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Arewereadyforawomanpresident?/
U.S.lagsrestofworldinputtingwomen
inpositionsofrealpoliticalpower
VickiHaddock,InsightStaffWriter Published4:00am,Sunday,April29,2007

IMAGE1OF10
Arewereadyforawomanpresident?ChroniclegraphicbyLanceJackson

TheFrenchmayexperienceanotherrevolutionbydoingitnextweek.Indiadidityears
ago,asdidIsrael,GreatBritainandthePhilippines.SodidGermany,ChileandLiberia.
EvenPakistan,wherewomeninsomeregionsareforbiddentoleavetheirhomeswithoutamale
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escort,isamongthe42countriesthathavehadatleastonewomanaspresidentorprime
ministeroverthelasthalfcentury.
SowhyhasittakentheUnitedStatesthislongeventoseriouslyconsiderdoingit?
WhenGallupbeganpollingin1937onwhetherU.S.voterswerewillingtosupportawomanfor
president,lessthanathirdsaidtheycouldvoteforawomen.Today,atlonglast,awomanhas
becomethefrontrunnerforamajorparty'snominationtotheWhiteHouse.
YetHillaryClinton'sdistinctionisalmostlostamidacrowdof"metoo"majorcontenderswho
couldthemselvesmakehistory:BarackObamaasthefirstAfricanAmericanpresident,Bill
RichardsonasthefirstLatino,MittRomneyasthefirstMormon,JohnMcCainastheoldest
presidentuponelection.Howironic,fromahistoricalperspective,thatmanyregardClintonas
thepreordainedestablishmentcandidate,depictedinaYouTubeparodyofanAppleComputer
adasthedroningauthorityofthestatusquo.

It'sasifinthelasthalfcentury,thenotionofafemalepresidentwentfromhereticaltobanal
withouteverhavingbecome,youknow,reality.
MeanwhilethemostpowerfulpoliticalpostinEuropethepresidencyofFranceisforthe
firsttimeinhistorywithinfemininegrasp.SocialistSegoleneRoyalwonaspotintherunoffnext
Sundaybyplacingsecondinthefirstroundofvoting.
IsitfairtopresumethattheUnitedStateslagsbehindmuchoftheworldbecauseofa
subterraneansexism?Havewemadeonlylittleprogressinthe40yearssincehistorianRichard
Neustadtblithelyprefacedhispopularbookonthepresidencywiththeobservation:"Whenwe
inaugurateapresidentoftheUnitedStateswegiveamanthepowersofourhighestoffice."
Whileabout90percentofAmericanssaytheycouldsupportafemalepresidentialcandidate,
thatfiguremaybedeceptiveonlyabout60percentsaidyeslastfallwhenGalluppollsters
askedthemorerevealingquestion:AreAmericansreadytoelectafemalepresident?
"Ithinkwedostillsufferfromthenotionthatwomenarenotasgoodasmenthattheyaren't
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asrational.Ifyouhave1in10admittingthattopollsters,youmustunderstandtherearestill
morewhothinksoprivatelybutwon'tsaysopublicly,"saidFaridaJalalzai,assistantprofessorof
politicalscienceattheUniversityofMissouriSt.Louis.AsthedaughterofPakistaniimmigrants,
sheisstruckbytheironythatPakistanhadafemaleleaderdecadesbeforetheUnitedStates.She
hasspentyearsresearchingtheroleofgenderinpoliticalleadership.
"ButIthinkweintheUnitedStatesaremostlyhinderedbyouruniquepresidentialsystem
becauseitissopowerfulandbecauseitreliesonthepopularvote,"shesaid.Nooneshould
seriouslysuggestthatwomenshouldvoteforwomensimplybecauseofchromosomes.Butwhy,
giventhediverseandallegedlyegalitarianorientationoftheUnitedStates,andthefactthat
dozensofwomenarepresidentsorprimeministerselsewheretoday,hastheOvalOfficeborne
thedefactostamp"Onlywhitemenneedapply"?
"Everytimemarbleceilings(break),eachbreakcreatesmoreopportunitiesforwomen.Our
progressisslow,butwehaveanicetrendlineintherightdirection,"saidVictoriaBudson,
executivedirectorofHarvard'sWomenandPublicPolicyProgram."Still,Idon'tthinkmostof
usexpectedafterGerryFerraro'snominationforvicepresident(in1984)thatwewouldgomore
than20yearswithjustwhitemenontheticket.
"SoI'mnotsayingbepatient.Tothecontrary,Ithinkweshouldbeimpatient."
ButfemalecandidatesfaceaspecialburdeninU.S.presidentialelectionsbecausethecountry
standswiththelargestnucleararsenalandastheplanet'ssolesuperpower.AsLauraLiswood,
cofounderoftheWhiteHouseProjectandtheCouncilofWomenWorldLeaders,hasobserved,
thisputsapremiumonperceivedmilitaryexpertise.Theroleofcommanderinchiefconjuresup
a"warriorimage"onefavoringtraditionalmasculinityinsteadofpoliticalinstinctsthatseem
morematernal.
What'smore,thepeculiaritiesofourAmericancharactermakeitharderforfemalecontenders.
Inourmovieidolsandourpresidents,Americansvalueruggedindividualism,bravado,acowboy
mystiquearolethatmenfindeasiertoplay,eventhosewhowereIvyLeaguefratboy
cheerleaders.
Severalfemaleheadsofstatehaveservedasfigureheadswithoutmuchrealpower.Others,like
CorazonAquinointhePhilippines,gavealotofofficialpowertotheiradvisers,whileNicaraguan
PresidentVioletaChamorrowascorneredintoappeasingthemilitarybecausetheSandinistas
controlledthearmyandpoliceforces.
And33of51womenwhohaveservedasthetopleadersintheircountriessharedpowerinsome
fashion.

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InJalalzai'sanalysisofwomenwhobecamepresidentorprimeministersincethefirst,Sirimavo
Bandaranaike,wasappointedprimeministerofSriLankain1960,Jalazaifoundthat35percent
arefromEurope,20percentfromAsia,16percentfromAfrica,14percentfromLatinAmerica
and8percentfromtheCaribbean.TheMiddleEastcontributedonlyone,GoldaMeirofIsrael.
AndNorthAmericaalsohashadonlyone,KimCampbellofCanada.
Inpolitics,womenarenotnecessarilythekinder,gentlergender.Femaleleaderswithstiff
backbonesruledIsrael,IndiaandGreatBritain.ConsiderthewordsofformerBritishPrime
MinisterMargaretThatcher,whotoldanaudiencein1976:"Istandbeforeyoutonightinmy
RedStarchiffoneveninggown,myfacesoftlymadeupandmyfairhairgentlywavestheIron
LadyoftheWesternWorld.Yes,IamanIronLady.Afterall,itwasn'tabadthingtobeaniron
duke."
HerwordsechoedthoseofferedcenturiesagobyQueenElizabethI,whoinherfamedspeechto
EnglishtroopsbeforetheirshowdownwiththeSpanisharmadadeclared:"IknowIhavethe
bodybutofaweakandfeeblewomanbutIhavetheheartandstomachofaking,andofaking
ofEngland,too,andthinkfoulscornthatParmaorSpain,oranyprinceofEurope,shoulddare
toinvadethebordersofmyrealm."
Indeed,countrieswithqueensintheirhistoriesoftenaremoreaccustomedtothenotionof
womeninchargeandmaybemorelikelytoacceptthem.CorneliaTsakiridou,directorofthe
diplomatinresidenceprogramatLaSalleUniversityinPhiladelphia,citesEnglandand
Scandinaviannations.
Countrieswithparliamentarysystemsalsohavebeenmorelikelytoembraceawomanasheadof
state.Aparliamentpermitswomentorisegraduallyuptherankstoheadapoliticalparty,while
accumulatingarecordofachievementandbuildingabaseofsupportamongfellowlegislators.
"Withgreaterindependentauthorityandautonomy,womenaspresidentsaremorethreatening
tothetraditionalgenderedorder,"contendsJalalzai."Incontrast,thescenarioofawoman
primeministersharingpowerwithaparty,responsibletotheparliament,andwiththe
possibilityofremovalismoreacceptable."
ConsiderthecaseofBenazirBhuttoofPakistan:Muslimclericsissuedafatwasayingthat
althoughawomancouldbeprimeminister,aremovablejob,shecouldnotbepresidentbecause
Islamiclawforbadeawomantoleadthecountry.
LikeIndiraGandhiandseveralotherfemaleheadsofstate,Bhuttocametopowerbecauseofher
connectiontopowerfulmeninherfamilyherfatherwasPresidentAliBhutto.Thesurestpath
topoliticalofficeforwomenistobethedaughterorwidowofaformerheadofstate,particularly

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ifthatmanwasonceimprisoned,oustedinacouporassassinated.
HasinaWajedofBangladeshandheryoungersisterhadthegoodfortunetobeabroadwhenthe
restoftheirimmediatefamilyincludingtheirfather,PrimeMinisterSheikhMujiburRahman,
wasslaughtered.Whenthepoliticalwindschanged,Wajedbecameprimeministerfrom1996to
2001.
"Curiously,womenareunifiersoftheirfamilies,andthefamilyorcountrytendstoturntothem
iftheirmalerelativerulersaretakenawaybyatragicturnofevents,"saidJalalzai."Incountries
withcoupaftercoupaftercoup,theexpectationisthatyoucanplaythetraditionalroleof
mother(or)daughter.Youcanpullthefamilytogether.Youcancreatepeace.
"Ofcourse,sometimeswomenwho'vecomeinthiswayaresetupforfailure."
SuchasatelliteeffectalsoisworkintheUnitedStates,wherewidowhoodhasbeenoneofthe
earliestavenuestoCongressforwomen.InCalifornia,therosterhasincludedReps.SalaBurton,
MaryBono,LoisCappsandDorisMatsui.Politicalpartiesoftenencouragewidowstorun
becauseitcapitalizesonnamerecognitionandpublicsympathy.
"GirlpowerfeministswhogotwheretheyaremymarryingmenwithmoneyorpowerHillary
Clinton,NancyPelosi,AriannaHuffington...lovetocomplainabouthowharditisfora
womantobetakenseriously,"wroterightwingtorpedoistAnnCoulter."Ithasnothingtodo
withtheirbeingwomen.Ithastodowiththeircheappathstopower.KevinFederline(Britney
Spears'soontobeexhusband)isn'ttakenseriouslyeither."
AfinalfactorwhenconsideringwhytheUnitedStateslagsbehindothercountriesisthelackof
womeninthepoliticalpipeline.TheUnitedStatesranks68thamongtheworld'scountriesin
termsofourratiooffemalerepresentativesinthenationallegislature,accordingtotheInter
ParliamentaryUnion.ThatplacesusfarbehindtoprankedRwanda,whereroughlyhalfofthe
legislativeseatsareheldbywomen,andbehindeverycountryinScandinaviaaswellasChina,
IraqandAfghanistan.
Onthepositivesideofgenderachievement,theU.S.Houseisforthefirsttimeheadedbya
woman,SanFranciscanNancyPelosi.Andourproportionoffemalelegislatorsoutranksmore
thanhalfoftheworld'snations.Some,suchasSaudiArabiaandQatar,havenofemale
legislators.
"It'sanirony,"saidBudsonofHarvard."WiththeBushadministrationlookingatexportingour
brandofdemocracy,itmightbeworthconsideringtherealitywithinourownborders:51
percentofthepopulationrepresentedby16percentofthelegislativeseats."

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Researchshowsthatwomen,eventhosewhoriseupfromatraditionallymalehierarchy,usually
domakeadifferencewhentheyattainpoliticalpower.InAmericanstatelegislatures,themore
women,themorelawspassedinvolvingwhataredescribedaswomen'sissuesorfamilyand
children'sissues.
Worldwide,femaleheadsofstatesometimesdomakesignificantdifferencesinpolicy.When
GroHarlemBrundtlandbecameprimeministerofNorway,sheledthecountrytoapprovean
extensivedaycarepackageandtoguaranteepaternalaswellasmaternalleavetoparents.
Butinalmosteverycountryintheworld,femalepoliticiansmustconfrontsexism,whether
blatantorsubtle.InFrance,Royalhasfendedoffoneopponent'ssnarkysuggestionthatshe
shouldconcentrateonraisingherfourchildreninsteadofrunningtherepublic.
AndthesatiricalOnionassessedthemoodtowardClinton'scandidacyinthisheadline:
"HILLARYCLINTONTOOAMBITIOUSTOBEPRESIDENT."
"Shouldn'tthefirstwomantobreakthegenderbarrieroftheAmericanpresidencybethetypeof
womanwholistenstothosewhodoubtherandbowstopublicopinionmoreoften?"theOnion
asked."Everheardoflettingotherstakethelead,Sen.Clinton?Ifyou'regoingtobecomethe
firstwomanintheOvalOffice,youshouldstartthinkingaboutactingalittlemoreladylike."

CHART(1):
CURRENTFEMALELEADERS

Thereare
currently11womenleadinggovernments,includingsevenpresidents,one
chancellorandthreeprimeministers.
Country/LeaderPositionDates
Chile

MichelleBacheletPresident2006topresent
Finland
TarjaHalonenPresident2000topresent
Germany
AngelaMerkelChancellorNov.2005topresent
Ireland
MaryMcAleesePresident1997topresent
Jamaica
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PortiaSimpsonMillerPrimeminister2006topresent
Latvia
VairaVikeFreibergaPresident1999topresent
Liberia
EllenJohnsonSirleafPresident2006topresent
Mozambique
LuisaDiasDiogoPrimeminister2004topresent
NewZealand
HelenElizabethClarkPrimeminister1999topresent
Philippines
GloriaMacapagalArroyoPresident2001topresent
Switzerland
MichelineCalmyReyPresidentJan.2007topresent
Source:FaridaJalalzai,assistantprofessor,InstituteforWomen'sand
GenderStudies,UniversityofMissouriSaintLouis

CHART(2):
BC:

PASTFEMALELEADERS
Country/LeaderPosition
Dates
Argentina
IsabelPernPresident197476
Bangladesh
HasinaWajedPrimeminister19962001
Bangladesh
KhaledaZiaPrimeminister199196,200106
Bolivia
LydiaGueilerTejadaCaretakerpresidentNov.1979July1980
Burundi
Primeminister199394
SylvieKinigiActingpresidentOct.1993Feb.1994
Canada

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KimCampbellPrimeminister1993

CentralAfricanRepublic
ElisabethDomitienPrimeminister197576
Dominica
EugeniaCharlesPrimeminister198095
Finland
AnneliTuulikki
JaatteenmakiPrimeministerAprilJune2003
France
EdithCressonPrimeminister199192
Guyana
ActingprimeministerMarchDec.1997
JanetJaganPresident199799
Haiti
ErthaPascalTrouillotInterimpresidentMarch1990Feb.1991
Haiti
ClaudetteWerleighPrimeminister199596
Iceland
VigdisFinnbogadottirPresident198096
India
IndiraGandhiPrimeMinister196677,198084
Indonesia
MegawatiSukarnoputriPresident200104
Ireland
MaryRobinsonPresident199097
Israel
GoldaMeirPrimeminister196974
Lithuania
KazimieraDanuta
PrunskienePrimeminister199091
Malta
AgathaBarbaraPresident198287
NewZealand
JennyShipleyPrimeminister199799
Nicaragua
VioletaChamorroPresident199096
Norway
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GroHarlemBrundtlandPrimeminister1981,'8689,'9096
Pakistan
BenazirBhuttoPrimeminister198890,'9396
Panama
MireyaMoscoso
deAriasRodriguezPresident19992004
Peru
BeatrizMerinoLuceroPrimeministerJuneDec.2003
Philippines
CorazonAquinoPresident198692
Poland
HannaSuchockaPrimeminister199293
Rwanda
AgatheUwiliingiyimanaPrimeMinister1993
SaoTome/Principe
MariadasNevesCeita
BatistadeSousaPrimeminister200203
SaoTome/Principe
MariadoCarmoSilveiraPrimeministerJune2005toApril2006
Senegal
MadoirBoyePrimeminister200102
SriLanka
SirimavoBandaranaikePrimeminister196065,'7077,'942000
SriLanka
PrimeministerAugNov.1994
ChandrikaKumaratungaPresident19942005
SouthKorea
HanMyeongSookPresidentApril2006March2007
Switzerland
RuthDreifussPresident199899
Turkey
TansuCillerPrimeminister199396
Ukraine
YuliyaTymoshenkoPrimeministerJan.Sept.2005
UnitedKingdom
MargaretThatcherPrimeminister197990
Yugoslavia
MilkaPlanincPrimeminister198286

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Source:FaridaJalalzai,assistantprofessor,InstituteforWomen'sand
GenderStudies,UniversityofMissouriSaintLouis

2015HearstCommunications,Inc.

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