Women love makeovers. We can’t help it. Even the most serious-minded of us like a little change now and then. Who doesn’t crave a new lip gloss or yearn for an updated hair style from time to time? (Excuse me for a moment, I hear the Bobbi Brown counter calling my name!) The same thing goes for politics. And ladies, it’s more than time to give our country a political makeover!
Real political makeovers for women will happen when more of us actually run for, and are elected to, office. I know there are plenty of guys, our current president included, who are trying to make things better for issues that disproportionately impact us, but change is slow until the people who are directly affected by bad policies are in the driver’s seat.
Some of us aren’t cut out for the rigors of the campaign trail, but increasing numbers are finding that courage to step up and say, “Yes I Can!”
One of those is women is Jill Miller Zimon.
You may know her better from her writing at BlogHer or her own blog, Writes Like She Talks. She is a prolific political writer and advocate in Ohio who has decided to run for a seat on her local city council. She was “outed” about her decision to run when her son found a copy of How to Win a Local Election on her nightstand!
And Jill’s not the only one eyeing an increased political role.
Judy Chu wants the seat that Hilda Solis left to become Secretary of Labor.
Christine Stone wants to be on her local school board.
Annise Parker is running for Mayor of Houston.
Hillary Kwiatek is a candidate for Lehigh County (PA) Commissioner.
And April Mastroluca has already been elected to the Nevada legislature.
Obviously, this isn’t a comprehensive list, but you get my drift. Women are starting to take on politics like magazines often advise us to find empowerment in our personal lives. And, as with any good makeover, there’s plenty of support just waiting for us when we’re ready to say, ‘I need a little political updating.’ Programs like She Should Run, The White House Project, and The American Center for Women & Politics are training women every day to find the passion and the right positions to help them transition from voters to candidates.
And, if we get them young and train them right, like the young women in the fabulous film What’s Your Point Honey (that features someone from my own small hometown!), the numbers of women who are willing to take on the political system will snowball.
I’d like to think that will happen in my lifetime, but I’ll settle for making it happen for PunditGirl. A few little constitutional things have to change to make one of her dreams a reality, but I’m confident that will happen someday, too.
In the meantime, give it some thought. We all don’t have to start out running for the U.S. Senate like Hillary, but we could start like Jill Zimon. The sooner there are more women who are willing to fill public offices at all levels, the sooner real change will come for women.
Even when we want a makeover, change is still scary. But you know how you felt the last time you found a really good lip color or had your hair in just the right ‘do?’ You’ll feel even better if you help give our country a little updating!
Photo courtesy PennLive.com.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Wow! Your post gave me goosebumps. I couldn’t be more proud to be a woman right now as well as mom to a young daughter. I think that we, as women, are truly on the verge of change for women. And in the coming years we will see more women step up to the plate and we will truly take our place in helping lead this country!
You go Jill! And I hope that all the women running in coming elections are only the beginning of a new era in politics.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Hell yeah.
April 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
It’s been 17 years since the last “year of the woman” in politics. We need this to happen EVERY election cycle!
Thanks for a great post!
BAC
April 10th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
This is an amazing post, Joanne – and not just because I’m in it.
I’m so happy to know the names of these other women and I can add at least one more: Lorrie Sass Benza – she is running for Bainbridge Township Trustee – it’s a couple of towns over from me and she’s an awesome woman. She’s also the wife of a law school classmate of mine and the mother of three kids and a coach of a little girl’s cheerleading squad and many other things – including a deserving candidate.
Thanks again for highlighting women trying to help turn the tide.
And thank you Meghan!
April 11th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Yey, Jill!!!! I will always remember Jill as one of my early readers/commenters who commiserated with me about my lice troubles. Good for her for running! I’ve thought about doing that myself, but thought twice after catching a session of the FL legislature on TV this past week. It was about as exciting as watching paint dry. Not sure I’m cut out for government service.