The Mind of a Woman
It is just that I have something I need to say and would regret staying silent on the subject. As a woman who has worked for or with corporations for nearly 30 years, I have witnessed young, inexperienced, good looking women promoted over more intelligent, powerful, high-achieving women. The promoters felt they were justified because they had the courage to promote a woman even if she was not the most qualified.
Promoting weaker women in the name of equality and change…or that they would appeal to the public more (this recently happened to a girlfriend of mine and the younger, better looking woman made it so difficult for my older, more experienced friend that she had to quit to stay sane). …how stupid do these people think we are?
I have been appalled by this practice for years. Add insult to this injury this week with John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin for his running mate. If he wanted a women, were there not more experienced female republican’s available? I could understand if he chose Palin to appeal to the social conservative’s that are questioning his allegiance, but to have the gall to say that former supporters of Hillary Clinton now had someone to vote for made my stomach churn.
- A woman who declares that she is just a hockey mom, and not long ago, that is all she was, insults the political acumen of all women. Yes, being a mom builds character and teaches a person many things, but not foreign diplomacy or congressional maneuvering. Please tell me how Sarah Palin is any match for Hillary Clinton?
- I, as a woman who treasures freedom, equal rights and a sense of social responsibility, am amazed that anyone would think that if I supported Hillary, I would vote for a woman who is against personal choice and the right to marry who I choose, who backs the U.S. in Iraq and thinks healthy competition can fix our health care woes. I aligned with Hillary for her values and commitment. Sarah Palin runs in direct opposition to what I hold most dear.
- Which leads me to the core of the insult…how dare anyone think that I would vote for a woman just because she is a woman, especially to hold an executive position in one of the most powerful countries in the world? I would love to see a woman be president of the United States. And it must be the best woman for the position, not just the best looking. (I am not criticizing Palin who may be an amazing woman; I’m critical of the people who obviously think women have one track minds).
Obama was right. John McCain doesn’t have a clue. He has no idea how he sealed my resolve to vote for Obama and to speak out politically, which I generally don’t do.
On a final note…my research showed that today, the reason that many high-achieving women are not holding the highest positions in a company is because they leave out of frustration for not being recognized and included in solving the company’s top problems, figuring they would take their talents elsewhere instead of waiting for a brass ring that would never appear. Obviously, we must still stay vocal and work together to be the change we want to see in the world.
Marcia thanks for so eloquently stating what’s been nagging me about what’s wrong with this.
That said, I do love the fact that this election will now inevitably shake up people’s notion of what is possible in America. For the first time ever, whoever wins, the White House will not be run by two white men.
I saw the statistic that 66% of black Americans in a poll now believe it is possible in America for their children to become President.
Sarah Palin’s VP slot is due directly to Hilary Clinton, and the women like her who opened peoples’ mind to the possibility that America’s leadership needs to better reflect America as a nation.
I could not agree more. Frankly, experience issues aside, I felt the same way during the primaries when telling people that I was voting for Obama. People assumed that a powerful woman would vote for a powerful woman — just because she was a woman. I think we need to be better than that. If powerful women stand with integrity for people and things they believe in, their power will multiply, not diminish, whether the person is a man or a woman.
Rachel, you are absolutely right. McCain would not have done this without Hilary’s influence. Sometimes the pioneers don’t reach the top, but the rest of us climb on their backs to get there. Great perspective. Another reason we should always speak out and reach high no matter who tries to hold us down.
Marcia,
As always, you speak the heart of many.
I have really wrestled with this announcement this week. Two years ago, Ms. Palin was running a town the size of one of the smallest in the southern US. She is governor of a state that has 600,000 residents – - that’s less than the city population of our state capital, and I can say with total confidence having run a business of some sort for thirty years in NC, that we have never had a mayor who was ready to lead our country, no matter how fine the job he did in his term.
You and I both know that when we work with top talent women, we see many experiences and job rotations that bring them to a level where they are ready and have the experience to lead, so the transitions are smooth and the workforce ready to follow. While no one is completely prepared for the next job, running a country – - with the likelihood that might actually happen in the next four years if McCain is elected – - is not a job rotation, a place to go get some experience. It is a place that needs strong strategic leadership, an understanding of how to rebuild our infrastructure, a first hand knowledge of foreign policy.
Hearing Ms. Palin’s sarcastic remarks about “sweeping up the 81 million shards of glass from Hilary’s ceiling,” also reminded me that what gets in our way as women sometimes is a sense of hubris, that women often step on the hands of those who worked for many years to create the openings they so unconsciously step through.
I am hopeful for the brilliance of leadership and our standing in the global community to be repaired. To that end, I know the world is watching and that to a person, those I know from outside the US want us to elect the statesmen they have found in Obama.
Sooooooo we must have courage and we must risk saying the things that are in our hearts and on our minds.
Thanks for stepping into this space!
Love
DJ
Dear Marcia,
I am a subscriber from the UK and would like to say thank you for being a voice for women in the world. Whilst not a response to the specific points you raise here it did prompt me to contact you.
I too feel passionate about women being all they can be but approach this from a slightly different perspective to you.
My business partner and I are called to create two events for powerful women – one in the UK and one in the US. We are inviting women to come together to break through the energy of discrimination and inequality to take all women everywhere to the next level. Too many amazing women are ‘stuck’ in the old energy and it really is so easy to create it differently. We want to show them how – this event will crack open the old energetic and liberate so much unrealised potential that women have held for so long.
I thought you and your subscribers might be interested in knowing about our event – to see if it calls you. This is such a specific piece of work that we know the right women will come together for it. Perhaps you know other women who would be called to it.
The dates of the US event are Oct 26th – 29th. Where it will be is to be decided when we know where most of the women will be coming from. You can find out more by visiting my website – http://www.lynnehealy.co.uk – or emailing me – lynne@sparkology.co.uk – to request a flyer.
Here’s to all women everywhere being fully in their power and being the fullest expression of their unique energy in all they do.
Lynne Healy
Marcia, I love your perspective.
It is interesting how we (women) have revealed ourselves through the two journeys of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. We are no different than men, if the woman doesn’t fit a certain profile, she is not worthy of the job she aspires to fill.
I don’t care why John McCain chose Sarah Palin. Or why Obama picked Biden over Hillary for that matter. I get to evaluate and decide who I choose vote for by the decisions they did or didn’t make.
Hillary and Sarah found the national stage from different places and perspectives. They reached the national platform by their grit, tenacity, drive faith,acuity, and connection with powerful men who recognized their talent and influence.
These women share a pioneer spirit and have blazed trails for more women to walk. I have no doubt that anyone who gets to that level are capable of making
the decisions required for the job they persue.
I’m not going to awfulize, nor assign meaning to thoughts that I’m not privy too. The point is that Hillary set the universe in motion for a Sarah to step on stage this particular moment.
I suspect that these two women respect each other much more than we seem to show respect for what it took to get here.
I curious, has anyone here been a mayor of a small town? It is the most political trap anyone can want. Every decision you make affects someone you know, and they know your home phone number.
