csmonitor--2020-08-03--Points of Progress: Where women are seeing gains, globally

The U.S.-based National Women ’ s Hockey League announced the opening of a franchise in Toronto , offering hope that women ’ s sports will not be abandoned during the pandemic .
In the middle of national shutdowns , the NWHL has established a new team named the Toronto Six , after the Canadian city ’ s nickname .
It is the first time the league , formed in 2015 and the first to pay women a salary for playing hockey , will have a presence beyond the U.S .
The move is not without critics , but coming a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Women ’ s Hockey League – for lack of financing – it will mark a major advance for women in sport when the season opens in late fall .
The U.S. Army Special Forces has welcomed its first female Green Beret , a major milestone for one of the last all-male branches of the Army .
Green Berets are considered experts in unconventional warfare and counterterrorism .
It ’ s against Army Special Operations Command policy to release the names of newly minted soldiers due to “ unique missions assigned upon graduation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forces training has captured media attention .
A former military intelligence officer , Kathleen Wilder , completed the Army ’ s Special Forces Qualification Course back in 1980 , but was not allowed to graduate at the time .
She filed a sex discrimination complaint and was later sent a graduation certificate .
At the July 9 graduation ceremony , Lt. Gen. Fran Beaudette encouraged the new class of “ Green Beret men and women ” to “ smash through stereotypes , innovate , and achieve the impossible.
” ( Army Times , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to close its gender gap in 59 years , a huge jump from the 74 years expected in 2018 .
This puts the region just behind Western Europe , which is expected to close gender disparities in the workforce , education , access to health , and political empowerment in 54 years .
The World Economic Forum , which issues the annual Global Gender Gap Index , says the sudden advance was due to regional improvements , particularly in political empowerment .
Mexico , for example , leaped up the rankings this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving in ministerial positions ( 15.8 % to 42.1 % ) .
With local and federal elections slated this year in nations from Chile to Brazil , the region could slash several more years off its journey toward gender equality .
( World Economic Forum ) Arab women are serving as government ministers in record numbers .
With women serving in nine of 33 ministerial posts , the United Arab Emirates has the highest ratio of female cabinet members in the Gulf .
In December , Kuwait named a record three women as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as deputy minister of labor and social development and deputy director-general for alimony affairs – a first for each role .
And 25 % of Jordan ’ s latest cabinet are women .
Arab women are not only being better represented in government , but are also rising to significant posts .
In January , Lebanese politician Zeina Akar Adra became the Arab world ’ s first female defense minister and now helms the country ’ s national security efforts and armed forces .
Nigerian leaders pledge a state of emergency over rape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took to the streets en masse in early June to protest a series of high-profile rapes and murders of young women , the country ’ s government did something surprising : It listened .
In mid-June , Nigeria ’ s 36 state governors each promised to declare a state of emergency over violence against women , and pledged to start the country ’ s first sex offender registry .
While it remains to be seen if they will all come through , activists say they have never before seen this kind of momentum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a generation that says enough is enough , ” Chioma Agwuegbo , one of the protests ’ organizers , told Quartz Africa .
( Quartz Africa ) South Korean women are mobilizing around gender rights as never before , making significant gains .
The latest advance came during April elections , when more women – 57 – were elected to parliament than at any time since the country democratized in 1987 .
The ruling Democratic Party enjoyed a landslide victory and now has 30 female legislators .
The new Women ’ s Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party , won 200,000 votes but no seats .
South Korea ranks 117th in the world for women ’ s political representation .
But the country ’ s momentum on gender issues is unmistakable , as women ’ s gains in education raise pressure for greater equality in the workplace and at home , and younger women help energize a # MeToo movement .
( Inter-Parliamentary Union )

1. Canada
The U.S.-based National Women’s Hockey League announced the opening of a franchise in Toronto, offering hope that women’s sports will not be abandoned during the pandemic. In the middle of national shutdowns, the NWHL has established a new team named the Toronto Six, after the Canadian city’s nickname. It is the first time the league, formed in 2015 and the first to pay women a salary for playing hockey, will have a presence beyond the U.S. The move is not without critics, but coming a year after the demise of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League – for lack of financing – it will mark a major advance for women in sport when the season opens in late fall.
– Sara Miller Llana, Staff writer
Why We Wrote This This is more than feel-good news – it's where the world is making concrete progress. A roundup of positive stories to inspire you.
2. United States
The U.S. Army Special Forces has welcomed its first female Green Beret, a major milestone for one of the last all-male branches of the Army. Green Berets are considered experts in unconventional warfare and counterterrorism. It’s against Army Special Operations Command policy to release the names of newly minted soldiers due to “unique missions assigned upon graduation,” but the female graduate of Special Forces training has captured media attention. A former military intelligence officer, Kathleen Wilder, completed the Army’s Special Forces Qualification Course back in 1980, but was not allowed to graduate at the time. She filed a sex discrimination complaint and was later sent a graduation certificate. At the July 9 graduation ceremony, Lt. Gen. Fran Beaudette encouraged the new class of “Green Beret men and women” to “smash through stereotypes, innovate, and achieve the impossible.” (Army Times, CNN)
– Lindsey McGinnis, Staff writer
3. Latin America
Latin America is on pace to close its gender gap in 59 years, a huge jump from the 74 years expected in 2018. This puts the region just behind Western Europe, which is expected to close gender disparities in the workforce, education, access to health, and political empowerment in 54 years. The World Economic Forum, which issues the annual Global Gender Gap Index, says the sudden advance was due to regional improvements, particularly in political empowerment. Mexico, for example, leaped up the rankings this year after nearly tripling the number of women serving in ministerial positions (15.8% to 42.1%). With local and federal elections slated this year in nations from Chile to Brazil, the region could slash several more years off its journey toward gender equality. (World Economic Forum)
– Whitney Eulich, Special correspondent
4. Middle East
Arab women are serving as government ministers in record numbers. With women serving in nine of 33 ministerial posts, the United Arab Emirates has the highest ratio of female cabinet members in the Gulf. In December, Kuwait named a record three women as ministers. Saudi Arabia recently appointed women as deputy minister of labor and social development and deputy director-general for alimony affairs – a first for each role. And 25% of Jordan’s latest cabinet are women. Arab women are not only being better represented in government, but are also rising to significant posts. In January, Lebanese politician Zeina Akar Adra became the Arab world’s first female defense minister and now helms the country’s national security efforts and armed forces.
– Taylor Luck, Special correspondent
5. Nigeria
Nigerian leaders pledge a state of emergency over rape and gender-based violence. After Nigerian women took to the streets en masse in early June to protest a series of high-profile rapes and murders of young women, the country’s government did something surprising: It listened. In mid-June, Nigeria’s 36 state governors each promised to declare a state of emergency over violence against women, and pledged to start the country’s first sex offender registry.
Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters View caption Hide caption People raise awareness about sexual violence in Abuja, Nigeria, June 5, 2020. Nigeria has vowed to create a sex offender registry.
While it remains to be seen if they will all come through, activists say they have never before seen this kind of momentum against gender-based violence. “This is a generation that says enough is enough,” Chioma Agwuegbo, one of the protests’ organizers, told Quartz Africa. (Quartz Africa)
– Ryan Lenora Brown, Staff writer
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6. South Korea
South Korean women are mobilizing around gender rights as never before, making significant gains. The latest advance came during April elections, when more women – 57 – were elected to parliament than at any time since the country democratized in 1987. The ruling Democratic Party enjoyed a landslide victory and now has 30 female legislators. The new Women’s Party, the country’s first feminist party, won 200,000 votes but no seats.
Heo Ran/Reuters View caption Hide caption Women cast their ballots for the parliamentary election in Seoul, South Korea, on April 10, 2020.
South Korea ranks 117th in the world for women’s political representation. But the country’s momentum on gender issues is unmistakable, as women’s gains in education raise pressure for greater equality in the workplace and at home, and younger women help energize a #MeToo movement. (Inter-Parliamentary Union)
– Ann Scott Tyson, Staff writer


csmonitor--2020-08-03--Distrust haunts Black US voters: Go vote or use mail-in ballots?

Despite fears that the coronavirus pandemic will worsen , Victor Gibson said he 's not planning to take advantage of Michigan 's expanded vote-by-mail system when he casts his ballot in November .
The retired teacher from Detroit just is n't sure he can trust it .
Many Black Americans share similar concerns and are planning to vote in person on Election Day , even as mail-in voting expands to more states as a safety precaution during the pandemic .
For many , historical skepticism of a system that tried to keep Black people from the polls and worries that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outweigh the prospect of long lines and health dangers from a virus that 's disproportionately affected communities of color .
Ironically , suspicion of mail-in voting aligns with the views of President Donald Trump , whom many Black voters want out of office .
Mr. Trump took it a step further Tuesday , suggesting a `` delay '' to the Nov. 3 presidential election – which would take an act of Congress – as he made unsubstantiated allegations in a tweet that increased mail-in voting will result in fraud .
`` I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in person in November , said Mr. Gibson , who is Black and hopes Mr. Trump loses .
`` I always feel better sliding my ballot in .
We 've heard so many controversies about missing absentee ballots . ''
Decades of disenfranchisement are at the heart of the uneasy choice facing Black voters , one of the Democratic Party 's most important voting groups .
Widespread problems with mail-in ballots during this year 's primary elections have added to the skepticism at a time when making Black voices heard has taken on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial injustice .
Patricia Harris of McDonough , Georgia , south of Atlanta , voted in person in the primary and said she will do the same in November .
`` I simply do not trust mail-in or absentee ballots , '' said Ms. Harris , a retired event coordinator at Albany State University .
`` After the primary and the results were in , there were thousands of absentee ballots not counted . ''
In Georgia , roughly 12,500 mail-in ballots were rejected in the state 's June primary , while California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its March primary .
Reasons vary , from ballots being received after the deadline to voters ' signatures not matching the one on file with the county clerk .
Multiple studies show mail-in ballots from Black voters , like those from Latino and young voters , are rejected at a higher rate than those of white voters .
In Wisconsin 's April primary , thousands of voters in Milwaukee said they did n't receive absentee ballots in time and had to vote in person .
Lines stretched several blocks , and people waited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's June primary , more than 8,000 absentee ballots were rejected in Jefferson County , which includes Louisville .
Many people in Louisville 's historically Black West End neighborhood voted in person because they did n't receive an absentee ballot or simply wanted to vote in a way that was familiar to them , said Arii Lynton-Smith , an organizer with Black Lives Matter Louisville .
`` That 's particularly why we knew we had to have the poll rides as an option , '' she said , referring to groups offering voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's not as easy to do an absentee ballot and the things that come along with it than it is to just go in person . ''
Mistrust by Black voters runs deep and is tightly bound within the nation 's dark past of slavery and institutional racism .
Black people endured poll taxes , tossed ballots , even lynchings by whites intent on keeping them from voting .
Over the decades , that led to a deep suspicion of simply handing off a ballot to the post office .
Black people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes by mail in 2018 , with only 11 % using that method , according to the U.S. Census Bureau .
By comparison , 24 % of whites and 27 % of Latinos reported voting by mail that year .
`` For Black folks , voting is almost like a social pride because of the way they were denied in the past , '' said Ben Barber , a researcher and writer for the Institute for Southern Studies in Durham , North Carolina .
Among the places where Black voters say they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , Tennessee , which includes Memphis .
In the past , voters have received ballots for the wrong district , and groups have sued to challenge the security of electronic voting machines , invalidation of voter registration forms , and failure to open polling places near predominantly Black neighborhoods .
The Rev .
Earle Fisher , senior pastor at Abyssinian Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis and a prominent Black civil rights activist , is one of the plaintiffs in a state lawsuit calling for mail-voting access for everyone .
He said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by mail but wants to ensure it 's an option given the health dangers .
To ease doubts , he wants voters to be able to drop off their ballot at a polling place so they wo n't have to worry about the post office delivering it on time .
`` I would like to see every righteous and creative method and measure taken , but we are up against a voter suppression apparatus that oftentimes is orchestrated by , or at least sustained by , people who are elected or appointed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Trump has made clear he believes widespread mail-in voting would benefit Democrats .
He has alleged – without citing evidence – that it will lead to massive fraud , and the Republican National Committee has budgeted $ 20 million to fight Democratic lawsuits in at least 18 states aimed at expanding voting by mail .
The extent to which Black voters adopt it in November is likely to be dictated by the coronavirus .
As infections surge , there are signs more Black voters may be willing to consider the option .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 90,000 requests for mail-in ballots have been made so far – the most ever , City Clerk Janice Winfrey said .
How well the option is promoted also is important .
In 2018 , Democrat Stacey Abrams ' campaign mailed 1.6 million absentee ballot requests to Georgia voters during her unsuccessful bid for governor , emphasizing that it was a safe , easy way to vote .
Record numbers of Black voters voted by mail in that election .
That shows they will embrace the process if they hear from friends and family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ms. Abrams ' campaign manager .
NAACP President Derrick Johnson praised how Ms. Abrams was able to bridge that gap but said this year is different .
The model ca n't be replicated nationwide before Nov. 3 , he said .
`` Stacey did a good job in the four years leading up to 2018 to build out a program to get it done , '' Mr. Johnson said .
`` The runway between now and November is n't long enough to get it done . ''
This story was reported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hudspeth Blackburn in Frankfort , Kentucky ; Nicholas Riccardi in Denver ; and Adrian Sainz in Memphis contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Despite fears that the coronavirus pandemic will worsen, Victor Gibson said he's not planning to take advantage of Michigan's expanded vote-by-mail system when he casts his ballot in November.
The retired teacher from Detroit just isn't sure he can trust it. Many Black Americans share similar concerns and are planning to vote in person on Election Day, even as mail-in voting expands to more states as a safety precaution during the pandemic.
For many, historical skepticism of a system that tried to keep Black people from the polls and worries that a mailed ballot won't get counted outweigh the prospect of long lines and health dangers from a virus that's disproportionately affected communities of color.
Ironically, suspicion of mail-in voting aligns with the views of President Donald Trump, whom many Black voters want out of office.
Mr. Trump took it a step further Tuesday, suggesting a "delay" to the Nov. 3 presidential election – which would take an act of Congress – as he made unsubstantiated allegations in a tweet that increased mail-in voting will result in fraud.
"I would never change my mind" about voting in person in November, said Mr. Gibson, who is Black and hopes Mr. Trump loses. "I always feel better sliding my ballot in. We've heard so many controversies about missing absentee ballots."
Decades of disenfranchisement are at the heart of the uneasy choice facing Black voters, one of the Democratic Party's most important voting groups. Widespread problems with mail-in ballots during this year's primary elections have added to the skepticism at a time when making Black voices heard has taken on new urgency during a national reckoning over racial injustice.
Patricia Harris of McDonough, Georgia, south of Atlanta, voted in person in the primary and said she will do the same in November.
"I simply do not trust mail-in or absentee ballots," said Ms. Harris, a retired event coordinator at Albany State University. "After the primary and the results were in, there were thousands of absentee ballots not counted."
In Georgia, roughly 12,500 mail-in ballots were rejected in the state's June primary, while California tossed more than 100,000 absentee ballots during its March primary.
Reasons vary, from ballots being received after the deadline to voters' signatures not matching the one on file with the county clerk.
Multiple studies show mail-in ballots from Black voters, like those from Latino and young voters, are rejected at a higher rate than those of white voters.
In Wisconsin's April primary, thousands of voters in Milwaukee said they didn't receive absentee ballots in time and had to vote in person. Lines stretched several blocks, and people waited two hours or more.
In Kentucky's June primary, more than 8,000 absentee ballots were rejected in Jefferson County, which includes Louisville.
Many people in Louisville's historically Black West End neighborhood voted in person because they didn't receive an absentee ballot or simply wanted to vote in a way that was familiar to them, said Arii Lynton-Smith, an organizer with Black Lives Matter Louisville.
"That's particularly why we knew we had to have the poll rides as an option," she said, referring to groups offering voters free transportation to polling places. "It's not as easy to do an absentee ballot and the things that come along with it than it is to just go in person."
Mistrust by Black voters runs deep and is tightly bound within the nation's dark past of slavery and institutional racism.
Black people endured poll taxes, tossed ballots, even lynchings by whites intent on keeping them from voting. Over the decades, that led to a deep suspicion of simply handing off a ballot to the post office. Black people were the demographic least likely to cast votes by mail in 2018, with only 11% using that method, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By comparison, 24% of whites and 27% of Latinos reported voting by mail that year.
"For Black folks, voting is almost like a social pride because of the way they were denied in the past," said Ben Barber, a researcher and writer for the Institute for Southern Studies in Durham, North Carolina.
Among the places where Black voters say they have had to overcome institutional obstacles is Shelby County, Tennessee, which includes Memphis. In the past, voters have received ballots for the wrong district, and groups have sued to challenge the security of electronic voting machines, invalidation of voter registration forms, and failure to open polling places near predominantly Black neighborhoods.
The Rev. Earle Fisher, senior pastor at Abyssinian Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis and a prominent Black civil rights activist, is one of the plaintiffs in a state lawsuit calling for mail-voting access for everyone. He said he's not pushing his community to vote by mail but wants to ensure it's an option given the health dangers.
To ease doubts, he wants voters to be able to drop off their ballot at a polling place so they won't have to worry about the post office delivering it on time.
"I would like to see every righteous and creative method and measure taken, but we are up against a voter suppression apparatus that oftentimes is orchestrated by, or at least sustained by, people who are elected or appointed to office," Mr. Fisher said.
Mr. Trump has made clear he believes widespread mail-in voting would benefit Democrats. He has alleged – without citing evidence – that it will lead to massive fraud, and the Republican National Committee has budgeted $20 million to fight Democratic lawsuits in at least 18 states aimed at expanding voting by mail.
The extent to which Black voters adopt it in November is likely to be dictated by the coronavirus. As infections surge, there are signs more Black voters may be willing to consider the option. In Detroit, for example, about 90,000 requests for mail-in ballots have been made so far – the most ever, City Clerk Janice Winfrey said.
How well the option is promoted also is important. In 2018, Democrat Stacey Abrams' campaign mailed 1.6 million absentee ballot requests to Georgia voters during her unsuccessful bid for governor, emphasizing that it was a safe, easy way to vote.
Record numbers of Black voters voted by mail in that election. That shows they will embrace the process if they hear from friends and family that it works, said Lauren Groh-Wargo, Ms. Abrams' campaign manager.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson praised how Ms. Abrams was able to bridge that gap but said this year is different. The model can't be replicated nationwide before Nov. 3, he said.
"Stacey did a good job in the four years leading up to 2018 to build out a program to get it done," Mr. Johnson said. "The runway between now and November isn't long enough to get it done."
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Piper Hudspeth Blackburn in Frankfort, Kentucky; Nicholas Riccardi in Denver; and Adrian Sainz in Memphis contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-03--Virtual or in-person school? Either way, parents are concerned.

Shannon Dunn has to report to her job this week as a cafeteria manager at an elementary school in Baton Rouge , Louisiana , but she has no idea what she will do when her daughter starts kindergarten with online-only instruction .
With a new school year beginning this week in some states , Ms. Dunn , like many other working parents , is struggling to balance her job with her child ’ s schoolwork as the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause upheaval around the country .
The death toll in the United States has reached about 155,000 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms. Dunn ’ s East Baton Rouge district has asked employees to begin work this week , while students are set to begin virtual classes next week .
School officials have said they hope to begin in-person classes after Labor Day .
“ My family works .
I have no one I can take her to and say , ` OK , at 12 o ’ clock you are going to have to start working online with her for school , ’ ” Ms. Dunn said .
Parents in Georgia , Louisiana , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who will be the first to navigate the new academic year as schools open up in parts of those states this week .
In Indiana , where schools reopened last week for the first time since a pandemic-driven nationwide shutdown in March , a student at Greenfield-Central Junior High School tested positive for the coronavirus on the first day back to class .
School Superintendent Harold Olin said the student was tested days earlier and attended class before receiving the results .
The student was isolated in the school clinic , while school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff who may have had close contact with the student .
“ This really does not change our plans , ” Mr. Olin said .
“ We knew that we would have a positive case at some point in the fall .
We simply did not think it would happen on Day One.
” Schools in Hawaii were supposed to reopen Tuesday , but the teachers union led a move to delay that until Aug 17 .
Most schools in the state are planning a hybrid approach , with students alternating between in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have full in-person instruction for lower grade levels , but only a few schools will offer a full-time , in-person return .
Many school districts around the country had offered parents a choice of at least some in-person classes or remote instruction .
But an uptick in COVID-19 cases in many states has prompted districts to scrap in-person classes at least for the start of the school year , including Los Angeles , Philadelphia , and Washington .
Ms. Dunn said she hopes her daughter will be able to attend in-person classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But even if she does , that will not ease Ms. Dunn ’ s mind completely .
“ I ’ m definitely going to worry , ” she said .
“ I will send her to in-person classes , but if I hear of the spread of COVID at the school , then I ’ d have to rethink it all over again.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Shannon Dunn has to report to her job this week as a cafeteria manager at an elementary school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but she has no idea what she will do when her daughter starts kindergarten with online-only instruction.
With a new school year beginning this week in some states, Ms. Dunn, like many other working parents, is struggling to balance her job with her child’s schoolwork as the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause upheaval around the country. The death toll in the United States has reached about 155,000, and cases are rising in numerous states.
Ms. Dunn’s East Baton Rouge district has asked employees to begin work this week, while students are set to begin virtual classes next week. School officials have said they hope to begin in-person classes after Labor Day.
“My family works. I have no one I can take her to and say, `OK, at 12 o’clock you are going to have to start working online with her for school,’” Ms. Dunn said.
Parents in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee are among those who will be the first to navigate the new academic year as schools open up in parts of those states this week.
In Indiana, where schools reopened last week for the first time since a pandemic-driven nationwide shutdown in March, a student at Greenfield-Central Junior High School tested positive for the coronavirus on the first day back to class.
School Superintendent Harold Olin said the student was tested days earlier and attended class before receiving the results. The student was isolated in the school clinic, while school nurses worked to identify other youngsters or staff who may have had close contact with the student.
“This really does not change our plans,” Mr. Olin said. “We knew that we would have a positive case at some point in the fall. We simply did not think it would happen on Day One.”
Schools in Hawaii were supposed to reopen Tuesday, but the teachers union led a move to delay that until Aug 17.
Most schools in the state are planning a hybrid approach, with students alternating between in-person classes and online instruction. Some schools will have full in-person instruction for lower grade levels, but only a few schools will offer a full-time, in-person return.
Many school districts around the country had offered parents a choice of at least some in-person classes or remote instruction. But an uptick in COVID-19 cases in many states has prompted districts to scrap in-person classes at least for the start of the school year, including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington.
Ms. Dunn said she hopes her daughter will be able to attend in-person classes at her school after Labor Day. But even if she does, that will not ease Ms. Dunn’s mind completely.
“I’m definitely going to worry,” she said. “I will send her to in-person classes, but if I hear of the spread of COVID at the school, then I’d have to rethink it all over again.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-03--‘Our voices carry weight’: Young women of color lead activist charge

But “ women of color didn ’ t have the luxury of dividing the different aspects of their identity , ” to say they should fight for racial justice first and gender equality second , adds Dr. Montoya .
“ Liberation to them meant liberation on all fronts.
” Take women ’ s suffrage .
U.S. suffragists drew heavily from liberation movements abroad , inspired by events like the Mexican Revolution .
Yet the U.S. movement “ split because of race , ” says Celeste Montoya Kirk , of the University of Colorado Boulder .
“ Some white women in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to get the right to vote , and actively worked against that , even while fighting for women to vote.
” Three Black women founded a movement in 2013 : Black Lives Matter .
Today , more young women of color are taking the reins of grassroots protests against both racism and police violence .
Their emergence underscores how deeply many of America ’ s crises – from racism and sexism to health care access and economic exclusion – directly touch women of color , and how they ’ ve long been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States .
When Daniela Charris went to her first protest in the New York borough of Queens following the killing of George Floyd , she immediately realized nobody was in charge .
“ Everyone was just milling around .
There wasn ’ t a route , there wasn ’ t a plan , ” recalls Ms. Charris , a law student .
She stepped in to guide the hundreds of marchers in chants , and by the end of the day , she ’ d become one of eight founders of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism and inequality .
“ ‘ Normal ’ has been a thing that has oppressed so many bodies for so many years .
This is a revolution and we can ’ t go back to normal , ” says Ms. Charris , whose parents moved to New York from Colombia when she was 3 years old .
In particular , “ women – specifically Black , Latinx , Indigenous women – have been silenced in a way that nobody really seems to notice , ” she says , but she believes that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a phenomenon sweeping the country in recent months , as young women of color take the reins of grassroots protests against racism and for an end to police violence .
The Black Lives Matter movement was founded by three Black women in 2013 , and women of color have long played a central role in U.S. social movements , but their work is historically downplayed or overlooked , historians and activists say .
The emergence of this new cohort underscores how deeply many of America ’ s crises – from racism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exclusion – directly touch women of color .
Whether it ’ s a 16-year-old bringing together thousands of protesters to pressure her high school ’ s board to hire more Black teachers and train staff in anti-racism , a 22-year-old successfully arguing for a change to the dictionary definition of racism , or teens too young to vote finding each other online and organizing large-scale marches in Nashville or San Francisco , young women of color have found new platforms for their voices in recent weeks – and say they won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Women have to be the ones saying , ‘ This isn ’ t right , we have to do something , ’ ” says Hadassah Zenor-Davis , a rising senior at Berkeley High School in California , who protested for weeks after Mr. Floyd ’ s killing .
By early June , she decided she wanted to organize something of her own , joining forces with two other young women from school .
“ It felt like the conversation around Black Lives Matter hadn ’ t reached here yet , and that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Our voices carry weight.
” Women of color have long been backbones of social movements in the United States , but their legacies tend to be absent from history books , or even erased by those who gain the power that comes in movement victories .
Take women ’ s suffrage , celebrating its 100th anniversary this year .
U.S. suffragists drew heavily from liberation movements abroad , taking inspiration from events like the Mexican Revolution , and benefited from the support of women of color .
Yet the movement “ split @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Montoya Kirk , associate professor of gender studies at the University of Colorado Boulder .
“ Some white women in the South didn ’ t want Black people to get the right to vote , and actively worked against that , even while fighting for women to vote.
” And once the 19th Amendment was passed , few white activists went to bat to make sure their peers were guaranteed this right as well .
“ The activism of women of color is so central to social movements , but it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They played the invaluable role of creating coalitions across movements .
... Women of color didn ’ t have the luxury of dividing the different aspects of their identity , ” to say they should fight for racial justice first and gender equality second , she says.
“ Liberation to them meant liberation on all fronts.
” Analysts say something new is taking shape right now , amid ongoing demonstrations against systemic racism .
“ When I talk to my historian friends , we aren ’ t saying , ‘ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is historians ’ default comment , says Victoria Wolcott , a professor of history at the University at Buffalo in New York .
“ This is distinctive.
” The combination of an economic crisis , a pandemic , the scale of the protests , and their persistence has created a unique landscape for anti-racism initiatives , and women ’ s role within them .
“ There is more recognition and understanding that those voices have been sublimated in the past , ” Dr. Wolcott says .
Kennedy Mitchum , a recent college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a St. Louis suburb , says she protested in six marches in one month because she sees this moment as the perfect opportunity to educate about racism .
For years , she says , people have copied and pasted the dictionary definition of racism in online conversations with her , trying to downplay her experiences .
In May , in a series of emails with an editor from Merriam-Webster , she argued its definition needed to be expanded .
“ Racism is not only prejudice against a certain race due to the color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states in your dictionary , ” she wrote .
“ It is both prejudice combined with social and institutional power.
” After an initial response , she didn ’ t feel hopeful .
“ I wasn ’ t going to reply .
I hate feeling like I ’ m talking to a brick wall , ” she says .
“ But then I thought : We ’ re in [ a ] global pandemic .
I ’ m not really doing anything .
I may as well keep trying.
” After a series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the language to more clearly include systemic racism .
“ Our society , we have a lot of moving forward to do , ” Ms. Mitchum says of the need to speak up and protest right now .
“ Women are treated in a way that sends a message our voices aren ’ t as worthy .
But it ’ s impossible to ignore we can effect change.
” In recent years , more women of color have been running for and winning public office .
In 2016 , more than half the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of color .
There is an urgency behind the protests , says Dr. Montoya , and “ women of color experience that urgency in their day to day.
” The historically important role of youth in social movements is reflected , too .
Jay ’ dha Rackard , an 11-year-old in Boston , says she knows that some adults see her as a child , but she ’ s motivated to make them listen .
On June 7 she spoke in front of hundreds at a Peaceful Children ’ s March against police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to organize a worldwide Million Children ’ s March , to expand her fight for equal rights and an end to police brutality .
“ Black women , young women in general , we don ’ t get treated as equal .
And we don ’ t always get to talk , ” she says .
“ That will change , ” she adds , with a definitive nod .
The protests have stood out for their almost immediate impact : People are already talking about racism differently , Dr. Montoya says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radical , like defunding the police , are becoming more mainstream .
“ Women are behind so much of this , ” Ms. Charris says .
“ I think what we are living through now will show the world that these gender norms people have attributed to leadership and what it should look like are very far from reality .
”

Black and Latina women have often been sidelined in social movements. But today, a new generation of activists is seizing the moment to push for change, leading the way in protests against racism and police violence. Part of our special 100th anniversary edition on women winning the right to vote.
But “women of color didn’t have the luxury of dividing the different aspects of their identity,” to say they should fight for racial justice first and gender equality second, adds Dr. Montoya. “Liberation to them meant liberation on all fronts.”
Take women’s suffrage. U.S. suffragists drew heavily from liberation movements abroad, inspired by events like the Mexican Revolution. Yet the U.S. movement “split because of race,” says Celeste Montoya Kirk, of the University of Colorado Boulder. “Some white women in the South didn’t want Black people to get the right to vote, and actively worked against that, even while fighting for women to vote.”
Three Black women founded a movement in 2013: Black Lives Matter. Today, more young women of color are taking the reins of grassroots protests against both racism and police violence. Their emergence underscores how deeply many of America’s crises – from racism and sexism to health care access and economic exclusion – directly touch women of color, and how they’ve long been the backbones of social movements in the United States.
When Daniela Charris went to her first protest in the New York borough of Queens following the killing of George Floyd, she immediately realized nobody was in charge.
“Everyone was just milling around. There wasn’t a route, there wasn’t a plan,” recalls Ms. Charris, a law student.
She stepped in to guide the hundreds of marchers in chants, and by the end of the day, she’d become one of eight founders of the Queens Liberation Project, which organizes against racism and inequality.
Why We Wrote This Black and Latina women have often been sidelined in social movements. But today, a new generation of activists is seizing the moment to push for change, leading the way in protests against racism and police violence. Part of our special 100th anniversary edition on women winning the right to vote.
“‘Normal’ has been a thing that has oppressed so many bodies for so many years. This is a revolution and we can’t go back to normal,” says Ms. Charris, whose parents moved to New York from Colombia when she was 3 years old.
In particular, “women – specifically Black, Latinx, Indigenous women – have been silenced in a way that nobody really seems to notice,” she says, but she believes that’s changing.
Ms. Charris is part of a phenomenon sweeping the country in recent months, as young women of color take the reins of grassroots protests against racism and for an end to police violence. The Black Lives Matter movement was founded by three Black women in 2013, and women of color have long played a central role in U.S. social movements, but their work is historically downplayed or overlooked, historians and activists say. The emergence of this new cohort underscores how deeply many of America’s crises – from racism and sexism to health care access and economic exclusion – directly touch women of color.
Whether it’s a 16-year-old bringing together thousands of protesters to pressure her high school’s board to hire more Black teachers and train staff in anti-racism, a 22-year-old successfully arguing for a change to the dictionary definition of racism, or teens too young to vote finding each other online and organizing large-scale marches in Nashville or San Francisco, young women of color have found new platforms for their voices in recent weeks – and say they won’t drop the mic anytime soon.
“Women have to be the ones saying, ‘This isn’t right, we have to do something,’” says Hadassah Zenor-Davis, a rising senior at Berkeley High School in California, who protested for weeks after Mr. Floyd’s killing.
By early June, she decided she wanted to organize something of her own, joining forces with two other young women from school. “It felt like the conversation around Black Lives Matter hadn’t reached here yet, and that was a problem,” she says. “Our voices carry weight.”
Women of color have long been backbones of social movements in the United States, but their legacies tend to be absent from history books, or even erased by those who gain the power that comes in movement victories.
Change afoot?
Take women’s suffrage, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. U.S. suffragists drew heavily from liberation movements abroad, taking inspiration from events like the Mexican Revolution, and benefited from the support of women of color.
Yet the movement “split because of race,” says Celeste Montoya Kirk, associate professor of gender studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. “Some white women in the South didn’t want Black people to get the right to vote, and actively worked against that, even while fighting for women to vote.” And once the 19th Amendment was passed, few white activists went to bat to make sure their peers were guaranteed this right as well.
“The activism of women of color is so central to social movements, but it’s obscured,” says Dr. Montoya. “They played the invaluable role of creating coalitions across movements. ... Women of color didn’t have the luxury of dividing the different aspects of their identity,” to say they should fight for racial justice first and gender equality second, she says.“Liberation to them meant liberation on all fronts.”
Analysts say something new is taking shape right now, amid ongoing demonstrations against systemic racism.
“When I talk to my historian friends, we aren’t saying, ‘We’ve seen this before’” – which is historians’ default comment, says Victoria Wolcott, a professor of history at the University at Buffalo in New York. “This is distinctive.”
The combination of an economic crisis, a pandemic, the scale of the protests, and their persistence has created a unique landscape for anti-racism initiatives, and women’s role within them.
“There is more recognition and understanding that those voices have been sublimated in the past,” Dr. Wolcott says.
By the book
Kennedy Mitchum, a recent college graduate now quarantining with her family in a St. Louis suburb, says she protested in six marches in one month because she sees this moment as the perfect opportunity to educate about racism.
For years, she says, people have copied and pasted the dictionary definition of racism in online conversations with her, trying to downplay her experiences. In May, in a series of emails with an editor from Merriam-Webster, she argued its definition needed to be expanded.
“Racism is not only prejudice against a certain race due to the color of a persons skin, as it states in your dictionary,” she wrote. “It is both prejudice combined with social and institutional power.”
After an initial response, she didn’t feel hopeful.
“I wasn’t going to reply. I hate feeling like I’m talking to a brick wall,” she says. “But then I thought: We’re in [a] global pandemic. I’m not really doing anything. I may as well keep trying.”
After a series of exchanges, Merriam-Webster agreed to adjust the language to more clearly include systemic racism.
“Our society, we have a lot of moving forward to do,” Ms. Mitchum says of the need to speak up and protest right now. “Women are treated in a way that sends a message our voices aren’t as worthy. But it’s impossible to ignore we can effect change.”
In recent years, more women of color have been running for and winning public office. In 2016, more than half the new women elected to Congress were women of color.
There is an urgency behind the protests, says Dr. Montoya, and “women of color experience that urgency in their day to day.”
Young leadership
The historically important role of youth in social movements is reflected, too.
Jay’dha Rackard, an 11-year-old in Boston, says she knows that some adults see her as a child, but she’s motivated to make them listen. On June 7 she spoke in front of hundreds at a Peaceful Children’s March against police violence. She says her next goal is to organize a worldwide Million Children’s March, to expand her fight for equal rights and an end to police brutality.
“Black women, young women in general, we don’t get treated as equal. And we don’t always get to talk,” she says. “That will change,” she adds, with a definitive nod.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
The protests have stood out for their almost immediate impact: People are already talking about racism differently, Dr. Montoya says, and ideas that were previously considered radical, like defunding the police, are becoming more mainstream.
“Women are behind so much of this,” Ms. Charris says. “I think what we are living through now will show the world that these gender norms people have attributed to leadership and what it should look like are very far from reality.”


csmonitor--2020-08-03--Around globe, women leaders rise to the pandemic challenge

Of course , leaders are individuals , says Brynhildur Heiðar-og Ómarsdóttir , secretary-general of the feminist Icelandic Women ’ s Rights Association , which operates in the world ’ s No .
1 country for gender parity .
But , she adds , “ once we have women leaders , it ’ s a sign of progress that we have already made as a society in creating diverse leadership and diverse voices .
Women tend to “ lead with more emphasis on consensus , on working with other people.
” Yet many say their leaders ’ successful stewardship is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but a reflection of robust democracies committed to gender equality .
That commitment catapulted those leaders to the top in the first place but also gave them a chance to lead without being bound by gendered stereotypes .
Calm , empathy , decisiveness : It ’ s been the winning common denominator among heads of state navigating the pandemic .
Combining emotional sensitivity with straight talk , and listening to science to shift course as needed , this female leadership approach has spurred conversation on whether women have an edge when tackling the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Throughout the coronavirus pandemic , Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen secured the trust and love of her people .
As Denmark entered one of Europe ’ s first lockdowns in mid-March , the nation ’ s youngest-ever prime minister sang ’ 80s pop while washing dishes in her kitchen on live TV .
She held press conferences with children and sealed her stature as a caring leader by acknowledging the vulnerability of seniors as the country began easing restrictions .
“ We are asking the weakest to be the strongest right now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And that is a tough request.
” Denmark is considered to have waged one of Europe ’ s most successful battles against the first wave of the coronavirus ; it has recorded 616 deaths .
But Ms. Frederiksen revealed in June that she hardly had the answers .
“ I have never been in so much doubt in my life as I was this spring , ” she said in a speech .
Yet her manner was calm and empathetic , and also decisive – the winning common denominator among female heads of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after American women won the right to vote , women represent just a fraction of the world ’ s leadership but a disproportionate number of those who tackled the virus swiftly and successfully .
Those who earned praise include New Zealand ’ s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern , Taiwan ’ s President Tsai Ing-wen , and St. Maarten ’ s Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs .
Their capacity to combine emotional sensitivity with straight talk , and to listen to science and shift course as needed , has spurred conversation globally on whether women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of chaos the pandemic unleashed .
But that discussion is not happening in Denmark – nor in other Nordic countries led by women .
Instead , many in those nations have said their leaders ’ successful stewardship is not the result of essential gender differences , but a reflection of robust democracies committed to gender equality .
That commitment catapulted those leaders to the top in the first place but also gave them a chance to lead without being bound by gendered stereotypes .
Of course , the approach to leadership will reflect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ómarsdóttir , secretary-general of the feminist Icelandic Women ’ s Rights Association , which operates in the world ’ s No .
1 country for gender parity .
But , she adds , “ once we have women leaders , it ’ s a sign of progress that we have already made as a society in creating diverse leadership and diverse voices.
” Women tend to “ lead with more emphasis on consensus , on working with other people , ” she says .
“ And this plays a part in how these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic ] and are leading it.
” It ’ s hard to draw hard conclusions about gender because the sample size for female leadership is still so small , says Carlien Scheele , director of the European Institute for Gender Equality .
Just over 10 % of countries in the world are led by a woman today , according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union , and only 15 % in Europe .
Women who do overcome the hurdles to get to the top tend to be exceptional , experts say .
And of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic .
Belgium , led by a female prime minister , Sophie Wilmès , became a coronavirus hot spot in Europe .
But those who study leadership give high marks to the democratic and more participatory style of many women leaders .
A 2019 analysis published in the Harvard Business Review showed women outscoring men on 17 of 19 leadership capabilities , including building relationships and inspiring and motivating others .
The media found the full embodiment of these attributes in Prime Minister Ardern of New Zealand .
She has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook Live events to warmly encourage her fellow New Zealanders to act in ways that would flatten the infection curve and eradicate the virus .
It worked : New Zealand went into lockdown with just nine deaths and has counted 22 to date .
“ In the face of the greatest threat to human health we have seen in over a century , Kiwis have quietly and collectively implemented a nationwide wall of defense , ” she said .
In Germany , Chancellor Angela Merkel , a physicist by training , eschewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her European peers as she patiently explained exponential infection rates to Germans .
Nicknamed “ Mutti ” – Mother – during her 15 years in office , Ms. Merkel was able to draw her nation into accepting difficult lockdown measures .
In a fast-moving crisis like COVID-19 , leadership requires a full range of human qualities , says Kathleen Gerson , a sociology professor at New York University .
And in countries with more gender equality , the stereotypes are not as rigidly set .
“ Regardless of your gender , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to respond to the anxieties in the culture and also to provide more vision about how to get out of it if you can express and act on both of those dynamics : decisiveness and strength , but also empathy and caring , ” says Dr. Gerson .
“ You need a leader who ’ s got the capacity to do that , ” she says , “ but you also need a political culture that will support that approach.
” The female prime ministers of Norway , Denmark , Finland , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by enforcing strict lockdowns early that exacted a heavy economic cost but decreased threats to human life .
Scientists were not always on their side , but initial results have reinforced the decision .
That was a sentiment shared across Nordic countries excepting Sweden , which opted not to shut down and saw far worse results .
“ These outcomes are striking because basically it means female leadership saves lives and it saves the economy , ” says U.N. Women Deputy Executive Director Anita Bhatia .
“ It saves jobs .
It saves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland , says these women leaders exhibited “ moral clarity ” and planted themselves firmly on the side of protecting as many lives as possible – despite criticism .
Lockdown “ is not a cost-free exercise ; people will suffer , ” says Professor Sridhar .
“ You have to carry your population , which means you have to recognize that pain and that sacrifice.
” That underscores the need to build trust – something that Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir says often follows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the table .
Ms. Gísladóttir was the director of the human rights arm of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe for three years .
“ When you look at countries doing well and where women are leading in the government , the common denominator is that these countries all have strong democratic systems and democratic culture , ” she says .
That culture can also help leaders better recognize weak spots amid a crisis .
Grete Herlofson , secretary-general of The Norwegian Women ’ s Public Health Association , says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
From the start of the pandemic the country , led by conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg , recognized it was Norwegian women losing jobs , carrying the burden of care for older people and children , and at risk of domestic violence .
“ Being a gender-equal country , we were able to see that the pandemic hit women harder than men , ” says Ms. Herlofson .
“ More men died , but more women lost their jobs , more women had major domestic challenges .
... And we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that issue.
” That kind of awareness could benefit women as countries try to shape a new normal in a post-pandemic world .
Just as American women gained suffrage at a time of global change after World War I , this crisis could be a steppingstone to greater gender equality on other fronts .
In Iceland , which has led the globe in the demand for equal pay , feminists such as Ms. Ómarsdóttir are pushing a rethink about undervalued professions that are typically performed by women , such as nursing or elder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , revealed the “ true essential value of women ’ s work.
” Ms. Bhatia of U.N. Women is concerned that women and girls , especially in the developing world , will be disproportionately impoverished economically and educationally as a result of the pandemic , undermining the gains of the past 100 years .
But , she says , if the right lessons are drawn , this crisis could be a pivotal moment for women around the world .
“ It is feeling like the pandemic is a portal into a different future @ @ @ @ @ @

A blend of decisiveness as well as empathy may be key to successful leadership – but so too is a political culture that values diverse voices. Part of our special 100th anniversary edition on women winning the right to vote.
Of course, leaders are individuals, says Brynhildur Heiðar-og Ómarsdóttir, secretary-general of the feminist Icelandic Women’s Rights Association, which operates in the world’s No. 1 country for gender parity. But, she adds, “once we have women leaders, it’s a sign of progress that we have already made as a society in creating diverse leadership and diverse voices. Women tend to “lead with more emphasis on consensus, on working with other people.”
Yet many say their leaders’ successful stewardship is not the result of essential gender differences, but a reflection of robust democracies committed to gender equality. That commitment catapulted those leaders to the top in the first place but also gave them a chance to lead without being bound by gendered stereotypes.
Calm, empathy, decisiveness: It’s been the winning common denominator among heads of state navigating the pandemic. Combining emotional sensitivity with straight talk, and listening to science to shift course as needed, this female leadership approach has spurred conversation on whether women have an edge when tackling the kind of chaos the coronavirus unleashed.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen secured the trust and love of her people.
As Denmark entered one of Europe’s first lockdowns in mid-March, the nation’s youngest-ever prime minister sang ’80s pop while washing dishes in her kitchen on live TV.
She held press conferences with children and sealed her stature as a caring leader by acknowledging the vulnerability of seniors as the country began easing restrictions.
Why We Wrote This A blend of decisiveness as well as empathy may be key to successful leadership – but so too is a political culture that values diverse voices. Part of our special 100th anniversary edition on women winning the right to vote.
“We are asking the weakest to be the strongest right now,” she told the nation. “And that is a tough request.”
Denmark is considered to have waged one of Europe’s most successful battles against the first wave of the coronavirus; it has recorded 616 deaths. But Ms. Frederiksen revealed in June that she hardly had the answers.
“I have never been in so much doubt in my life as I was this spring,” she said in a speech.
Yet her manner was calm and empathetic, and also decisive – the winning common denominator among female heads of state navigating the crisis. A century after American women won the right to vote, women represent just a fraction of the world’s leadership but a disproportionate number of those who tackled the virus swiftly and successfully.
Those who earned praise include New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen, and St. Maarten’s Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs. Their capacity to combine emotional sensitivity with straight talk, and to listen to science and shift course as needed, has spurred conversation globally on whether women have an edge when tackling the kind of chaos the pandemic unleashed.
But that discussion is not happening in Denmark – nor in other Nordic countries led by women. Instead, many in those nations have said their leaders’ successful stewardship is not the result of essential gender differences, but a reflection of robust democracies committed to gender equality. That commitment catapulted those leaders to the top in the first place but also gave them a chance to lead without being bound by gendered stereotypes.
Of course, the approach to leadership will reflect the individual leader, says Brynhildur Heiðar-og Ómarsdóttir, secretary-general of the feminist Icelandic Women’s Rights Association, which operates in the world’s No. 1 country for gender parity. But, she adds, “once we have women leaders, it’s a sign of progress that we have already made as a society in creating diverse leadership and diverse voices.”
Women tend to “lead with more emphasis on consensus, on working with other people,” she says. “And this plays a part in how these women leaders have dealt with the [pandemic] and are leading it.”
Few female heads of government
It’s hard to draw hard conclusions about gender because the sample size for female leadership is still so small, says Carlien Scheele, director of the European Institute for Gender Equality. Just over 10% of countries in the world are led by a woman today, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and only 15% in Europe.
Women who do overcome the hurdles to get to the top tend to be exceptional, experts say. And of course, not all women leaders were standard-setters during the pandemic. Belgium, led by a female prime minister, Sophie Wilmès, became a coronavirus hot spot in Europe.
Loren Elliott/Reuters View caption Hide caption New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became head of government in 2017. Ahead of a Sept. 19 election, opinion polls over the summer indicate strong support for her Labour Party.
But those who study leadership give high marks to the democratic and more participatory style of many women leaders. A 2019 analysis published in the Harvard Business Review showed women outscoring men on 17 of 19 leadership capabilities, including building relationships and inspiring and motivating others.
The media found the full embodiment of these attributes in Prime Minister Ardern of New Zealand. She has been praised, for example, for getting on Facebook Live events to warmly encourage her fellow New Zealanders to act in ways that would flatten the infection curve and eradicate the virus. It worked: New Zealand went into lockdown with just nine deaths and has counted 22 to date.
“In the face of the greatest threat to human health we have seen in over a century, Kiwis have quietly and collectively implemented a nationwide wall of defense,” she said.
In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel, a physicist by training, eschewed the war rhetoric expressed by many of her European peers as she patiently explained exponential infection rates to Germans. Nicknamed “Mutti” – Mother – during her 15 years in office, Ms. Merkel was able to draw her nation into accepting difficult lockdown measures.
In a fast-moving crisis like COVID-19, leadership requires a full range of human qualities, says Kathleen Gerson, a sociology professor at New York University. And in countries with more gender equality, the stereotypes are not as rigidly set.
“Regardless of your gender, you’re probably going to be better able to respond to the anxieties in the culture and also to provide more vision about how to get out of it if you can express and act on both of those dynamics: decisiveness and strength, but also empathy and caring,” says Dr. Gerson.
“You need a leader who’s got the capacity to do that,” she says, “but you also need a political culture that will support that approach.”
The Nordic countries
The female prime ministers of Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland all succeeded in curbing the pandemic by enforcing strict lockdowns early that exacted a heavy economic cost but decreased threats to human life. Scientists were not always on their side, but initial results have reinforced the decision. That was a sentiment shared across Nordic countries excepting Sweden, which opted not to shut down and saw far worse results.
Hakon Mosvold Larsen/NTB Scanpix/Reuters View caption Hide caption Norway’s prime minister and Conservative Party leader, Erna Solberg, learns greeting techniques from students Celine Busk and Rim Daniel Abraham in Oslo at a school reopening April 27, 2020. Ms. Solberg addressed questions about the pandemic during a child-centered TV news conference in March.
“These outcomes are striking because basically it means female leadership saves lives and it saves the economy,” says U.N. Women Deputy Executive Director Anita Bhatia. “It saves jobs. It saves livelihoods.”
Devi Sridhar, professor and chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, says these women leaders exhibited “moral clarity” and planted themselves firmly on the side of protecting as many lives as possible – despite criticism.
Lockdown “is not a cost-free exercise; people will suffer,” says Professor Sridhar. “You have to carry your population, which means you have to recognize that pain and that sacrifice.”
Inclusion of voices
That underscores the need to build trust – something that Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir says often follows from having a greater diversity of viewpoints at the table. Ms. Gísladóttir was the director of the human rights arm of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe for three years.
“When you look at countries doing well and where women are leading in the government, the common denominator is that these countries all have strong democratic systems and democratic culture,” she says.
That culture can also help leaders better recognize weak spots amid a crisis. Grete Herlofson, secretary-general of The Norwegian Women’s Public Health Association, says Norway put an immediate gender lens on the pandemic.
From the start of the pandemic the country, led by conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg, recognized it was Norwegian women losing jobs, carrying the burden of care for older people and children, and at risk of domestic violence.
“Being a gender-equal country, we were able to see that the pandemic hit women harder than men,” says Ms. Herlofson. “More men died, but more women lost their jobs, more women had major domestic challenges. ... And we were able to have a discussion on that issue.”
That kind of awareness could benefit women as countries try to shape a new normal in a post-pandemic world. Just as American women gained suffrage at a time of global change after World War I, this crisis could be a steppingstone to greater gender equality on other fronts.
Value of women’s work
In Iceland, which has led the globe in the demand for equal pay, feminists such as Ms. Ómarsdóttir are pushing a rethink about undervalued professions that are typically performed by women, such as nursing or elder care. The pandemic, she says, revealed the “true essential value of women’s work.”
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Ms. Bhatia of U.N. Women is concerned that women and girls, especially in the developing world, will be disproportionately impoverished economically and educationally as a result of the pandemic, undermining the gains of the past 100 years.
But, she says, if the right lessons are drawn, this crisis could be a pivotal moment for women around the world. “It is feeling like the pandemic is a portal into a different future,” Ms. Bhatia says.


csmonitor--2020-08-03--Got milk? Dairy industry revives classic slogan as sales rise.

The dairy industry has a familiar question for you : “ Got milk ?
” Six years after the popular tagline was retired , “ Got milk ?
” ads are back .
A dairy industry-funded group is reviving the campaign , hoping to prolong the boost milk has gotten during the pandemic .
U.S. milk sales have been in free fall for decades as choices grew and consumers turned to soda , juices , and plant-based alternatives like soy milk .
Dean Foods , the nation ’ s biggest milk producer , filed for bankruptcy protection in November .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed with its own bankruptcy in January .
But then came the coronavirus pandemic , and milk sales saw a sharp rise .
Kids who were no longer having meals at school were drinking milk at home .
Adults – no longer commuting – had time for a leisurely bowl of cereal .
Many people were buying milk to bake and cook at home .
Unlike the original “ Got milk ?
” campaign , which debuted in 1994 and was known for its glossy photos of celebrities sporting milk mustaches , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media .
Television ads feature videos culled from the Internet of people doing funny things with milk , like opening a gallon with their toes or jumping into a kiddie pool filled with milk and cereal .
In one TikTok spot , Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky swims the length of a pool with a glass of chocolate milk balanced on her head .
There will also be tie-ins with other brands like Hershey , which will offer in-grocery coupons when shoppers buy milk with chocolate syrup .
From January through July 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8.3 % to $ 6.4 billion , according to Nielsen .
During the same period last year , milk sales were down 2.3 % .
Milk sales saw their biggest year-over-year jump of 21 % in March , when buyers were stocking up their pantries .
But they remained elevated even after panic buying subsided .
In June U.S. milk sales were up 2 % .
Sales of milk alternatives have also risen .
U.S. sales of oat milk were up 270 % to $ 132 million in the 29-week period , Nielsen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and rice milk also saw gains .
Yin Woon Rani , CEO of MilkPEP – short for the Milk Processor Education Program , which is funding the campaign – said cow 's milk ticks the boxes of what consumers are looking for during a pandemic : comfort , nutrition , stability , and versatility .
Social media research showed a 40 % increase in positive mentions about milk this year , she said .
“ It ’ s been a really exceptional year , ” she said .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we sustain that demand ?
’ ” Other brands have also noted that consumers are looking for comfort foods .
McDonald 's said last week that it will focus on familiar menu items – not newer innovations – when it ramps up marketing in the second half of this year .
“ Consumers are still looking for the trusted favorites , ” McDonald 's President and CEO Chris Kempczkinsi said .
The “ Got milk ?
” campaign will likely run through the end of this year .
Ms. Rani would n't say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rani said the organization debated a lot of tag lines for the campaign but found “ Got milk ?
” resonated the most .
Even teens too young to have seen the original ads knew the line , she said .
“ Sometimes the answer you ’ re looking for is right under your nose , ” she said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ @ @ @

The dairy industry has a familiar question for you: “Got milk?”
Six years after the popular tagline was retired, “Got milk?” ads are back. A dairy industry-funded group is reviving the campaign, hoping to prolong the boost milk has gotten during the pandemic.
U.S. milk sales have been in free fall for decades as choices grew and consumers turned to soda, juices, and plant-based alternatives like soy milk. Dean Foods, the nation’s biggest milk producer, filed for bankruptcy protection in November. Borden Dairy, another major producer, followed with its own bankruptcy in January.
But then came the coronavirus pandemic, and milk sales saw a sharp rise. Kids who were no longer having meals at school were drinking milk at home. Adults – no longer commuting – had time for a leisurely bowl of cereal. Many people were buying milk to bake and cook at home.
Unlike the original “Got milk?” campaign, which debuted in 1994 and was known for its glossy photos of celebrities sporting milk mustaches, the new campaign reflects the age of social media.
Television ads feature videos culled from the Internet of people doing funny things with milk, like opening a gallon with their toes or jumping into a kiddie pool filled with milk and cereal. In one TikTok spot, Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky swims the length of a pool with a glass of chocolate milk balanced on her head.
There will also be tie-ins with other brands like Hershey, which will offer in-grocery coupons when shoppers buy milk with chocolate syrup.
From January through July 18, U.S. milk retail sales were up 8.3% to $6.4 billion, according to Nielsen. During the same period last year, milk sales were down 2.3%.
Milk sales saw their biggest year-over-year jump of 21% in March, when buyers were stocking up their pantries. But they remained elevated even after panic buying subsided. In June U.S. milk sales were up 2%.
Sales of milk alternatives have also risen. U.S. sales of oat milk were up 270% to $132 million in the 29-week period, Nielsen said. Almond milk, coconut milk, and rice milk also saw gains.
Yin Woon Rani, CEO of MilkPEP – short for the Milk Processor Education Program, which is funding the campaign – said cow's milk ticks the boxes of what consumers are looking for during a pandemic: comfort, nutrition, stability, and versatility. Social media research showed a 40% increase in positive mentions about milk this year, she said.
“It’s been a really exceptional year,” she said. “We’re very focused on, ‘How do we sustain that demand?’”
Other brands have also noted that consumers are looking for comfort foods. McDonald's said last week that it will focus on familiar menu items – not newer innovations – when it ramps up marketing in the second half of this year.
“Consumers are still looking for the trusted favorites,” McDonald's President and CEO Chris Kempczkinsi said.
The “Got milk?” campaign will likely run through the end of this year. Ms. Rani wouldn't say how much MilkPEP is spending.
Ms. Rani said the organization debated a lot of tag lines for the campaign but found “Got milk?” resonated the most. Even teens too young to have seen the original ads knew the line, she said.
“Sometimes the answer you’re looking for is right under your nose,” she said.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-03--Chimpanzees missed visitors. US zoos missed them even more.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began keeping visitors at home , the jaguars and chimpanzees at the Oakland Zoo have enjoyed the quiet , venturing out to areas of their exhibits they usually avoid .
The bears and petting pigs miss the children , though , and are seeking more attention from zookeepers .
Some things , however , have n't changed .
The $ 55,000 in daily animal food costs have put the nearly 100-year-old zoo in a dire financial situation .
`` We have already lost the bulk of our summer revenue and are living off whatever reserves we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to run out at some point , '' said Joel Parrott , president of the Oakland Zoo , home to 750 large animals .
The zoo and hundreds of others across the country were ordered to close in March – the start of the busiest season for most animal parks – forcing administrators to deal with the pandemic 's financial impact through layoffs and pay cuts .
Even as they reopen , zoos and aquariums from Alaska to Florida are seeing few visitors , prompting administrators to plead for support from their communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zoo has laid off more than 100 employees , primarily those who work with guests .
Another 200 who care for animals and provide veterinary services and safety for the public and animals are still working and represent part of the zoo 's $ 1.2 million a month in costs , Mr. Parrott said .
California officials this month allowed the zoo to reopen its outdoor areas Wednesday , but the animal park still faces a big challenge .
Guests provide more than 90 % of revenue through tickets , concessions , rides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attendance and revenue in Oakland – and around the country – are falling short .
`` Members are hitting 20 % to 50 % of their normal revenue targets , '' said Dan Ashe , president of the national Association of Zoos and Aquariums .
About 75 % of the 220 United States zoos and aquariums represented by the association have reopened , but without additional assistance , they 're facing `` very difficult decisions about further furloughs or layoffs and then ultimately about their survival , '' Mr. Ashe said .
Six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal government 's coronavirus relief package , but that financial support runs out this month .
Dino Ferri , president of the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Garden , said he wakes up at night trying to figure out how he will make up the $ 1.5 million his park lost during its two-month closure that ended in May .
Normally those are the busiest months for the zoo , which depends on visitors for 80 % of its revenue .
The Sanford , Florida , zoo is home to 350 animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each year .
With schools closed , major events canceled , and few tourists , the zoo is struggling to bring in even half of the $ 450,000 a month it needs to keep the park running , Mr. Ferri said .
The park is now allowed to open to as many as 1,000 people at a time and Mr. Ferri had hoped for a busy summer , but only about 350 visitors a day are showing up .
`` People are afraid , '' Mr. Ferri said .
`` We expected a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and are doing staycations , but the uptick in cases in the state of Florida and all the stuff on the news are keeping people at home . ''
As a result , he has laid off 40 % of staff , cut leadership team salaries , including his own , and launched a campaign to raise $ 1.5 million by December to restore the zoo 's operating budget to pre-virus levels .
`` We 're looking at cutting our education department and at more salary reductions across the board , more layoffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We just have to keep trying to bleed . ''
In Seward , Alaska , three-quarters of past visitors to the Alaska SeaLife Center – an aquarium and research center that runs Alaska 's only marine mammal rescue program – have been tourists who arrive by plane or cruise ship .
With most cruises canceled , there are few people to see the octopus , and the site 's rare Steller sea lions .
SeaLife Center President and CEO Tara Riemer said the aquarium , built partly with funds from a settlement after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing only about 25 % of its typical number of pre-pandemic visitors .
She expects a $ 3 million budget shortfall this year .
`` If we do n't have enough money to make it through the winter , we have no option but to send these animals away and close the facility , '' Ms. Riemer said .
Closing zoos and aquariums is an expensive task .
Just finding new homes for animals is now even more complicated with so few flights and so many animal parks and aquariums struggling financially .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it has significantly lowered expenses by freezing the hiring of seasonal and other workers and cutting salaries by 10 % .
Ms. Riemer said she remains optimistic .
She and her staff are focused on raising at least $ 2 million by the end of September by reaching out to foundations , seeking government grants , and turning to Alaskans and others for support .
The city of Seward has pledged $ 500,000 if the center raises $ 1.3 million .
In a heartening sign , the center sold 500 new memberships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 155 each , in a single day – more than a quarter of the number normally purchased in a year .
`` I am optimistic that we 'll be able to pull together these funds because there are a lot of people in Alaska who are trying to figure out how to help us , '' Ms. Riemer said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP journalist Terry Chea in Oakland contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverage .
It ’ s free .

Since the coronavirus pandemic began keeping visitors at home, the jaguars and chimpanzees at the Oakland Zoo have enjoyed the quiet, venturing out to areas of their exhibits they usually avoid.
The bears and petting pigs miss the children, though, and are seeking more attention from zookeepers.
Some things, however, haven't changed. The $55,000 in daily animal food costs have put the nearly 100-year-old zoo in a dire financial situation.
"We have already lost the bulk of our summer revenue and are living off whatever reserves we have left, but they are going to run out at some point," said Joel Parrott, president of the Oakland Zoo, home to 750 large animals.
The zoo and hundreds of others across the country were ordered to close in March – the start of the busiest season for most animal parks – forcing administrators to deal with the pandemic's financial impact through layoffs and pay cuts. Even as they reopen, zoos and aquariums from Alaska to Florida are seeing few visitors, prompting administrators to plead for support from their communities to avoid permanent closure.
The Oakland Zoo has laid off more than 100 employees, primarily those who work with guests. Another 200 who care for animals and provide veterinary services and safety for the public and animals are still working and represent part of the zoo's $1.2 million a month in costs, Mr. Parrott said.
California officials this month allowed the zoo to reopen its outdoor areas Wednesday, but the animal park still faces a big challenge.
Guests provide more than 90% of revenue through tickets, concessions, rides, gifts, and parties. But attendance and revenue in Oakland – and around the country – are falling short.
"Members are hitting 20% to 50% of their normal revenue targets," said Dan Ashe, president of the national Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
About 75% of the 220 United States zoos and aquariums represented by the association have reopened, but without additional assistance, they're facing "very difficult decisions about further furloughs or layoffs and then ultimately about their survival," Mr. Ashe said. Six in 10 members applied for assistance from the federal government's coronavirus relief package, but that financial support runs out this month.
Dino Ferri, president of the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Garden, said he wakes up at night trying to figure out how he will make up the $1.5 million his park lost during its two-month closure that ended in May. Normally those are the busiest months for the zoo, which depends on visitors for 80% of its revenue.
The Sanford, Florida, zoo is home to 350 animals and is visited by 40,000 school kids each year. With schools closed, major events canceled, and few tourists, the zoo is struggling to bring in even half of the $450,000 a month it needs to keep the park running, Mr. Ferri said.
The park is now allowed to open to as many as 1,000 people at a time and Mr. Ferri had hoped for a busy summer, but only about 350 visitors a day are showing up.
"People are afraid," Mr. Ferri said. "We expected a boom from people who are not traveling and are doing staycations, but the uptick in cases in the state of Florida and all the stuff on the news are keeping people at home."
As a result, he has laid off 40% of staff, cut leadership team salaries, including his own, and launched a campaign to raise $1.5 million by December to restore the zoo's operating budget to pre-virus levels.
"We're looking at cutting our education department and at more salary reductions across the board, more layoffs," Mr. Ferri said. "We just have to keep trying to bleed."
In Seward, Alaska, three-quarters of past visitors to the Alaska SeaLife Center – an aquarium and research center that runs Alaska's only marine mammal rescue program – have been tourists who arrive by plane or cruise ship. With most cruises canceled, there are few people to see the octopus, and the site's rare Steller sea lions.
SeaLife Center President and CEO Tara Riemer said the aquarium, built partly with funds from a settlement after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, is seeing only about 25% of its typical number of pre-pandemic visitors. She expects a $3 million budget shortfall this year.
"If we don't have enough money to make it through the winter, we have no option but to send these animals away and close the facility," Ms. Riemer said.
Closing zoos and aquariums is an expensive task. Just finding new homes for animals is now even more complicated with so few flights and so many animal parks and aquariums struggling financially.
SeaLife has not laid off any staff but it has significantly lowered expenses by freezing the hiring of seasonal and other workers and cutting salaries by 10%.
Ms. Riemer said she remains optimistic. She and her staff are focused on raising at least $2 million by the end of September by reaching out to foundations, seeking government grants, and turning to Alaskans and others for support.
The city of Seward has pledged $500,000 if the center raises $1.3 million. In a heartening sign, the center sold 500 new memberships, costing from $60 to $155 each, in a single day – more than a quarter of the number normally purchased in a year.
"I am optimistic that we'll be able to pull together these funds because there are a lot of people in Alaska who are trying to figure out how to help us," Ms. Riemer said.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP journalist Terry Chea in Oakland contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-03--A look behind the scenes of the Monitor's suffrage coverage

In January , when a group of editors and writers first gathered to talk about how we should cover the 100th anniversary of women ’ s suffrage , we never dreamed that the project would be overshadowed by a pandemic and by protests over racial injustice .
We wanted to tell the story not just of a hard-won victory for women ’ s voting rights in 1920 and the ongoing struggle for equality today , but also of the evolution of women into global leaders .
By mid-March , all of us were working from home .
We refined our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writers from California to South Africa jumped on board .
We were elated when Elaine Weiss , the noted historian and author of “ The Woman ’ s Hour , ” agreed to write the cover story .
One of the questions the group asked was : “ Why has progress for American women not kept pace with that in many other developed nations ?
” After 100 years , shouldn ’ t women be on equal footing with men in every sphere , from boardrooms to living rooms to factory floors ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and perceptions impede this goal .
We also wanted to explore leadership not just in the United States , but around the world .
We decided to devote an entire issue of the Weekly magazine to pondering these questions and to examining women ’ s progress ( and lack thereof ) .
By July , graphic designer Karen Norris had developed a visual language for the issue , which included a palette of purple and gold , the colors adopted by women ’ s suffrage groups in the U.S. Karen also designed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the magazine .
In 1920 , roses were worn in the lapels of those who supported women ’ s right to vote ( yellow ) and those who opposed it ( red ) .
Our rose serves as a leitmotif : The “ petals ” are made of intersecting lines that symbolize the many facets of women ’ s lives , individually and collectively , that integrate into the whole .
While the rose motif struck as a flash of inspiration , other decisions were more difficult .
For example , the print @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iterations .
We kept adding women and their achievements , until the timeline had ballooned beyond all space constraints , and tough decisions had to be made .
It was important that our lineup reflect the contributions of women of color and other marginalized groups , who were often forgotten or denied credit for their accomplishments .
We hoped to provide a thumbnail narrative of women ’ s firsts across a number of fields .
Seeking guidance , we enlisted the help of historian Susan Ware .
Readers , no doubt , will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represented .
As we are learning , especially in recent months , a society can not move forward with just one group holding the reins of power .
Ultimately , leadership must be shared across race , class , economic status , and gender .
Attitudes are shifting , slowly .
As a professor in one story tells her students , “ It ’ s not about ‘ Just get out of [ women ’ s ] way.
’ It ’ s walk the journey with them .
”

In January, when a group of editors and writers first gathered to talk about how we should cover the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, we never dreamed that the project would be overshadowed by a pandemic and by protests over racial injustice.
We wanted to tell the story not just of a hard-won victory for women’s voting rights in 1920 and the ongoing struggle for equality today, but also of the evolution of women into global leaders.
By mid-March, all of us were working from home. We refined our story list and made assignments. Staff writers from California to South Africa jumped on board. We were elated when Elaine Weiss, the noted historian and author of “The Woman’s Hour,” agreed to write the cover story.
Why We Wrote This We wanted to tell the story of the hard-won victory for women’s voting rights in 1920, along with the evolution of women into global leaders. To see all the stories in our special 100th anniversary edition, click here.
One of the questions the group asked was: “Why has progress for American women not kept pace with that in many other developed nations?” After 100 years, shouldn’t women be on equal footing with men in every sphere, from boardrooms to living rooms to factory floors? We wanted to know what societal attitudes and perceptions impede this goal. We also wanted to explore leadership not just in the United States, but around the world.
We decided to devote an entire issue of the Weekly magazine to pondering these questions and to examining women’s progress (and lack thereof).
By July, graphic designer Karen Norris had developed a visual language for the issue, which included a palette of purple and gold, the colors adopted by women’s suffrage groups in the U.S.
Karen also designed the rose medallion on our cover and throughout the magazine. In 1920, roses were worn in the lapels of those who supported women’s right to vote (yellow) and those who opposed it (red). Our rose serves as a leitmotif: The “petals” are made of intersecting lines that symbolize the many facets of women’s lives, individually and collectively, that integrate into the whole.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
While the rose motif struck as a flash of inspiration, other decisions were more difficult. For example, the print version of the timeline went through many iterations. We kept adding women and their achievements, until the timeline had ballooned beyond all space constraints, and tough decisions had to be made. It was important that our lineup reflect the contributions of women of color and other marginalized groups, who were often forgotten or denied credit for their accomplishments. We hoped to provide a thumbnail narrative of women’s firsts across a number of fields. Seeking guidance, we enlisted the help of historian Susan Ware. Readers, no doubt, will have additional ideas of who should be represented.
As we are learning, especially in recent months, a society cannot move forward with just one group holding the reins of power. Ultimately, leadership must be shared across race, class, economic status, and gender. Attitudes are shifting, slowly. As a professor in one story tells her students, “It’s not about ‘Just get out of [women’s] way.’ It’s walk the journey with them.”


csmonitor--2020-08-03--A vote for the word ‘suffragist,’ not ‘suffragette’

In 2019 , Democratic congresswomen wore white to the State of the Union address to honor the women who had fought for the right to vote and to highlight the progress that still needs to be made toward legal equality .
Early 20th-century campaigners would often dress in white , a traditional symbol of female purity , to call attention to their cause .
In this online age , the congresswomen used the hashtag # suffragettewhite .
It is ironic that suffragette has become such a widely used term , since most of the women who campaigned for suffrage preferred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1906 by a ( male ) journalist in order to mock the “ militant ” members of the Women ’ s Social and Political Union ( WSPU ) in Britain , who went on hunger strikes and chained themselves to railings .
As a demeaning term , suffragette was effective .
The diminutive suffix -ette implies small ( kitchenette ) , imitation ( leatherette ) , and cute ( imagine the Radio City Rockets instead of the Rockettes ) .
The women of the WSPU turned the word into a rallying cry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proudly as “ suffragettes ” and renamed their newspaper The Suffragette .
Most American campaigners , leery of what some regarded as WSPU ’ s aggressive methods , preferred suffragist .
The -ette suffix did not die out when women finally won the right to vote .
Instead , its use multiplied as they joined the workforce in larger numbers .
When Congress created the Navy Women ’ s Reserve during World War II , newspapers reported it as “ Roosevelt Signs ‘ Sailorette ’ Bill ” ( Topeka Capital , July 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , a magazine noted that Chicago had hired female police officers : “ Chicago tries ‘ Copettes.
’ ” Today -ette is no longer a productive suffix , according to the Oxford online dictionary , except when used in a “ deliberately flippant ” or “ humorous ” way – some female supporters of President Donald Trump call themselves “ Trumpettes , ” for example .
The synonymous suffix -ess is falling out of use as well .
Movie stars are actors today regardless of gender .
Waiters and waitresses have both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight attendants .
While -ess is less openly belittling than -ette , it serves the same pernicious function ; it implies that the default person in the role is male , and a woman is noteworthy and less qualified .
Today , we refer to people engaged in a cause as activists , whatever their gender .
The use of gendered diminutives is dying out , thanks to the protest movements set in motion by the suffragists .

In 2019, Democratic congresswomen wore white to the State of the Union address to honor the women who had fought for the right to vote and to highlight the progress that still needs to be made toward legal equality. Early 20th-century campaigners would often dress in white, a traditional symbol of female purity, to call attention to their cause. In this online age, the congresswomen used the hashtag #suffragettewhite.
It is ironic that suffragette has become such a widely used term, since most of the women who campaigned for suffrage preferred the gender-neutral suffragist. Suffragette was coined in 1906 by a (male) journalist in order to mock the “militant” members of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in Britain, who went on hunger strikes and chained themselves to railings.
As a demeaning term, suffragette was effective. The diminutive suffix -ette implies small (kitchenette), imitation (leatherette), and cute (imagine the Radio City Rockets instead of the Rockettes). The women of the WSPU turned the word into a rallying cry, however. They referred to themselves proudly as “suffragettes” and renamed their newspaper The Suffragette. Most American campaigners, leery of what some regarded as WSPU’s aggressive methods, preferred suffragist.
The -ette suffix did not die out when women finally won the right to vote. Instead, its use multiplied as they joined the workforce in larger numbers. When Congress created the Navy Women’s Reserve during World War II, newspapers reported it as “Roosevelt Signs ‘Sailorette’ Bill” (Topeka Capital, July 31, 1942). In the same year, a magazine noted that Chicago had hired female police officers: “Chicago tries ‘Copettes.’”
Today -ette is no longer a productive suffix, according to the Oxford online dictionary, except when used in a “deliberately flippant” or “humorous” way – some female supporters of President Donald Trump call themselves “Trumpettes,” for example.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
The synonymous suffix -ess is falling out of use as well. Movie stars are actors today regardless of gender. Waiters and waitresses have both become servers; stewards and stewardesses are flight attendants. While -ess is less openly belittling than -ette, it serves the same pernicious function; it implies that the default person in the role is male, and a woman is noteworthy and less qualified.
Today, we refer to people engaged in a cause as activists, whatever their gender. The use of gendered diminutives is dying out, thanks to the protest movements set in motion by the suffragists.