Skirting Tradition, Chatting With the Old Girls' Club

Women in politics talk to the next generation about starting up a new tradition.

By Michelle Paladino, NYU

Washington, D.C. is famous for its “old boys’ club” reputation, full of backrooms choked with cigar smoke and expensive pinstripe suits. Although women make up more than half of the country’s population, they make up only 14% of Congress. However, there are some female pioneers out in the political frontier. A new book, Skirting Tradition: Women in Politics Speak to the Next Generation, offers up their stories, observations, and advice.

This collection of essays, from a resolutely bipartisan collection of authors ranging from Senator Elizabeth Dole to Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile, was edited by a group of female Harvard undergraduates, led by Lia Larson, who will be graduating in a month.

The editors asked their contributors why young women should opt for a career in the predominantly male world of politics. Larson hopes that the book will have a two-fold impact: “[I hope] young women read this book and become inspired to get involved in politics. I also hope that women already in politics will read this book and realize how important it is that they strive to be role models and mentors for their young admirers.”

Although the perspectives of the essays differ widely, there are some common threads tying the collection together. Many of the authors find inspiration from their mothers who were leaders in their own right within the domestic sphere. Authors draw on their own stories to provide inspiration for their readers. In one of the most compelling personal accounts, Senator Barbara Boxer describes the ups and downs of her campaign for the Democratic nomination for the California Senate seat. She had decided to drop out of the primary under the pressure of a relentless and brutal campaign, but a combination of Dr. Seuss, and her two children got Boxer back in the race which she ultimately won.

Generally, the authors were not motivated to make history by being “the first female to….”, but, more often, they felt compelled to effect change in the world through their thoughts, plans, and leadership. Although personal stories from the trenches make these essays particularly enjoyable, the authors often focus on speaking directly to the reader, calling on all young women to learn from their mistakes and successes and follow them into the political realm. These ground-breaking and thoughtful women all skirted a tradition that they hope will be replaced by a tradition of women in political leadership.

Check out some highlights from Skirting Traditions:

Senator Barbara Boxer (D- California)

“As a backdrop to the individual campaigns, the media was greatly playing up 1992 as ‘The Year of the Woman.’ . . . I soon began to realize that the Senate elections of 1992 were far bigger than those of us running….And we took the heat. All of us.”

Celinda Lake, President of Lake, Snelly, Perry & Associates and leading Democratic strategist

“In Congress, alone there have only been 218 women who have served and over 11,000 men. And as I often say to our women candidates, no man has ever stood up to give you his seat in Congress. You have to knock him out of it. So I hope you will think about doing just that at the state and local level. We did a study a couple of years ago of … young men and women who made up the potential, the pool for future office. . . .One difference was that 71% of the men said, ‘People have always said to me: “Joe, you should run for Congress! You should be in office!’ Only 23% of the woman said that people had always said to them, ‘You should run for office!’ So I ask you today, and I say to you – you should run for office.”

Senator Elizabeth Dole (R- North Carolina)

“…The perseverance of so many hard-working women has truly redefined America, and we are a better country because of them. Still, there is much more to be done. And that’s why it is so important that we women share our experiences with our colleagues and learn from one another. The power of women helping women should never be underestimated.”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D- California)

“As leaders in public service, we must take risks. Women become leaders because we have passion – to succeed, to make the world better, to impact the future. . . . As women, let’s never forget how we got here. The full impact of being elected into the leadership in Congress did not hit me until I accompanied the other top Congressional leaders – all men – to the White House to meet with President Bush. As we joined the President, suddenly it dawned on me: This was a group of the highest elected leaders in the entire country. And for the first time in the history of our great nation, a woman was at the table. Not as an observer. Not as a guest. But as a leader elected in her own right by her peers. . . . Which brings me to another lesson – we have made history, now let’s make progress.”

Marie Wilson, Co-Founder and President of the White House Project, a national organization dedicated to getting women involved in politics.

“I used to think having women and men share power was the fair thing to do, but now I think it is the best possible thing we could do to change the direction of our country…Internationally, the U.S. ranks 58 th in women’s political leadership, behind Slovakia. . . . In ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave,’ despite the enormous gains we have made in the last 25 years, the cultural ideal for women remains that of wife and mother.”

Theresa Amato, President of Citizen Works, a D.C.–based non profit organization, founded by Ralph Nader to advance justice by strengthening citizen participation in power.

“I am tired of waiting for more women to be elected to office to change the world. My daughter Isabella was born last year and I don’t want her to go off to college and still find the same dismal statistics. Not just because it is embarrassing that the United States still does not have anything near to gender parity in political power but because of the injustices that still may exist because half of the population is still grossly underrepresented in the decision making … Think boldly for yourself but also for others. Sometimes it is even more important to work on the system then to work in it. There is a world of injustice but also a world of promise that cannot afford for you to stand on the sidelines. It needs you – your talent, your voice and your commitment. Please, join the global campaign for justice. Pick an injustice that you won’t continue to tolerate in your lifetime and go after it. This may be difficult and success may be slow, but it is rewarding and never boring.”

Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, former PM of New Zealand

“Some Key steps to successfully entering politics.

1. Get your head sorted out – ask yourself why you want to do this.


2. Have a hard head and a soft heart – decision making is demanding. Be ready to balance the facts and what you think you know, with compassion and empathy for the people you seek to serve, and then decide


3. Form opinions about the issues of the day – read, think, listen then decide


4. Practice communicating your ideas – volunteer to speak, to chair to debate to lead. Seek out opportunities to engage. Even if you are very skilled, you will get better at it with practice and experience.


5. Find your role models and mentors – find a politician you admire and share your aspirations with them. You may be surprised how willing they will be to create opportunities for you.”

“There is no doubt that women running for office face different challenges than men. That was brought home to me when I first began running for governor. It was early in the campaign, shortly after I had announced my intention to run. I was dressed up in my best ‘candidate clothes’ for a day of campaigning. My first appointment was to interview a media consultant for the campaign. When I walked into the interview, the consultant took one look at me and said, ‘Get rid of that pocketbook. Governors don’t carry pocketbooks!’ (of course, after I became governor, my state troopers carried my pocketbook.)”

Donna Brazile, Chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Voting Rights Institute

“In order for women to take their permanent seats – and not just the folding chairs in the room – it’s time for women such as veteran pollsters . . . to be recognized for their talent and wisdom. . . . The best way to achieve this goal is for women to form the equivalent of the old boys’ network and create a new circle of empowerment.”

Illustration: August J. Pollak