4A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, March 27, 2006
OPINION
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DoNN M. FREsARD
Editor in Chief
EMILY BEAM
CHRISTOPHER ZBROZEK
Editorial Page Editors
ASHLEY DINGES
Managing Editor
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SINCE 1890
420 MAYNARD STREET
ANN ARBOR, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
NOTABLE
QUOTABLE
That will
be decided
by future
presidents."
- President Bush, discussing the total with-
drawal of American troops from Iraq last
week in a news conference at the White
House, as reported last week on BBC.com
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Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All
other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their author.
Barbie for president?
EMILY BEAM LOOKING FOR AMERICA
s America is ready first reference and described her as "the giant- she isn't masculine enough - and besides, she
for a woman presi- slayer, a former beauty queen turned Phi Beta probably slept her way to the top.
dent? I don't care; Kappa lawyer who ran for office the first time In addition to the media's mistreatment and
I'm not even sure what only four years ago." The piece later offered stereotyping of female politicians, that we
it means to be "ready" more detail: "A mother of three, she offers a haven't yet elected a woman president might
But the public's readi- fierce handshake followed by a soft shoulder also have something to do with a lack of female
ness for a female presi- touch, and appeals to voters by looking direct- politicians in the political offices that are often
dent is big news these ly into their eyes with her clear blue ones." stepping stones to the White House. The pool
days, given the possible Wouldn't it have been sufficient to call her a of women is smaller given that Congress is
presidential bids from political newcomer? more than 85 percent male, and there are just
Secretary of State Con- In the Daily last week, Michigan Student eight women governors. For these offices, just
doleezza Rice and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clin- Assembly presidential candidate Nicole Stall- as for any other, female candidates face the
ton (D-N.Y.). ings was likened to "Career Barbie" with "cof- same obstacles and must confront the same
Every time a potential woman candidate for fee-colored eyes and an easy smile" Opponent stereotypes.
president emerges, it's the same debate - and Rese Fox was spared some of the typical rheto- In 2000, Mattel Corporation released Presi-
it's one that circles around the same stereo- ric, but she was still described as "bubbly" and dent 2000 Barbie as a role model to inspire
types. Can Americans trust a woman to handle a "nice girl." young girls to enter politics. I'm not too com-
national security? Perhaps her natural compas- These portrayals aren't the exception; they're fortable with girls modeling their dreams and
sion and inherent skill at education and health the norm. Although the lack of female leader- identities off their Barbie dolls; I thought we
policy would make up for it. ship is much less severe here at the University, moved past that. And indeed, many of us have
The prevalence of women leaders around the candidates for student government still face - the Daily was inundated with letters last
world, however, suggests that it doesn't really the student version of this national "discus- week from students upset about the "Career
matter whether America is "ready." By all mea- sion" of women in power. Women leaders, still Barbie" reference.
sures, Chile wasn't ready - the country has a a novelty in many areas, are subject to a double Those who wrote to the Daily last week were
mostly deserved reputation for sexism and it standard on everything from their platform to completely right to do so, but there's more to
just legalized divorce in 2004 - yet voters their haircut. And it's their haircut, not their being taken seriously as a female politician than
elected Michelle Bachelet president this year. platform, that receives undue attention. not being compared to a doll. Before the "spe-
But what is clear - and does matter - is I can wish that appearance never mattered cial attention" a female politician receives in the
whether the media are ready for a woman in politics, that each candidate could campaign media is set aside, it must no longer be news that
president. It's the media framing the candi- with a paper bag over his head and the results a politician is both capable and a woman. Only
dates, the debate and often the election. And would be the same. But appearance does matter, then will discussing how motherly or caring a
to that particular question of readiness, the and gender completely changes the framework female candidate is become as anachronistic as
answer is clearly no. by which we judge. An attractive, young male comparing her to a Barbie doll.
When Gov. Jennifer Granholm received the candidate? The next JFK. Make that an attrac-
Democratic nomination for governor in 2002, tive, young female candidate? Unelectable. Beam can be reached at
The New York Times called her "Jenni" on She's too hot, she won't command authority, ebeam@umich.edu
VIEWPOINT
A reflection on Women's History Month
BY DANA CHRISTENSEN nontraditional careers that make them better monitor and address barriers to achieving full
able to meet the financial needs of their fami- participation, such as discrimination based on
Women's History Month this March pres- lies. A Department of Labor study estimates race, ethnicity, gender, age or disability; and
ents us with an opportunity to look at women's that because of the affirmative action policies government outreach programs that ensure that
progress in recent decades and what impact of the 1960s and 1970, five million minority women and minority owned businesses have a
the proposed constitutional amendment to ban workers and six million women are in higher fair chance to secure government contracts.
affirmative action would have on Michigan occupational classifications today. Educational programs will be threatened the
women. The reality is that affirmative action has most if MCRI passes. Among those suscep-
Despite having 20 women in elected and benefited women more than any racial minori- tible are summer and after-school programs
appointed offices and three women in Con- ties. This fact is often lost in the debate about for boys or girls; recruitment and support pro-
gress, Michigan does not fare well in many affirmative action, which is too often treated grams for high school and community college
equally meaningful categories. as being only about race and "racial prefer- students in career education programs that are
We rank second to last in the country with ence." We can't let ourselves be divided and non-traditional for their gender, such as men
respect to relative earnings of men and women: conquered. in nursing or women in skilled trades; appren-
Michigan women earn only 67 cents for every A glance at the effect of Proposition 209 in ticeship, education and training programs for
dollar men earn. Today, women remain California, which banned affirmative action nontraditional occupations; outreach and fund-
severely underrepresented in nontraditional in 1994, shows the dangers ahead. University ing for women and minority math, science and
occupations, even though these jobs pay 20 to professor Susan Kaufman recently reported technology teachers; and scholarships, fellow-
30 percent more than traditionally female jobs. how the ban has affected programs to improve ships and grants for women and minorities at
In 2002, for example, women made up only access and exposure to education, employment all levels of education.
10.8 percent of engineers, 1.4 percent of auto and business opportunities for girls or women Do not believe the supporters of California
mechanics, 1.8 percent of carpenters, 30.6 per- and minorities - including breast cancer businessman Ward Connerly when they say
cent of doctors and 29.2 percent of lawyers. screening, battered women's shelters, science that there are exceptions to the affirmative
Sex discrimination, including sexual harass- and math programs for girls, summer and after- action ban. There are not. Should this state
ment, continues to act as a glass ceiling. In school programs and teacher training. A law- constitutional amendment pass this November,
2004, there were 25,194 individual sex dis- suit currently pending under Proposition 209 you can bet that there will be years of litigation
crimination complaints filed with the Equal challenges all programs providing services or to determine its reach. This Women's History
Employment Opportunity Commission. This funding targeted for women in California. Month, Michigan residents should celebrate
number includes more than 15,800 sexual Kaufman finds that should the initiative the achievements women have made with the
harassment claims - up significantly from the pass, many similar programs could be vul- help of affirmative action programs and think
10,500 filed in 1992. nerable in Michigan. These programs include hard about what could be lost when they go to
Even though we still have a long way to gender-specific community or public-health the polls in November.
go, we have solid evidence that affirmative programs, such as breast, cervical and prostate
action programs have opened up job opportu- cancer screening; breastfeeding promotion, Christensen is an LSA senior and chair of
nities for qualified women to achieve higher prenatal smoking cessation and domestic vio- the University's undergraduate chapter of the
wages, advance in the workplace and seek lence programs; review systems designed to American Civil Liberties Union.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR send all letters to the editor to
tothedaily@richigandaily. cor.
a
Daily Opinion's coverage of the Michigan Student Assembly elections,
including commentary upon the attack on MPP's website as well as
discussion of the election results, will continue in Wednesday's paper.
S4M apologizes for attack
on MPP website last week
TO THE DAILY:
Despite Students 4 Michigan's success
in the recent student government elections,
the results are bittersweet. On the eve of the
election, an S4M party member coordinat-
ed a premeditated attack designed to shut
down the Michigan Progressive Party web-
site. These websites are used to funnel stu-
dents, to the voting waeite.and ithis ation
On behalf of S4M, I would like to apolo-
gize to the University for this attack. We
regret the wound that has been left on both
the electoral process and student govern-
ment. I wish Nicole Stallings and Justin
Paul the best of luck in unifying a divided
Assembly in the coming months and work-
ing with other parties in pursuing election
reform.
Robbie O'Brien
LSA junior
The letter writer recently resigned as chair
of Students 4 Michigan. Although an agree-
(03/24/2006). Finally someone else besides me
has acknowledged this iPod epidemic!
I am a University bus driver and have
also noticed the powerful effect these little
devices have on people. Students are cer-
tainly in their own world when listening
to their music - and usually to a danger-
ous degree. Almost on a daily basis, I see
iPod listeners walk right out into oncoming
traffic without looking. Obviously, these
devices hinder people's attention spans,
even while doing such simple activities as
walking. The worst cases I've seen while
Editorial Board Members: Amy Anspach, Andrew Bielak, Kevin Bunkley, Gabrielle D'Angelo,
Whitney Dibo, Milly Dick, Sara Eber, Jesse Forester, Mara Gay, Jared Goldberg, Mark Kuehn,
Fr.nk ManlP KirsrvMramara_ Shae) Momin. Raiiv Prabhakrar Katherine Seid, Gavin