Before Ocasio-Cortez, the Elizabeth Holtzman Effect

This piece tells the story of Elizabeth Holtzman, who was 30 years old when she was elected to Congress in 1972.  She was the youngest women elected to Congress until Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won her seat last year.

When a man does the wrong thing, he should apologise, and when he doesn't, he should be called out"

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50541277?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbcnews&ns_source=facebook&ocid=socialflow_facebook&fbclid=IwAR1OCqzGTQ6EUOJahsq0oylULmGgsvpMppOwSQ7BLf1G5LWOGXWyYnVzZt8&fbclid=IwAR3UVZc3t6xwvUmGA5kWrrmy7_YIGsqPR0IrRNiC1-usW9TOtNhAtP_X2Ds

I just stumbled across this BBC article and I thought it was interesting, given what Miss Representation was talking about. I won't talk much about the movie, but I just found it compelling that Senator Hanson-Young took legal action against her defamation by Mr. Leyonhjelm, as opposed to accepting that that's the way it is. I'm not sure if politicians can sue for slander and defamation in the US, but I think it's important to curb false statements that have no backing and are made for the sake of being malicious.

Children explain the wage gap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1Onniy08AY&feature=youtu.be

This video is slightly dated, but I came across it again recently, and I felt it was relevant to the discussion of the wage gap. The video clearly shows us that there's something in society that's ingraining in the younger generation the bizarre idea that women are lazier or more frivolous than men and should be paid less. I, personally, think it's frightening that children are still growing up today thinking the wage gap is both normal and justifiable, given how long the fight for equal pay has been waged/waging (no pun intended).

Different standards for men and women

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/20/us/politics/amy-klobuchar-women-pete-buttigieg.html

At the most recent Democratic debate, Senator Klobuchar stated, very bluntly, the fact that women politicians, or women in general, are held to a higher standard than men. This harks back to the discussion we had earlier on in the semester and what Elizabeth's post touched upon. It was refreshing to hear her proudly that she governs with both her head and a heart, though I feel it could have been a dicey move, given the persistent view that those in the power of leadership should not be "emotional"-- although given the current president, it would seem ludicrous for anyone to attack her on that statement.

"Shunned by their party, Democratic Women’s Caucus votes to go it alone"

https://www.providencejournal.com/news/20191119/shunned-by-their-party-democratic-womens-caucus-votes-to-go-it-alone

Recently, the Rhode Island Democratic Party's Women's Caucus filed to split from the RI Democratic Party. The Democratic state committee voted 122-to-27 that introduced new rules that required caucuses to receive the party chairman's approval before "endorsing candidates, spending money, or making statement". The Party Chairman, Joseph McNamara, stated that these changes have been "misread". Although the state is predominately blue, this event triggered the inevitable split because the state party has increasingly supported conservative agendas over democratic ideals. As the caucus reported: "They have endorsed republican white [supremacists] over progressive female incumbents... have forced women to endorse candidates who read Bible passages during Senate hearings, condemning women who support reproductive justice... have required women to fundraise into a party account that spends more money on pizza and liquor than on progressive, democratic female candidates..." Other progressive caucuses that ideologically are in line with the Women's Caucus have not separated; however, the Women's Caucus was the only one that independently raised and deployed funds, thus they have more economic capabilities relative to others when operating independently. However, the split indicates that there is a party fracture, problems with the agenda (its priorities), and its administrative governance.

Angela Davis Songs

During the Free Angela Davis and All Political campaign in the 1970s, a lot of great art was produced in support of the cause. Here is a list of songs written for, or inspired by the Free Angela movement. As an international movement on both sides of the Iron Curtain, these songs were written in different languages from different ideological stands.

Also, here the Jackie Kay poem that I didn't have enough time to share in class. It tells the story of how Kay, herself a black Scottish woman, took Angela Davis as her role model when she was a girl. It really showcases how Angela Davis became an international icon as a powerful Black woman who "wouldn't put up with stuff."

Barbara Kruger's art

I was at the Broad in LA this weekend and came across post-modernist and feminist artist Barbara Kruger. Highly recommend you take a trip to the museum to see (as Kruger's works are part of the standing collection). In general, Kruger addressed media and politics colloquially: sensational, authoritative, direct, simple, etc. By doing this, as other post-modernists, Kruger fused commercialism and art, suggesting everything can be art and it can be purchased. This piece was produced for the Women's March on Washington in support of reproductive freedom considering. As you can see, the women's face illustrates a stark divide (the face has a negative versus positive / realist exposure, it's literally split, and it's obscured by the text). Thus, the piece protests the reality that the socially (including legally and culturally) constructed world, specifically in light of Roe v. Wade, controlled women. Thus, bodies were transformed into battlegrounds, one to be fought.

Here's a link (https://www.artic.edu/artworks/121289/have-me-feed-me-hug-me-love-me-need-me) to the piece I wanted to post about, but unfortunately the blog couldn't upload the video I took of it. However, I highly encourage you take a look. It demonstrates the hypocrisy and unfair standards society has towards women. The words of psychological disorders such as "psychotic" and "paranoid" contrast to newborns, capturing the double-standard society places on women to have on children despite the way they are labeled and how they can be treated. By using an advertising format for this content, Kruger attests to how women are socially constructed. Pop art also involves a consumerist theme given its style and format, and considering Kruger is a politically charged post-modernist, I'd encourage you to think about what degree do we "consume" and productize women, and then perhaps people more broadly.

Phyllis Schlafly on the ERA

In case you'd like to see more of Phyllis Schlafly in action, here are a few videos of her discussing the ERA:

The debate we began watching in class today from Firing Line with William F. Buckley, 1973.

Interview with Barbara Walters on the Today Show, 1972.

Appearance on the Phil Donahue Show, 1974.

Debate with Betty Friedan on Good Morning America, 1976,

Discussion on the Mike Douglas Show, 1979.

I Am Not An Easy Man

I mentioned the French film on Netflix that shows a role reversal of gender stereotypes. I thought I'd share the trailer if anyone was interested: I Am Not An Easy Man

Time 100 Out

https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2019/5567750/nancy-pelosi-2

The annual Time 100 issue is out and features incredible women awardees as well as the writers who capture them, but the one that stuck out to me the most was the profile on Nanci Pelosi written by Hillary Clinton and the last paragraph:

There’s a saying that goes: “If you want something done, ask a busy woman to do it.” Speaker Nancy Pelosi is living proof that when it comes to getting the job done, more often than not, it takes a woman.

A cool link to explore and meet some new faces that aren't as covered in popular media as well as learn more about the ones that are.

Rwanda is a fascinating case study of the role of women in politics. After the genocide in 1994, the country's population was 60-70% women, which facilitated more women entering the workforce. In 2003, the country instituted a 30% quota for women in Parliament. Now, women make up 61% of Rwanda's Parliament!

Despite the increase in the number of women in electoral politics, it remains unclear whether the social and cultural landscape of the nation has shifted. Feminism, especially "Western feminism," isn't a concept that's directly addressed in Rwanda. In the article below, women share that they still feel they carry the burden of all household chores and family duties even if they work. Likewise, schools and organizations aren't necessarily treating girls and boys equally or allocating equal resources. So the article begs the question: "Can a country truly transform its core culture from the outside in?"

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/07/29/487360094/invisibilia-no-one-thought-this-all-womans-debate-team-could-crush-it

The Treatment of Trump vs Warren

I came across this clip from the Daily Show and I think it shows the shear and even comical difference in criticism that female politicians, specifically those running for president and male politicians face. While it's important to keep in mind that both Trump is anomaly of a President and certain news sites are particularly harsh on Democratic candidates, I believe this video raises an important question of how much does sexism contribute to this difference in treatment?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4fjp7wlBwc/?igshid=13y48lsbc9slp

More about Patsy Matsu Takemoto Mink

In Preparation for the documentary we’ll be watching next class about Patsy

Matsu Takemoto Mink tomorrow titled Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority (dir. Kimberlee Bassford, 2008), I wanted to learn more about her perspective, goals, and legacy as the first woman of color (as well as the first woman from the state of Hawaii) elected to United States Congress in 1964.

Connecting the dots back to Shirley Chisholm (the first black major-party candidate to run for President of the United States in the 1972 election), apparently Patsy Mink also declared her candidacy for the Democratic Party nomination in 1972, thus making her the first asian-american woman to seek the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party (and Shirley Chisolm the first black woman to seek this position ). Here is a link to a transcript of an interview given by Mink about her presidential run published in an article from 1971: https://judyflander.org/patsy-mink-heads-for-the-presidential-primaries-205f8e6bc89a

In addition, we’ve had the opportunity to engage with a variety of primary sources throughout this course, and in the spirit of continuing that type of research and historical engagement, I wanted to see if I could find some primary sources to better inform me about Mink’s position around women’s issues as a female politician during this time. While I was not able to find a plethora of resources, I did find several transcripts from an interview with her daughter Gwendolyn Mink from 2016 talking about her mother’s perspective on her responsibilities as a woman in Congress (https://history.house.gov/Oral-History/Women/Women-Media/mink-women/) as well as her mother’s feelings about the Congressional Women’s Caucus (https://history.house.gov/Media?mediaID=15032436438).

Barbara Jordan

Hi everyone, 

I hoped you all enjoyed learning about Barbara Jordan in today's class. Here are a few things I forget to mention about this trailblazing, historical political figure: 

• In 1993, Barbara was the first recipient of the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights, given by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
• In 1999, the Kaiser Family Foundation created the Barabar Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program in order to honor her and expand the potential pool of young leaders of color interested in the field of health policy and public service
• Barbara received nearly over two dozen honorary degrees
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gym57FYSqsM (Barbara Jordan on the Impeachment of Richard Nixon)

Here are some other links I found with information on Barbara Jordan:

• https://www.biography.com/law-figure/barbara-jordan

• https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/16031

• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barbara-Jordan

• https://www.kff.org/about-barbara-jordanhttps://www.womenon20s.org/barbara_jordan

Dolores Huerta on Apathy and Feminism

Dolores Huerta is an activist, a labor leader, a civil rights activist, and a feminist.

Huerta has been working actively to improve California politics, specifically working conditions for women and farm workers, since 1955. Here is a brief overview of some of her major accomplishments:

• 1955: Joined Stockton Chapter of the Community Service Organization (CSO), fighting for economic improvements for Latino farm workers
• 1960: Co-founded, with César Chávez, the National Farm Workers Association,
• Later became the United Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee
• Goal: helping improve the lives and wages of farm workers
• 1965: Delano Grape Strike - demanding wages equal to the federal minimum wage

She has also been honored by awards from both Presidents' Nixon & Obama.

In recent years, Huerta has been working to advance immigrants rights, and has been especially active in the feminist movement. Her website describes her recent engagements and movements in detail, but I wanted to share an interesting Ted Talk that I came across from just 1 year ago.

In her talk, Huerta opens quoting Hellen Keller: “Science has been able to find cures for many evils, but never the greatest evil of all: inhuman beings. and that evil is apathy”. She goes on to discuss the pressures facing women and preventing from entering the activists landscape. Most interestingly, she tells the story of how she "found her voice" at the age of 25.

It's about a 10 minute talk, but I would recommend for anyone looking to hear a well developed and poignant view on modern feminism, women in leadership, and the importance of letting go of apathy.

Ted Talk Link: https://www.ted.com/talks/dolores_huerta_how_to_overcome_apathy_and_find_your_power?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare 

New Activity on the ERA

As we've mentioned in class, the ERA has failed to pass since it was first introduced after the success of the suffrage movement. In (surprising) recent new, there has been new activity on the behalf of the ERA as of this month, when the Democratic Party recently gained control of the Virginia legislature. As one of the states that failed to ratify the amendment by 1982, Virginia would be the 38th state (last one needed) to ratify (with Nevada and Illinois having done so in the time since). However, any action on this front would require Congress to void the ratification deadline. Do you think this will become a topic of conversation in the coming year? What are your thoughts on the potential implications if the ERA is finally passed after nearly a century?

Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/06/us/politics/virginia-ratify-equal-rights-amendment.html

Veep!

As an historic number of women are running for US president, and spooky rumor has it that Hillary Clinton may join the race , I was reminded that America already has a female president on HBO's Veep. In fact, in the show, Selina Meyer (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus from Seinfeld) would head the third female presidential administration in a role in 2020. Although during the show's 8-year run, Meyer gradually becomes a soulless opportunistic career politician, she remains fascinating, and one finds oneself rooting for this amoral cynic to win the presidency.

Here is a Vulture article about the show analyzing her role as a female politician. She (perhaps like Thatcher) broke many glass ceilings but did not actively fight for "women's agenda." Nonetheless, it was still satisfying to see Meyer bullying predominantly male advisors and politicians, and calling them insulting names usually reserved only for women. Veep is a great show - you should watch it! 

My favorite quotes from the show: "if men got pregnant, you could get an abortion at an ATM."

"The Book of Gutsy Women"

Hillary Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea Clinton, co-wrote a book called "The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience," which tells the stories of more than 100 important women in history. It features many of the women we have encountered in our class! What I find particularly interesting is that they tell the story of both Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin.

You can read more about the book here:
https://inews.co.uk/culture/books/book-of-gutsy-women-hillary-chelsea-clinton-review-638845

Yuri Kochiyama

Summarizing again the achievements of Yuri Kochiyama:

-She fought for justice for all marginalized groups; though her focus later on drifted toward advocating for Asian Americans of all ethnicities, she continued to take part in and support causes that she saw as combating the American empire and imperialism for the acts of racism and oppression it placed on minority groups.

-Kochiyama's close relationship with Malcolm X fostered a great friendship, but also a path for her imminent advocacy. In a sense, her listing him as one of her biggest political influences carries on his legacy, as if life was cut short when he was assassinated during a speech. Kochiyama was present that day, and held him in her arms as he passed away.

-Kochiyama founded Asian Americans for Action, a big part of the Asian American movement; "its founding principle of coalition politics emphasized solidarity among Asians of all ethnicities, multiracial solidarity among Asian Americans as well as with African, Latino, and Native Americans in the United States..." Their main goal was to raise racial awareness, and erase the label of foreign, and alien (that was seen as a threat to US society) often assigned to Asian Americans. Kochimyama wanted to integrate them into a space in which they should have belonged, and in doing so, put an end to racial discrimination.

An interesting article about the Asian American movement and its effects can be found here.