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February 9th 2005 • Printer version IN MY OPINION
Caroline Forell
Feb. 21, The Oregonian: Former Oregon Supreme Court Justice Betty Roberts and former Portland city auditor
Jewell Lansing second Forell's opinion
Girls' state? Not in Oregon's
top levels of leadership
Washington 7, Oregon 0.
No, that's not a Huskies vs. Ducks football score. It's how many
women are serving as governor, U.S. senator or state Supreme Court
justice in Washington compared with Oregon. As a law teacher and feminist, I want to see more women
participate in public life, particularly in politics. Many of my female
students, past and present, are passionate, politically savvy and eager
to engage in public life. But I wonder how accessible political power
is to women.
I am particularly concerned about women's access in our nation's
post-9/11 climate of fear. The endless war on terror favors the likes
of Arnold Schwarzenegger who calls less macho male politicians "girlie
men." Even in heavily Democratic Washington, Gov. Christine Gregoire
barely beat her male Republican opponent. Furthermore, the percentage
of women in the Washington Legislature has decreased from a national
record of 40 percent to 33.3 percent.
Some might say that Oregon's record for women in politics is not
so bad. Tom Potter may have replaced Vera Katz as mayor of Portland,
but both the mayors of Eugene and Salem are female. All of the elected
officials in Portland are male, but four out of five Multnomah County
commissioners are female. And while the female percentage of Oregon
legislators -- 28.9 percent -- is lower than in Washington or
California, Oregon's percentage is higher than the national average of
22.5 percent. Furthermore, both the House and Senate majority leaders
are women.
Nevertheless, I worry. Women in Oregon are losing ground at the
highest levels of political leadership. In the late 1960s we had a
female U.S. senator (Maurine Newberger); now we don't. In the early
1990s we had a female governor (Barbara Roberts); now we don't. We have
had female Supreme Court justices (Betty Roberts, 1977-82; Susan
Graber, 1990-98; Susan Leeson, 1998-2003); now we don't. The current
lack of women at the top may be just coincidence, but I fear there is
something more troubling going on. Perhaps Oregon is a less-hospitable
political arena for women than our neighbors.
A number of reasons are given for women's success in Washington
politics. Washington women successfully raise big bucks thanks to a
tech-driven economy with large numbers of women business owners who can
and do write checks. Washington also lacks a strong old-boy network and
disfavors old-style, heavily partisan styles of leadership, which may
favor men. It has been described as a populist culture with a political
system that lets all people in.
How does Oregon compare in these areas?
Women and men in leadership roles in both parties need to support
women who seek to serve in public life. Grass-roots networking is
essential. So is mentoring from the top. One or two women in high
positions would be nice, but it won't represent fundamental change.
Critical mass is necessary before the idea of women leading is
normalized.
Oregon's young women need role models. The lack of women leaders
at the very top sends my Oregon daughter a very different message than
the message my sister's daughter in Seattle receives about what women
can accomplish.
Some day soon I hope my Oregon daughter will find the game
between her state and that of her Seattle cousin tied at 7-7. Then we
can see whether letting women play changes the game.
Caroline Forell is the Clayton R. Hess professor of law at the University of
Oregon.
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