Well, we all know know that I had that wrong. Women kicked ass in the 2017 election. Didn't matter if they were Democrat or Republican. I do think part of the reason for that is Donald Trump, who has been guilty of misogyny several times before and since his election. In addition, the #metoo movement has emboldened many female victims of sexual harassment to speak out. Whatever the reason, results at the polls were jaw-dropping.
Seven women, both Democrat and Republican, were elected to all the open seats on the state's three appellate courts. Locally, there are now three women on Northampton County Council, two on Lehigh County's Board of Commissioners. In Bethlehem, Paige Van Wirt has just been appointed to City Council, where she will join Olga Negron.
This is a good thing. I'd agree that electing someone just because she's a woman is just as foolish as electing someone just because he is Italian, black or whatever. But the fact is that women are under-represented in elected office. They make up only 18% of the General Assembly and there are no women in the Pennsylvania delegation to US Congress. Pennsylvania ranks 49 of 50 states in female representation in elected office.
Is there a form of latent sexism that, up until now, has kept women out of office? Id so why has that changed so dramatically?
29 comments:
This whole woman thing is fine. The problem is some of these women think that the world will be wonderful if you just vote for them. Of course some women are terrible candidates and office holders. Voting for a gender is stupid. Some of the female office holders are just plain goofy. Much like in the two counties. There are a lot of emotional outbursts and feuding.
Sexism exists. But it's not the reason women don't run for office. Women choose not to. That's because they're smarter than men and know better. Women also choose not to be in construction and trades and dangerous jobs. It's why women live longer, on average, than men.
Yes, there are some. But the exceptions prove the rule. Many women consider family responsibilities above all other priorities. Men who do not (probably because there's a strong woman taking care of those responsibilities) are able to be more flexible with work time requirements, and more accepting of inconvenience. There's your gender wage gap. At the end of the day, women are simply smarter and have different priorities than men - in many cases.
Every woman is more capible than every man. I’m only voting for my sisters.
Sisterhood is powerful.
Amy Cozze for the 137th
I agree that it is no secret that more women need to run for elected office to bring those numbers up. Yet for a variety of reasons, women don't pass those petitions. It isn't unusual for women to work full time, be the primary caretakers of their children and sometimes their parents and grandparents, and play an active role in maintaining the homefront. There just isn't time to consider transferring those skills to public service.
Women and men view the world differently and bring different experiences and considerations to each situation. While some people view women as more "emotional", others understand that women cry when frustrated and men may have a physical and verbal outburst when frustrated. Society seems to ignore the outburt and categorize the tears as weakness.
We expect a lot of our elected officials. This is not the days of limited meetings and infrequent events. Despite telephone, email and social media interactions, we expect our elected officials (including those part-time council members) to be at our beck and call. And then we take to the blogs and newspaper comments to vilify them anonymously but expect them to hear us and respect our views. We question their motives, we call them corrupt. Maybe women are just smart enough to avoid this venomous situation.
Regardless of all the reasons why women don't run, we miss out on the valuable perspective women provide each community and issue. Just like a veteran or a senior citizens brings a unique perspective to public office, so does a woman. And so while voting for someone only because they are a woman is a curious approach, considering that their gender probably brings a different viewpoint is a valuable consideration.
The magic of Pink Hats is real.
Ignore it at your peril.
If Lisa and Edwin Pawlowski would have switched roles they would still be in business.
It’s the Year of the Woman.
Notice that all these commenters supporting electing females are anonymous. LMAO
Just remember that politicians and diapers need to be changed regularly for the same reason.
Gillibrand for POTUS!
I am deleting comments from an instigator who has no interest in the issue, but gets his rocks off by getting rises out of people.
A shinning example are the two dolts on County Council.
Oh by the way.......yes I am a coward. That is why I didn't sign my name to the above
comment.
Susan Wild for Congress in the 7th District.
I only vote for men.
Amy Cozze for State Representative
Lisa Pawlowski for Congress
If the hand that rocks the cradle really ruled the world, Earth would be a much nicer place to live.
Don't be a pussy, vote for a chick!
....and what should we think of those loyal, true BLUE women who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Democratic Mayor of the third largest city in the Commonwealth this afternoon in Allentown?
Partisans of every stripe, and gender, make me want to vomit.
@3:44
Intersectionality.
It’s the latest rage in political circles.
Pawlowski marched his son out as a prop today.
Presumably his daughter stayed indoors with the First Lady of Allentown, ya’ know, the “hand that rocks the cradle”.
Pathetic.
“I’m with her.”
How did that work out?
In a few more months Ed Pawlowski is gonna be the newest gal in the federal system.
I’m going to die my hair purple.
Clear to see giod old timey ignorant misogynistic attitudes and viewpoints are alive and well in Pennsyltucky's Lehigh Valley. And nearly a generation into the 21st century. Makes sense I guess. When you look around this place.
Yeah why not
Leslie Acosta, convicted of embezzlement.
Leanna Washington, convicted of conflict of interest.
Joan Orie Melvin, convicted on six of seven corruption charges.
Kathleen Kane, convicted of perjury.
And you wouldn't have enough blog space to list the local swinging dick politicians that have been convicted of shit. Keep hating the pussy politicians, bro. The biggest dicks are dudes fer sure.
@8:40 yo yo yo!!!! hatin' on me? dawg!!!! yadadamean!!!yadadamean!!!!
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