Women_in_Politics

Women in Politics La Toya Varnado SOC 315 Prof. David Hunt Throughout history, women have generally been given fewer rights and employment opportunities than have their male counterparts. Domestic responsibilities and child-bearing were regarded as the primary role of women. During the 20th century, women in many countries earned the right to vote and had improved academic and career opportunities. Increasingly women have established themselves as contenders for political arena during the 20th century and beyond. Women have always been considered “weaker” than men. Their job has been to serve their spouses and take care of the children. Historically, females have been considered not only intellectually inferior to men, but also a major source of temptation and evil (Women’s History in America, 1995). The status quo has disallowed women to be equal to men so it has been accepted that a woman’s place is in the home. During the early history of the United States, a man virtually owned his wife and children as he did his material possessions. For example, if a poor man chose to send his children to the poorhouse, the mother was legally defenseless to object (Women History in America, 1995). Not only did women have no rights to make decisions, they were considered naturally weaker than men, squeamish, and unable to perform tasks requiring muscular or intellectual development (Women’s History in America, 1995). Although it was hard for women, they began to see a change during the 19th and 20th century. Women have become successful in many ways. They have gained the right to vote, freedom of speech, and slowly meandered their way into politics. In the 20th century, educated women arrived on the political scene. Among them, Sandra Day O’Connor became the first woman on the Supreme Court, Barbara Jordan, not only became a keynote speaker at he Democratic National Convention, but she was the first African- American keynote speaker, Shirley Chisholm became the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress, Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman on a major parties national ticket, Nancy Pelosi was the first woman to lead the House of Representatives, and Hillary Rodman Clinton was the first lady elected to the United States Senate, and the first lady elected statewide in New York. Condoleezza Rice, a very powerful African- American woman, was nominated as Secretary of State; Kay Hagan was elected to become the first female Democrat Senator for North Carolina. Hattie Caraway was the first woman elected to the United States Senate. Public opinion has been great since the impact of American women in politics have recognized their duties in offices. During the early 20th century term, new women have gained more respect for their political accomplishments with each passing year. As women have been given more chances to prove their abilities, they have begun to demonstrate that their contributions are useful and needed. For instance, women in the Untied States during the 19th century organized and participated in a great variety of reform movements to improvement education, to initiate prison reform, and to ban alcoholic drinks. Ironically, women were able to bring a new perspective to many issues that encompassed the very traits, such as nurturing, home care, and childbearing that initially under girthed the perception of female inferiority. As more and more women began to seek advanced levels of education, and the realism of what they could achieve became apparent, women’s position in politics began to grow. In my opinion, there are three very important women that have left a lasting legacy during my lifetime. It is difficult to choose between the myriad of successful women, but the ones I have selected have been instrumental in facilitating volumes of positive change for people of all races, genders, and cultural backgrounds. In addition to their past contributions, these women continue to work diligently to improve the lives of fellow Americans. First of all, Hillary Rodman Clinton was born October 26, 1947, and she was raised in a political conservative household. This former First Lady of the United States has done great things for America. As the First Lady of the United States, she played a role in advocating the establishment of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Adoption and Safe Families Act, and the Foster Care Impendence Act (Wikipedia, Hillary Rodman Clinton, 2008). Senator Clinton was the first of many things: Arkansas’s First Lady, First Lady of United States of America, First Lady elected United States Senator from New York, and First Lady elected statewide in New York. She was also the First Lady to hold a post-graduate degree and to have an established professional career prior to entering the White House & the first First Lady to be subsequently appointed to the Cabinet in any Presidential administration (Wikipedia, Hillary Rodman Clinton, 2008). Undeterred by critics, Senator Clinton won many admirers for her staunch support for women around the world and her commitment to children’s issues (Biography of Hillary, 2008). She continues to use her political persuasion to influence domestic matters for the betterment of the people. In addition, Senator Clinton has extended her power of change into many foreign countries. This accomplishment makes her one of very few women who have made a political impact on an international scale. Hillary Clinton is slated to be the presidential-elect Barack Obama’s nominee designates for United States Secretary of State. She was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential election, and more primaries and delegates than any other female candidate in American history (Wikipedia, Hillary Rodman Clinton, 2008). Not only has Hillary Rodman Clinton left a lasting legacy during my lifetime, but Condoleezza Rice has as well. Dr. Condoleezza Rice was born in Birmingham, Alabama on November 14, 1954. She was the 66th United States Secretary of State and the second in the administration of President George W. Bush to hold the office (Wikipedia, Condoleezza Rice, 2008). She was the first African- American to serve in this highly qualified position. She has also made a great impact on Americans. Before becoming Secretary of State, Dr. Rice was a professor of political science at Stanford University where she served as Provost (Wikipedia, Condoleezza Rice, 2008). As Secretary of State, she pioneered a policy of Transformational Diplomacy, with a focus on democracy in the greater Middle East (Wikipedia, Condoleezza Rice, 2008). After 1982, Dr. Condoleezza Rice became a republican. She changed her political affiliation after growing averse to former President Jimmy Carter’s foreign policy (Wikipedia, Condoleezza Rice, 2008). Despite her switch, Dr. Rice served as foreign policy advisor to the presidential campaign of Democratic United States Senator Gar Hart during 1984 primaries (Wikipedia, Condoleezza Rice, 2008). As Secretary of State, Dr. Rice has championed the expansion of democratic governments (Wikipedia, Condoleezza Rice, 2008). Condoleezza Rice gave Rosa Parks the credit for inspiring her in many ways, and stated that “without Mrs. Parks, I probably would not be standing here today as secretary of state,” (Wikipedia, Condoleezza Rice, 2008). She has not only had a great impact on American lives, but she has been a powerful woman working with the United States diplomacy as a whole. For example, Dr. Rice emphasized the need for diplomats to move into the largely unreached “bustling new population centers’ and to spread out “more widely across countries” in order to become more familiar with the local issues and people; Rice wanted to maintain security, fight poverty, and make democratic reform in countries that she thought would help improve foreign nations’ legal, economic, healthcare, and educational systems (Wikipedia, Condoleezza Rice, 2008). Both Hillary Rodman Clinton and Condoleezza Rice have left a lasting impression during the 20th century, and so has Senator- elect from North Carolina, Kay Hagan. Kay Hagan was born May 26, 1953, in Shelby, North Carolina. Although Senator- elect Hagan did not grow up in North Carolina, she returned to her home state to try and make a difference for the people of North Carolina. She defeated first term Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole, in the 2008 United States Senate election. Senator- elect Hagan made her candidacy official in October, 2007(Wikipedia, Kay Hagan, 2008). Additionally, her Senate placement made North Carolina the first state to elect a female senator from more than one political party (Wikipedia, Kay Hagan, 2008). Since Senator - elect Hagan has sought betterment for the people of North Carolina, she has served as chairwoman of that body’s Appropriation Committee and Pensions, Retirement and Aging Committee and has supported legislation raising teachers’ salaries and increasing funding for early childhood education. She was first elected to the North Carolina General Assembly as state senator for the 32nd district in 1998; due to redistricting, her constituency later became the 27th district (Wikipedia, Kay Hagan, 2008). She has also been known as a “pro-business Democrat” in the State Senate (Wikipedia, Kay Hagan, 2008). Indisputably, women have made great strides in the political area at all levels, have fought and earned many deserved rights such as the rights to vote, and the ability to stand before other people and take credit for some of the national’s successes. Public attitude toward women in more respected and numbers of women who have established respected political platforms continues to increase. As a child, my mom would often tell me stories about how difficult it was for women during her mothers’ childhood, and these difficulties continue for some women. There are those who are illiterate and continue to be passed over in the workplace. In some locations to religious women continue to be treated as inferior to men, and they are expected to adhere to traditional female roles. Other women are expected to maintain professional careers while also attending to the operations of raising a family and managing a household. For example, I have been raising my two boys, and managing my household, going to school, and working a full time and part time job. In conclusion, women have generally been afforded fewer rights and employment opportunities than have their male counterparts. Above all means, women have established themselves as contenders for political offices at all levels. Although it has been a difficult road, women in politics have fought to get the recognition that they have deserved. The purpose of this research paper was to review the progress of women in the political arena during the 20th century and beyond. I feel that I have learned more than ever about the Untied State and the women that have made a difference in my life and the life of every young woman coming of age. References The White House. Biography of Hillary Clinton. Retrieved June 27, 2010, from http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies Soe, C. (2008). Comparative Politics. Dubuque, IA: McGraw Hill Contemporary Learning Series. Women’s History in America. (1995). Women’s History in America presented by women’s international center. (Excerpted from Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia). Retrieved June 27, 2010, from http://wic.org/misc/history.htm Wikipedia, Condoleezza Rice, Retrieved June 27, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condoleezza_Rice Wikipedia, Hillary Rodman Clinton, Retrieved June 27, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Rodman_Clinton Wikipedia, Kay Hagan, Retrieved June 27, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Hagan