Women and Politics

I was saddened to hear about the recent sexist attacks against Martha Coakley, Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins.

As a former Congressional candidate, I know exactly how it feels to be attacked simply for being a woman. I never realized just how sexist politics is until I decided to run for office.

My local paper ran an unacceptable quote about me on the front page during my race. Now, I’ve decided to tell my story on camera to bring these kinds of misogynistic attacks to light.

Click here to hear my story and help us put a stop to sexist attacks.

Help us fight sexism in politics today: we’ve provided the emails of all four recent offending members of the media so you can contact them and speak out against their offensive sexist rhetoric.

Michael Savage: “Jezebel is Olympia Snowe.”

Jim Quinn: “‘Stupid Girl’ by Garbage ‘probably fits pretty well.’”

Rush Limbaugh: “Dare I say, Women, damn it.”

‘Tis the season for misogyny, it seems. These are recent comments made by sexist radio show hosts about Maine Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins.

What did they do to illicit such sexist rhetoric? They had an opinion about health care reform. And, apparently, having a different opinion than these radio hosts means you get attacked—not for your views—but for your gender.

Instead of discussing the reasons why he disagreed with Olympia Snowe’s Senate Finance Committee vote on health care reform, Michael Savage decided it would be better to liken her to a female devil:

“If ever the devil was born without a pair of horns, it was you. Jezebel, it was you.”

Savage played this line of the song “Jezebel” by Frankie Laine, and then added, “Jezebel is Olympia Snowe.”

Let me be clear: I’m not saying that no one dare ever disagree with or even attack a woman elected official for her policy or votes. But if you’re going to, at least do it in an intelligent and somewhat respectful way. Basically, don’t simply insult her for being a woman.

I know respectful isn’t the mantra for these particular radio hosts, but that doesn’t mean they should get away with it. The more people hear misogynistic language used, the more we perpetuate the acceptance of this kind of harmful sexism.

Click here to email these sexist radio hosts and tell them their language is unacceptable.

This post was submitted by Jamie Bence, one of WCF’s Summer 2009 Fellows.

I think I may have just been witness to a milestone in the battle for gender parity: There are now enough women in the U.S. House and Senate to fill a softball team.  Moreover, they can play a team made up entirely of female staff members from the DNC and RNC!

Last night, I attended the first annual Congressional Women’s Softball Game.  Held in DC’s lovely Georgetown neighborhood, the game featured members and staff from the DNC and RNC- facing off in a (truly competitive) game.  It was an exciting night, and it all raised money for a great cause.

A few WCF-endorsed candidates showed off their athletic skills.  Kirsten Gillibrand proved to have an excellent pitching arm.  Florida’s Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz was a captain of the members’ team, but played a little too hard- fracturing her leg while sliding into second base (but nonetheless returned to work bright and early this morning)!  Speaker Pelosi stayed in the stands, but Senator Susan Collins, Representative Shelley Berkley and Grace Napolitano were in uniform for the event.

The game raised more than $41 thousand for Young Survival Coalition (YSC) which educates and supports young women living with breast cancer.  Though the spirit of bipartisanship ran deep for this worthy cause, the game, of course, had winners and losers.  In the end, the staffers won, 14-8.