Spring Elections . . . Boys, Boys, Boys

1. I definitely agree, Brenda, that the gender homogeneity is quite disturbing. Of next importance, then, is evaluating the commitment of candidates (including women candidates) to women’s equality. I think a good candidate is one who is uncompromising and not hesitant in being a proactive fighter for gender equality. I certainly aim to be this type of candidate.

   Also, as an update, Scott Resnick (yes, another male) is another candidate – in addition to myself, that is – running in District 8.

2. I’m guessing all the candidates are white as well, but I actually do not know that.

   Resnick doesn’t have any paperwork in, I only listed those who had paperwork in as of yesterday at 4:30 or so.

   And, being a proactive fighter for gender equality is great, but it is not enough. It is not a substitute for women serving in elected office. Serving with a group of mostly men works to exclude women in subtle and sometimes unobvious ways. Sometimes, painfully obvious ways.

   Also, the public needs to see more faces of elected women and get used to it so some of the stereotypes go away and are not a hindrance to others running. Sadly, I think people look at what I went through, and use it as one of the reasons they will not run. And that, of course, is not only about me being a woman, but that is part of it.

3. You should run again. I’m not in your district but this website is great. You could get your seat back.

4. With Scott Walker running Milwaukee County and also trying to be Governor, I thought he was recently elected to every position in the state, so there really is no reason for anyone else to run for an office is there?

5. I filed my paperwork yesterday at about 11:00am.

6. “And, being a proactive fighter for gender equality is great, but it is not enough. It is not a substitute for women serving in elected office.”

   True. But if women don’t, or won’t run, what else are you left with?

7. Finding out why women don’t run and seeing if there is a way to make changes in the system to encourage them to run. The Mayor could start by appointing more women to city committees to get them involved in the first place. And hiring more women as department heads. And picking a man as his next arch-enemy on the council. And some of Bridget Maniaci’s concerns she has raised about health care and the demands of the job are legit and the council will have to deal with that reality, sooner or later. And alders need more resources to do their jobs. They mayor has 10 full time staff and a million dollar budget , there are 2 staff for the 20 of the council members. My fear is tho, it that in examining it, Clear and the Mayor stack the deck and they go to a professional full time council. I don’t think that is the answer, the answer is more districts, so there are less constituents, smaller campaigns, less neighborhood associations to attend to per alder, and less construction projects and developments that need neighborhood meetings and more time for the individual attention people want and need. Also, there would then be more alders to serve on the many committees. And then they could spend some time on the work there.

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