US: The Feminist Case Against a Woman President. Iowa Senate sex harassment charges should be investigated. Confronting military sexual assaults.

A still from EMILY’s List’s Madam President campaign video.

The Feminist Case Against a Woman President: A Response to Jessica Valenti The Nation At least, that’s the suggestion of Jessica Valenti’s latest column, “Why I’m Voting for Her,” in which she announces, by turns sheepish and defiant, that the author intends to vote for a woman for president in 2016. In that case, it seems obvious that …

Confronting military sexual assaults video.msnbc.msn.com Hagen tells the panel that women shouldn’t have to be constantly worried about sexual …

GOP Staffer Kristen Anderson Fired After Reporting Sexual Harassment PolicyMic A female staff member of the Iowa Senate Republican Caucus was fired last Friday with no reasons given just seven hours before she filed a memo to the staff director reiterating her previous claims of sexual harassment in the legislative environment.

Sexual harassment allegations in Iowa Senate should be investigated: Branstad The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines (blog) Anderson, who could not be reached for comment Monday, told WHO-TV she and her female co-workers have been subjected to harassment from Senate staff and from senators, too. Among her allegations were claims that women were “objectified” and …

Fired Iowa Senate aide to file complaint alleging sexual harassment Shreveport Times In one instance, in a December meeting with several GOP staffers present, a male staffer made an explicit comment speculating about a female Senate clerk’s sexual preferences, Anderson said. That staffer had a lengthy history of making such remarks …

Women’s sweep of judgeship races no surprise to local political leaders Reading Eagle Republican Chairman John A. Fielding III said women tend to vote for other women, more so than men do for other men. The remaining votes might have been spread among the five men in the eight-way race, reducing their chances of getting one of the two …

 

US: GOP ‘old boy network’ doesn’t value women. LA’s first female mayor? Aide alleges women Senate staff are “objectified”.

Fired Iowa Senate aide alleges women “objectified…ridiculed” in workplace Radio Iowa A woman who was fired Friday after working five years for Republicans in the Iowa Senate this morning said her statehouse workplace was “toxic.” Kirsten Anderson went on a Des Moines television station Sunday morning to charge that she and her female co-workers have been subjected to harassment from senate staff and from senators, too.

“Things that would make you blush,” Anderson said. “Things that you don’t want your daughter, your mother, your sister having to put up with and that sort of attitude about women, objectifying women, it has to change.”

Published on May 20, 2013 Former spokeswoman Kristen Anderson who was fired Friday said she wants to change the culture in the Iowa Senate Republican Caucus.

Fired Iowa Senate aide alleges women “objectified…ridiculed” in workplace The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines Kirsten Anderson went on a Des Moines television station Sunday morning to charge that she and her female co-workers have been subjected to harassment from senate staff and from senators, too. “Things that would make you blush,” Anderson said.

Exclusive Interview with Kirsten Anderson whotv.com There are allegations of improper behavior at the Iowa Statehouse.  The claims come from a former staffer, Kirsten Anderson. Anderson had served as the Iowa Senate Republican communications director, who said she got fired Friday.  Anderson claims inappropriate behavior and comments directed at her by male staffers and state senators. Anderson said she complained about the office environment Friday. She said she also asked for an updated sexual harassment policy. Anderson said she got fired later in the day after making that request. Channel 13′s Dave Price interviews Anderson and she tells her side of the story.

´Top Republican: GOP ‘old boy network’ doesn’t value women as much Washington Post (blog) Chris Jankowski, the president of the Republican State Leadership Committee, said Republican women who want to run often face obstacles in the male-dominated world of local politics. He said the party is making progress on that front, but that it remains an issue.

“It’s not hard to recruit women to run; they are running,” Jankowski said Monday. “I think sometimes our party does not value them as much.”

Jankowski cited the boys’ club that often determines who gets support in local races.

“It’s safe to say that there are institutional barriers. We’ve met with candidates who felt like they weren’t part of the old boy network,” he said. “It can be a bit of a male-dominated club at that level, and it’s important that they feel welcome and they’re given the resources.”

Kirsten Gillibrand solidifies herself as an advocate for women Rochester Democrat and Chronicle New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was joined Thursday by a bipartisan group of Senate and House lawmakers to announced legislation that would give military prosecutors more authority to file sexual assault cases. Gannet video by Brian Tumulty …

Why young women back Obama Marietta Daily Journal What then can these uncaring Republicans do to attract women voters? The task is daunting, but they can begin by making it clear that failing to keep one’s promises is not compassionate. Help that is pledged, but not delivered, is not help. It is …

L.A.’s Political Boys Club Daily Beast If L.A. voters want to know what can happen when a large organization doesn’t have women in the room when big decisions are being made, all they have to do is look at the building sitting in the shadows of City Hall—the Cathedral of Our Lady of the …

Voters could elect LA’s first female mayor USA Today Voters could elect LA’s first female mayor. Los Angeles voters go to the polls on Tuesday, and they could make history by electing the city’s first female mayor. The runoff election pits City Controller Wendy Greuel against City Councilman Eric …

 

US: What a gender gap in Congress looks like, by artist Emily Nemens. Gillibrand seeks to change Pentagon sex-assault policy.

Pregnant women need Congress to pass legislation that protects them from … Raw Story “In my fourth month of pregnancy, I gave my employer a doctor’s note that restricted my lifting to no more than 20 pounds. When my coworkers had injuries, they routinely were given alternative tasks for weeks or months. But my supervisor told me that …

Sen. Gillibrand leads charge to change Pentagon sex-assault policy The Hill (blog) “Without having [Gillibrand] there and without having five Democratic women on the Senate Armed Services Committee, we might not be having this conversation,” EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock said in a statement. “The leadership of Sen….

This is what the gender gap in Congress really looks like Salon Artist Emily Nemens has created a lovely infographic to illustrate a not-so-lovely point: Congress has a major gender problem. A full screen version of Nemens’ illustration can be found here. More on the history of women in Congress can be found here.

By artist Emily Nemens.

 

Black Male Turnout Higher Than Official Data Suggest New York Times (blog) Although a recent Census Bureau study showed a stark gap between black male turnout and black female turnout in the 2012 election, the large number of black men ineligible to vote because of felony convictions explains much of the gap. In its …

Vermont bill to strengthen employee, women’s rights The Eagle Vermont bill to strengthen employee, women’s rights. Employees may ask what coworkers are paid. Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) will sign into law a bill May 14 strengthening protections for Vermont workers around a number of issues, most notably equal pay.

 

UK: Members call for more female councillors in Gloucestershire. Germany’s Paradox: Family-Friendly Benefits, But Few Kids.

Queen’s Speech: Coalition reaches out to women with pensions and new rights … The Independent Ministers – conscious that the Coalition government is struggling to reach out to female voters – say the social care plans, as well as a shake-up of pensions, will particularly benefit women. A Pensions Bill will overhaul the state pension system by

Elected members call for more female councillors in Gloucestershire This is Gloucestershire That’s the view of county councillors who believe more women should be encouraged to stand for election. Of the 53 seats throughout the authority, only nine councillors are female following last week’s election. Among them, Cheltenham-based councillor …

Rocky road to the top for women in the workforce dw.de Women in leadership positions is still a rare occurance in Germany. Why is that? Successful female bosses used an opportunity to meet with the chancellor and tell her just what’s needed.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel bluntly asked the women from the outset to share their experiences. Especially any difficulties they faced when it came to advancing their careers. The discussion at the chancellery was merciless and lively – entrepreneurs, mayors and scientists did not mince their words. One hundred women, who are, or are aiming to be, top in their chosen field, sat in illustrious company with the chancellor. While she controls the government, no woman heads any of Germany’s 30 major companies. So, there is a lot to talk about.

Germany’s Paradox: Family-Friendly Benefits, But Few Kids KERA News German Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen (at left, shown here with German Chancellor Angela Merkel) has been the main government architect of measures aimed at helping women reconcile careers with having children. Germany is regarded as one of …

Why don’t Iowa voters elect women? Dubuque Telegraph Herald Academic research has also shown that, nationally, women are less likely to consider running for office because of family responsibilities or a perception that they are not qualified. And veteran women politicians also say many voters hold traditional …

GOP’s New Outreach to Women: It’s a Trap The Nation House Republicans are launching their first concerted effort to win back female voters on Tuesday with the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013, a bill that’s being packaged as a lifeline to working moms across the country. Unfortunately, the …

Conservative Women’s Group Claims Credit In Mark Sanford’s Win BuzzFeed A conservative non-profit that was among the few national groups to back former Governor Mark Sanford, despite his complicated personal life, claimed victory on Tuesday night, and celebrated a $250,000 independent expenditure spent in the final week in …

 

US: Gals, Guns and the Gender Gap. Gender-based quotas needed in Jamaica.

Women Replace Men As Leaders Of Progressive Think Tanks Huffington Post As conservatives consider new ways for the GOP to reach out to women voters, progressives have taken a different approach: tapping women to run their think thanks. When Anne-Marie Slaughter was chosen to succeed Steve Coll as president of the New …

Equal Time with Martha Burk Two and one half minute commentary by series host Martha Burk on the gender gap and gun control, and why it will make a difference in the next elections.

Two and one half minute commentary by series host Martha Burk on the gender gap and gun control, and why it will make a difference in the next elections

Gals, Guns and the Gender Gap Huffington Post Barack Obama won the women’s vote with a 20-point gender gap — the largest Gallup has measured since it began tracking the presidential vote by subgroup in 1952. Even without a presidential contest to boost turnout, the gender-gun-control gap could …

There’s No Such Thing as a Generic Woman Presidential Candidate The Atlantic “Battleground voters are ready for a woman president, and the country is, too,” the group announced in presenting their data, which you can read in full here, and launching a new effort to elect a woman to the position of Madam President. “Almost …

Gender-based quotas needed in Jamaica Jamaica Gleaner This was clearly outlined in the National Policy on Gender Equality. The policy states that the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) shall adopt, in keeping with the Convention to Eliminate Discrimination against Women, temporary special measures (TSMs) to …

Halfway there in push for true gender equality The National Efforts to empower women in the UAE – at school and on the job – are yielding results. As The National reported yesterday, the findings of a new survey on gender and equality in the workplace suggest that there is a sweeping change of attitude towards …

 

UK: Emma Lewell-Buck, 1st woman MP for South Shields. Labour wants women to be elected – public agree. GOP Rep is pregnant.

Ethnic and gender inequalities in postgraduate study STILL aren’t … The Independent Yet another new study highlighting marked ethnic and gender inequalities in the postgraduate sector has been released. The study, Transition to higher degrees across the UK: An analysis of national, international and individual differences, reveals that women and people from Black Caribbean and Bangladeshi groups have markedly lower rates of progression onto research degrees.

Emma Lewell-Buck is first woman MP for South Shields Metro A social worker whose ancestor invented the lifeboat has become the MP for South Shields, after a race in which the winner was never in doubt. Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck, 34, secured 12,293 votes to take the seat made vacant by the resignation of David Miliband. But it was a humiliating night for the Liberal Democrats. They came seventh, with 352 votes, and lost their deposit. That was half the number garnered by the BNP.

Labour wants more women to be elected – the public agree The Guardian Affirmative action may seem heavy-handed but addressing gender imbalance can actually attract voters…Labour aims to have 50:50 representation in parliament, and if we win the byelection today there will have been four Labour women and seven Labour men elected in byelections since 2010. It’s a step in the right direction. Without Labour’s strong record, Britain would be near the bottom of the European league for the proportion of women in parliament, close to Montenegro.

Newly elected Labour Highgate councillor Sally Gimson.

North London female Labour councillors line-up for Glenda Jackson’s coveted Hampstead and Kilburn seat Ham&High Members of the local Labour party met on Tuesday to begin the selection process for one of London’s most hotly contested constituencies – which has been named as one of the party’s all-women shortlists. Highgate councillor Sally Gimson, who unsuccessfully stood for the parliamentary seat of South Leicestershire in 2010, has confirmed that she has put her name forward. It is thought she will be joined by fellow Camden councillor Tulip Siddiq, who represents Regent’s Park ward and is cabinet member for communities and culture.

Feminist group on Pritzker: Still not enough women in your Cabinet, Obama Daily Caller “Last November, President Obama ran for re-election pursuing the women’s vote, and women decisively helped deliver him the White House, with 55% of women voting for the president. We now call on the president to listen to the voices that re-elected him …

Is there a mom in the House? GOP rep is pregnant USA Today A little history to put the baby news in perspective: Democrat Yvonne Braithwaite Burke is believed to be the first woman in Congress to give birth while in office in 1973, to a daughter. More recently, Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Herrera …

Women’s groups divided on GOP efforts, flex-time bill NBCNews.com After President Obama won the women’s vote by 11 points in the last election, the Republican National Committee put forth a set of recommendations in its December Growth & Opportunity Report to turn the numbers around and expand the base. The report …

GOP Senator: I Voted Against Equal Pay For Women Because We Have Enough … ThinkProgress Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) claimed that Congress has done enough to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work. Indeed, she justified her vote against legislation intended to prevent employers from dodging federal equal pay law with an excuse similar …

Poll: Voters Ready For A Woman President U.S. News & World Report While many voters polled said that women and men would do equal jobs promoting national security and education, some still believe a woman is stronger stateside than abroad. [READ: 8 Women to Consider as 2016 Presidential Candidates]. When it comes …

Women’s political participation high priority for UN Pakistan Daily Times These are record elections – there are more trained women polling staff, more and more voter education activities are taking place to bring women forward and for the first time we have gender disaggregated data which will enable us to see how many…

Finding the women’s vote in Malaysia Bikyanews.com And they are also looking to earn the housewives’ vote in what is expected to be the closest vote in the country’s history. Women leaders from the opposition said they are pledging some RM600 a year for housewives as part of a “Housewives’ Savings Fund …

Malaysia MP Nurul leads media coverage of women, but it’s little Bikyanews.com KUALA LUMPUR: Women’s rights activists in Malaysia have lashed out at a new report that showed women are getting few, if any, coverage leading up to the country’s elections on May 5. “We just have to deal with the reality that Malaysia is still a ..

Concern expressed over security of female candidates and voters The News International The conference was organised by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). Representatives of government and non-government organisations, international development partners, academicians and …

Talk of change for women needs male voices, Dubai seminar told  The National  DUBAI // Men should be included in the discussion on empowering women, but how to draw them in was one of the challenges faced by a seminar this week. The topic must involve men as women’s issues affect everyone and enlightened men can be key …

Men participated in a march for women’s equality

Men Don High Heels to Stop Gender Violence  Annenberg TV News Dozens of men gathered in front of Tommy Trojan and made their way across campus in high heeled womens’ shoes to raise awareness – and funds – for gender equality. Registration for the event was $10 per person and will go towards the YWCA of Greater …

Talk of change for women needs male voices, Dubai seminar told  The National  DUBAI // Men should be included in the discussion on empowering women, but how to draw them in was one of the challenges faced by a seminar this week. The topic must involve men as women’s issues affect everyone and enlightened men can be key .

 

UK: Cable attacks ‘prejudice’ against stay at home moms. US: NRA’s new women’s channel: ‘Armed and Fabulous’.

Vince Cable attacks ‘prejudice’ against stay at home mothers Telegraph.co.uk The Liberal Democrat Business Secretary said he had “nothing but respect” for women who chose to care for their children full-time rather than return to work. He accepted that it was a “problem” that the tax system failed to recognise the caring duties …

Galway African women declares intention to stand for election next year Galway Advertiser Ms Ogbu signalled her intent to stand for election to City Hall while attending Ireland’s first political campaign school EQUIP, run by Women for Election. The school took place in Athlone last week. Ms Ogbu is one of the first people in Galway to …

A member of the “Pistol Packing Ladies” shooting club, practices at a shooting range outside Fredericksburg, Virginia on April 11, 2013. (Photo by Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images)

The NRA’s new women’s channel: ‘Armed and Fabulous tv.msnbc.com The National Rifle Association re-launched its online NRA Women channel, hoping to boost …

GOP Uses ‘Mommy Blogs’ For New Ad Campaign – Huffington Post Huffington Post The National Republican Congressional Committee launched an online ad campaign on Tuesday that uses local “mommy blogs” to target female voters in 20 Democratic-held districts. The ads, which the NRCC says will be geo-targeted on over 100 popular …

Abortion legislation: ‘very important for women of Ireland’, says Labour’s Bacik Irish Times Labour Senator Ivana Bacik said she hoped the abortion legislation would become law before the summer recess. “That is very important for the women of Ireland and I am really glad we are finally legislating on this important issue,” she said. Labhrás Ó …

Australian science needs more female fellows Nature.com Australian science needs more female fellows. The Australian Academy of Science must take urgent steps to address the lack of gender equality among its elected fellows, warns Douglas Hilton1. 01 May 2013 …

Government body launches website to facilitate women scientists DAWN.com … Technology (PCST) has taken a lead to facilitate women in scientific communities and to improve visibility of women scientists by maintaining a website and starting a project on collecting data on statistics of women representation in science and …

UAE, UK agree funding to tackle abuse of women 7DAYS …The funding comes ahead of a major conference in London about Somalia on May 7, at which tackling sexual violence will be discussed. The Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative is a top British priority, and is supported by the UAE. The Dhs11.6 million funding – split evenly between the two countries – will provide support to the Somali government, which has pledged to tackle the issue

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US: Will GOP women stay home on Election Day after Sanford trespass charge? Andrea Summers: Immigration reform is a women’s issue

In this file photo, former Gov. Mark Sanford answers questions at Charleston County precinct 7. LEROY BURNELL — LEROY BURNELL, Charleston Post and Courier

Will Republican women stay home on Election Day after Sanford trespass charge? Hilton Head Island Packet That could pose a problem in a special election, when turnout typically is low, making each vote precious. What’s more, S.C. women vote in higher numbers than men — casting about 55 percent of the vote in recent statewide elections. In the most recent

GOP women may be key in 1st District vote Greenville News That could pose a problem in a special election,  when turnout typically is low, making each vote precious. What’s more, state women vote in higher numbers than men, casting about 55 percent of the vote in recent statewide elections. In the most recent …

Andrea Summers: Immigration reform is a women’s issue Lewiston Sun Journal Immigration reform is not often considered to be a women’s issue but in fact is a critical part of the fight for women’s equality. The recent momentum behind Comprehensive Immigration Reform is exciting but has been missing a focus on the issues that …

Women leading the way in New Hampshire Video on NBCNews.com New Hampshire, a state known for its self-reliance and independence …

 

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US: Guns and the gender gap. Hagel strips generals of power to overturn sexual assault convictions.

Polls: Women like gun control more than men TPM When Republicans wage opposition to stricter gun laws, they may be compounding the party’s already precarious standing among women. The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released early Thursday morning found a majority of Americans — 55 …

The Rise of the Female Gun Nut Is a Lie The Atlantic Wire But while we’ve read lots of trend pieces about “more and more” women owning guns, polls consistently show that women own far fewer guns and are far more likely to support gun control than men. According to an NBC News/ Wall Street Journal poll …

NBC’s Todd Lectures: If GOP Wants Women Voters, They Better Back Gun Control NewsBusters (blog) On Thursday’s NBC Today, political director Chuck Todd urged Republicans to back gun restrictions or risk alienation from female voters: “Look at the massive gender gap….65% of women want stricter gun laws, 44% of men. So if you make the argument to …

RNC Spring Meeting Attendees To Keep Giving ‘Minority And Women Outreach … Huffington Post News’ Chris Moody reports, getting trained up by media professionals to learn to “engage minority and female voters” is something that attendees of the Republican National Committee’s spring meeting will be doing. The party’s top activists will spend …

Hagel strips generals of power to overturn sexual assault convictions video.msnbc.msn.com

Poll: Most Women See Bias in the Workplace Wall Street Journal The poll of 1,000 adults, conducted April 5-8, reflects a current robust debate about women in the workforce. Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook, is urging them in a new book to “lean in”—to stop holding back their ambitions and …