To encourage younger generations of women to embrace feminism, Susan Bysiewicz suggested adults “be an example and not afraid to speak up when you see inequalities.”
That’s some real talk right there.
Last week, during Boob B-Rollgate, there was such an opportunity, but according to State Senator Beth Bye, the media squandered this chance to take a strong stance. Not a shocker, given how Bysiewicz described the appearance of the Capitol press room: almost all white, middle-aged men, and, Christine Stuart. Bye, herself, does a daily count while watching Morning Joe— how many male vs. female guests. The results are too predictable to bother typing up.
Here in Hartford, opportunities seem to have presented themselves in local politics, as the panelists were asked by an audience member if it would be “appropriate to ask” male candidates to step aside. More specifically, the question was referring to how the Hartford Town Democratic Committee did not endorse a single female candidate in 2011. First Bysiewicz suggested that the concerned individual “go to the voters,” but later said, “I’d be embarrassed to be a Democrat in the city of Hartford” at a time when women with political experience, like rJo Winch, do not get endorsed by the DTC.
“It’s important that people stand up to the party,” she said.
Evelyn Mantilla, former State Representative, and Marilyn Rossetti, former Hartford City Councilwoman, were also part of the “Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History” panel which primarily discussed elected public service. Christine Stuart, Editor of CTNewsJunkie, moderated the discussion. Veronica Airey-Wilson — former City Councilwoman — kicked off the event by reading a proclamation issued by Mayor Segarra and City Council, honoring Ann Uccello, Hartford’s first female mayor.
On March 27th, the Hartford Public Library will launch a series called “Women on the Move.” The library’s Facebook page says this series is “designed to illuminate the lives and history of women through film, discussions, books and author talks” on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6pm in the Center for Contemporary Culture.
Fionnuala Darby-Hudgens
I could not agree more. I recently testified at C.G.A. hearing in support of Fair Housing, and as soon as the room filled up, and the hearing began, it became grossly obvious that I was a guest in a white-boys-club. While the experience was amazing, and I received a tremendous amount of praise for it, the gender and racial disparities were really discouraging. Professor Jack Dougherty wrote about my testimony here: http://commons.trincoll.edu/jackdougherty/2013/03/19/fionnuala/
Kerri Provost
Fionnuala, thanks for sharing this!
A theme of last night’s event was how little certain attitudes have changed. The speakers confirmed that women in power continue to be advised by colleagues not to be so emotional. But then, if they are assertive, they are dismissed as bitches.
Richard
What was the racial make up of this panel? Looks like all white middle class women except for Evelyn and Veronica. We can talk until we are blue in the face about the make up of the Capitol press room and the male vs. female guests on a radio show but then it is all lost when a panel is made up of white faces. We somehow lose what sisterhood and radical feminists are all about. Most likely I shouldn’t comment as I was not at the panel maybe a few black faces were tucked away.
Kerri Provost
There were a number of other women invited to be panelists ( http://www.hypehartford.com/get-involved/other-opportunities/other-events/2013/03/11/well-behaved-women-seldom-make-history ) who did not participate. Had they attended, the racial/ethnic composition of the panel would have been different.
Tim
“Bysiewicz described the appearance of the Capitol press room: almost all white, middle-aged men, and, Christine Stuart.”
Perhaps Ms. Bysiewicz hasn’t been around the Capitol press room in a while or she would note that it is also occupied by Sue Haigh (AP), Jacqueline Rabe Thomas (CT Mirror), Arielle Levin Becker (CT Mirror), Daniela Altimari (Hartford Courant), and Johanna Somers (The Day). That’s about half the occupants of the Capitol press room.
Still not a racially diverse group of reporters, but the near-exclusive white male press corps has shifted its gender balance in recent years and that should be acknowledged.
Richard
From HYPE’s page; “Those who have caused change to happen have often not followed the “rules” that society has set out for them.”
Looking at the faces and knowing about each of these women I can only say each has followed the rules set down by the ruling class and each played the game and were allowed in to the old boys club of the Democratic Party. Each joined Dick and follows Dicks rules. I don’t think that we can get any more well behaved women except if all republican white women were asked to be on the panel.
The only one who maybe broke something was Evelyn when she “sang to the choir” during PRIDE and came out as a Bi women and proposed to her partner. When I think of women who have created real change I look to women like Joelle Fishman, to Leslie and Carolyn Gabel Brett, to Carrie Perry, to Liz Toleado, to Anne Stanback, to Jeri Marie Leisingang, to Regina Dyton to Edna Negron Rosario. I am sure others could add more names. Powerful women who indeed make change powerful women who do not care to follow Dicks rules or confine themselves under Dicks tent.
Oh but wait of course I am missing the point here of who the sponsor is and who the audience is and who the appeal is to and class and class struggle is a whole other topic for another day.