker of the house would statisically probably never be president, but I love that a woman is third in line.
ReplyDeleteI think mothers in politics is almost empowering for a girl like me. It's asserting that motherhood is an worthy attribute in the political arena, not a drawback.
I love now seeing women in positions that have routinely been assumed to be for men. I guess that's the feminist in me, but I like to also think it's about achieving a balance that truly depicts our nation/world.
It will be interesting when a woman wins a powerful position like the presidency. Imagine what it will be like to have someone who is a mother with such an influence on our daily lives. I'm really looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteI know that being a mother has certainly changed my perspective of the world and the choices that I make. I hope that the women in these powerful posts can tap into that part of themselves and use their experience to make some positive changes.
I liked your link Kelli. I agree with you and the quote you said. I think the change that women can bring is exactly that - to see and reach for the long term goals for the greater humanity worldwide.
ReplyDeleteThanks!