Much to celebrate…and more to do

March is Women’s History Month, and events commemorating women and their contributions to history and contemporary society have taken place throughout the United States. It is an annual celebration along with the lesser known Women’s International Day on March 8.  This year we had another special remembrance for the 50^th anniversary of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique and the awakening of the second phase of feminism. How wonderful our country is for acknowledging, promoting, and protecting the rights of women. Well, not totally.

Let me introduce you to the United Nation’s Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, also known as CEDAW. Adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, it is often described as an international bill of rights for women and delineates what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination. The Convention ensures women’s equal access to and equal opportunities in political and public life and establishes the basis for equality between women and men. To read a brief overview and history of the Convention read here.

On an international level, CEDAW has been influential in promoting the rights of women and has opened doors to less violence and discrimination. Albeit, some of the doors may only be opened a crack, but change happens incrementally. Many countries including the developing ones have ratified this bill since its inception. To be precise, 187 out of the 194 members of the U.N. have signed on. Those who have not include, the United States, Iran, Somalia, South Sudan, Tonga Palua. How embarrassing to be in such infamous company.

CEDAW was sent to the Senate in 1980 by President Carter and has remained in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee ever since. Although hearings were held, it never came out of the committee.  Several issues are preventing our country from ratifying the bill, which had been promoted by several Republican presidents including Nixon and Ford. In addition to a segment of our population that is vehemently opposed to the U.N. and suspects any treaty with them jeopardizes our sovereignty as a nation, we have seen half of our country make a hard right turn. Little by little, they are trying to overturn Roe Vs. Wade. And, let us not forget how long it took them to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

The United States must reassert its authority in leading the world and supporting women’s rights and the elimination of violence and discrimination of all forms, blatant and subtle. It is still out here.

Hannah Cohen

Are female directors moving, up, down, or sideways?

As I read two articles in the past few days addressing the presence of women directors in the New York theatre scene, I recalled the research I did when writing Women Trailblazers of California: Pioneers to the Present.  More specifically, I wrote about Dorothy Arzner, an early film director and the first director of “talkie” films for Paramount Studios.

In the film industry today, women are slowly making progress and becoming directors as evidenced by the increasing number of women directors at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival held in Park City Utah this past January. Half of the sixteen films entered in the dramatic competition were directed by women. As the number of female directors grow, we also get an increase in the number of female roles on the screen.

However, as much as we are making headway, it is slow considering the enormous influence women played in the early history of filmmaking and in the growth of Hollywood. The reality is that women in film are up against a “celluloid ceiling”. Professor Martha Lauzen of San Diego State University Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film tracks and studies women working in the movie industry and produces the annual “Celluloid Ceiling” report. As noted in the most recent report, women accounted for 9% of directors working on the top 250 films of 2012, an increase of 4 percentage points from 2011 but even with the percentage of women directors working in 1998. In a recent New York Times article, Dr. Lauzen, while praising Sundance for giving more women opportunities, was not particularly encouraging. Having analyzed the statistics for 20 years, “the numbers for women filmmakers have been remarkably stable and reflect that this is an entrenched industry,” Dr. Lauzen said.

Since women have entered the workforce in droves, the norm is that they have to work harder and longer hours to try to reach parity on pay and positions with men. It may feel we are moving at a snail’s pace in particular industries, but we are making progress. In Hollywood in particular, there are many successes we can point to in all facets of the industry. This did not just happen; many women in the early 1900’s paved the way to make it easier for generations following them to succeed.  One of my favorites is Dorothy Arzner, a noted film director during the Golden Age of Hollywood, whose work had been ignored and forgotten for many years, but who demonstrated how women had to struggle to succeed in a male dominated profession.

Arzner got her break working as a stenographer in 1919 for $20.00 per week typing scripts for William DeMille at Paramount Studio. Recognizing see was not a very good typist, she quickly managed to get another position to write synopses for current productions.  She excelled at writing and moved quickly to film cutter, scriptwriter, and editor within three years. Arzner was the first Hollywood editor to be given a screen credit, and by 1922, as chief editor, she had edited 52 films.

By the mid-20’s Arzner was ready to become a director.  Paramount partially obliged by promoting her to assistant director, which she realized was a way to keep her quiet, but would not vault her into the director’s chair.  Determined and shrewd, she threatened to jump to Columbia pictures where she had already been offered a director’s position.  Acknowledging she was a gifted and sought after talent, Paramount executives ceded to her demands and let her direct Fashions for Women, an extremely profitable hit. Arzner noted, “My philosophy is that to be a director you cannot be subject to anyone, even the head of the studio. I threatened to quit each time I didn’t get my way, but no one ever let me walk out.”

She made history by directing Paramount’s first sound movie, Manhattan Cocktail, and then launched Frederick March as a screen star in The Wild Party, starring Clara Bow. During this filming, Arzner made a significant contribution to sound technology. It was Bow’s first foray into the “talkies”, and she was extremely anxious, in great part, because of her deep Brooklyn accent. Arzner solved this problem by rigging a microphone onto a fishing rod, essentially creating the first boom mike.

It was no secret that Arzner was a lesbian and lived for more than four decades with dancer and choreographer Marion Morgan who appeared in some of her movies. Her appearance was masculine in every sense of the word.  Dressed in suits, ties, and short hair combed tightly back, she emitted an authoritarian demeanor. This may have been her way to portray herself as “the man in charge” and to fit into the Hollywood boy’s club.

Most of Arzner’s films featured strong women characters, and though she was recognized as a director of “women’s films”, she actually succeeded in challenging the accepted tenets of Hollywood from within, posing viewpoints that challenged the prevailing order. Arzner focused on social borders and the dynamics of capitalism: she was not hesitant to articulate class rivalries, focus on relationships and institutions, and critically examine forms of solidarity.

Arzner directed eleven feature films for Paramount between 1927-1932, after which she left the studio to work on her own. Although most of her films were box office successes and the studios profited, the culture of the industry was changing. Arzner was on the politically incorrect side of the transformation, and most likely, the more conservative studio executives were responsible for ending her directing career. Arzner reportedly commented that twenty-five years in the business (with business partners like that) were simply enough.

In spite of this environment, she became the only female director during the post silent boom of Hollywood filmmaking and the first female member of the Directors Guide of America. Although she established the largest oeuvre by a woman director, her work has been practically excluded in accounts of film history. Not until the 1970’s and the rediscovery of her work in a project of feminist film studies, did she finally receive the critical acclaim she deserved.

Arnzer received several important honors in her lifetime including the First International Festival of Women’s Films in 1972. The Directors Guild in 1975 honored her with a “Tribute to Dorothy Arzner”. Katharine Hepburn sent a telegram which read: It is wonderful that you’ve had such a great career, when you had no right to have a career at all.” Arzner’s noted quote is “When I went to work in a studio, I took my pride and made a nice little ball of it and threw it right out the window.” This quote perfectly described Arzner and how she became an acclaimed director in a predominantly male industry.

I hope our current and future female directors know about and acknowledge women like Dorothy Arzner who have made their career paths easier, even if sometimes it is only a little easier.

Hannah Cohen

Welcome Women of the 113th Congress

Happy New Year! My goal for 2013 is to be a more active blogger for women’s issues, and also to continue to highlight women in history who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of our nation. Let us start out this year by congratulating the amazing women who are serving in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives in the 113th Congress. We celebrate the 20 female senators and the 78 members of the House. There was a slight increase in female representation. However, considering that women comprise 50% of our population, these numbers are not nearly enough. We have a long way to go. In the Republican led House, not one woman leads a major, high-profile committee. In fact, there was so much grumbling, House Speaker John Boehner was all but forced to appoint Rep. Candice Miller of Michigan as Chair of the House Administration Committee, which oversees the cafeteria. Seriously, there is a lot more to the committee, but cafeteria and office space are part of it. It is no secret the Republicans have a “woman Issue.” It is our responsibility to seek out others who want to serve. As I noted in my previous blog, we need more women in both parties to be able to increase support for the ideals and issues women deem important. No one will do it for us!

Now on a more positive note. Although we are not in the majority, we can make a difference. There are many areas that need to be attended to, including the renewal of the Violence Against Women’s Act and the gender wage gap, which I will write about in shortly. Women offer diversity. They approach negotiations differently than men, and they engender more civility. Within Congress, they are a tight knit community that strives to support each other.

Now they need our support. Voice your opinions: text, email, Twitter, call, post on Facebook, yes, even write letters when you want something addressed that you care about. Resolve to make 2013 the year you get involved.

Let me know what you think.

Hannah

Election 2012: Women Win!

Election Day 2012 was a significant one for women. Not since 1992, when a record number of women were elected, did we win so many new seats in Congress. Women won five new seats in the U.S. Senate for a total of twenty women senators. This is one-fifth of the body! Democrat representation will grow from 12 to 16, and the Republicans will drop from five to four. In the House of Representatives, we have will have at least three new female representatives when all the votes are tallied.

Of the new female senators, four are Democrats—Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, and one, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, is Republican. If you have been following the political scene for the past year or more, you will know that several of these women had extremely challenging campaigns with enough negativity and maliciousness to last a lifetime. The Warren, Hirono, and Heitkamp victories give them the distinction of being the first female senators from their states.  Tammy Baldwin made history with two special firsts, as the first openly gay politician and the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Wisconsin.

Another rewarding first is the outcome in New Hampshire. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat and the only woman nominated for governor by a major party in this election cycle, won her contest.  Therefore, in January 2013, New Hampshire will be the first state ever will have a female governor, two female U.S. Senators, and an all-woman U.S. House delegation.

We have come a long way baby, but not far enough. National statistics indicate that women are still a minority in Congress, in most state legislatures, and as mayors of major cities. There is so much work ahead before women have parity in government and business leadership. Now is the time to identify the next generation of women who aspire to run for public office. It is our responsibility to engage, train, and mentor them; to teach them to delve deeply into the issues that are important to us; to prepare them to run for office; and finally to effectively govern. There are organizations such as Run Women Run in San Diego that were formed just for purpose of helping women to enter the political arena. Find one and get involved in your city.

The time to start was yesterday! I hope you agree.

Hannah

Exercise your right to vote on Nov. 6-It was a hundred year struggle to give you that right

In July 1848, 240 women and men met in Seneca Falls, New York, “to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of women.” One hundred of the delegates–68 women and 32 men–signed a Declaration of Sentiments, declaring that women, like men, were citizens with an “inalienable right to the elective franchise.” The Seneca Falls Convention commemorated the beginning of the campaign for woman suffrage. It was, however, not until August 26, 1920 were all women granted enfranchisement with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. It was an exciting and significant political triumph. Women finally achieved the freedom men had since 1776: to choose for themselves what they believed was best for them.

The battle for women’s suffrage waged for decades, and long before the Civil War, women were seeking voting equality. Pioneer suffragists demanded their own political voice and civil rights; they did not want men deciding their future. There were hard-fought battles, devastating defeats, countless alliances and many divides, but they never wavered in their determination for women’s suffrage.

With Election Day so close, today I want to give you some background on the suffrage movement in California, which was a very influential state and set the stage for others. From the early pioneer days, women had fought hard and long for the right to vote. Many campaigns were lost before their victory on October 20, 1911.

During the 1870s and 1880s, the suffrage movement took different forms. Many women had little interest in politics and were content to help on social welfare issues that they regarded as an extension of home domestic duties. When assisting within an organization, they often referred to it as “advancing women’s work.” Others, such as Laura de Force Gordon, were Progressives and participated with a group of national firebrands including Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Gordon gave the first suffrage speech in California.

Following an evolving philosophical route, the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) played an important role in the California suffrage process. Members believed that lobbying and political power could strengthen women’s moral authority. Therefore, club members, professionals and the well educated participated in the suffrage fight through WCTU membership. They may have been following different ideological compasses, but when the campaigns of 1896 and 1911 were waged, the progressive, conservative and temperance blocs were all on the same side: to get the power of the vote. So many extraordinary women participated: Ellen Clark Sargent challenged disenfranchisement with the argument of “no taxes without representation,” and Maud Younger, a Progressive, founded the waitress labor union and organized it in the fight for suffrage.

Throughout the years, suffrage organizations utilized a variety of tactics. They lobbied for the right to vote in the new state constitution; advocated through the legislative process; incorporated voting equality into the Republican platform; and petitioned the 1891 legislature for the right to vote in school board and bond elections. In 1896, they used the referendum process only to be defeated again. Unexpectedly, the campaign lost in the San Francisco Bay area, which at that time was the population center of the state. Surprisingly, it passed in the southern part of the state and was carried by working men. The results illustrated that class mattered but in an unexpected way: the more affluent areas voted against suffrage in a higher proportion than working-class neighborhoods.

California women finally achieved suffrage in the astounding campaign of 1911. The younger suffragists worked with the experienced ones, the clubs, the unions and men’s organizations all united to give women what they always deserved: the right to vote. Riding up and down the state in her automobile was the daring and brilliant pioneer suffragist Clara Shortridge Foltz. Along with the members of her Votes for Women Club, Foltz organized Los Angeles and other Southern California regions. Although the margin of victory was a mere 2 percent, Los Angeles and southern rural districts carried the vote. As in the 1896 election, the working class in both Southern and Northern California had the highest percentage of affirmative votes.

California was the sixth state to win the vote, and as arduous and dramatic as achieving victory was, it was a major advance for the suffragists and their supporters. An important and influential state, it set the stage for the other states. Nine more states achieved suffrage before the 1920 national referendum when finally, after so many campaigns and defeats, women throughout the United States were granted the right to vote.

Thousands of remarkable women devoted their lives for women’s suffrage. They were brave and determined to attain what they believed was their inherent right. They set the path for political freedom and civil rights for womankind. Do not let their struggles be for naught. Please vote on November 6.

Hannah

A Career in Science: Equality for Women? Not really!

Why is it that the many accomplishments women have achieved in the sciences receive little or no recognition and women who have received the Nobel Prize in the field of science are rare? We recognize the name of Madame Marie Curie who was awarded a Nobel Prize for physics, but a majority of women scientists who have made significant discoveries are not household names. A new study recently released by Yale University is not only shocking, but also terribly disheartening. As recently reported in the New York Times, “Science professors at American universities widely regard female undergraduates as less competent than male students with the same accomplishments and skills.” To add insult to injury, the study demonstrated that female professors were just as biased against female students as the male professors. Reading the article ignited the frustration I felt when writing my coauthored  book Women Trailblazers of California: Pioneers to the Present. Most of the women in the book battled against discrimination and dared to take risks so the following generations would not have to repeat the struggles. The fight is not yet over, especially in the field of science. The study as outlined, demonstrates that absolute gender disparity is alive and well in academic science. Male students more easily get mentors and are offered jobs more often than women are. When the female students are lucky to find employment, it is at a lower pay scale. Dr. Jo Handelsman, senior author of the article that reported the findings, noted the strong results of the study were surprising as were their enormous importance. There are things we can do to change the perception of women in science. The National Women’s History Project has just announced next year’s theme, “Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination.” They are going to celebrate women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and promote the theme in the 2013 Gazette that will focus on the role and contributions of women in the rich variety of fields related to science. As noted in the announcement, “readers will learn about women who were first in their fields, women who have won worldwide recognition (including Nobel Prizes), and women who have made important contributions that have yet to receive the recognition they deserve.” For more information on this project, click here. We must all do our part in encouraging young women who are interested in science and technology to follow their dreams. If we do not challenge discrimination, we cannot break down barriers, and women will continue to fall behind in leading new discoveries to enhance the health and safety of all of us. Let me know what you think. Hannah  

Who invented the stripes on our roads?

When we are driving our cars or riding public transit, we most likely do not give much thought to the stripes on the roads. We take them for granted to keep us in line and at a safe distance from the cars alongside us or those coming in the opposite direction. These stripes were not part of the infrastructure in the early twentieth century. Until 1924, there was little separating Model T Fords on two lane roads from other cars and horse and buggies. It was a gun-toting woman doctor, the incredible Dr. June McCarroll, who came up with a “brilliant” idea to improve road safety.

One evening in 1917, after visiting a patient and driving home in her model T Ford, a large truck roared toward McCarroll in the center of the pavement and forced her off the road into the sand. In her own words: “My Model T Ford and I found ourselves face to face with a truck on the paved highway. It did not take me long to choose between a sandy berth to the right and a ten-ton truck to the left!” This was not McCarroll’s first experience of narrow escapes with cars and trucks especially while riding her horse and buggy. She was also seeing many more patients who were suffering from injuries that resulted from automobile accidents.

McCarroll knew there had to be a better way. Why not a line down the road? She presented her idea to the California Riverside County Board of Supervisors and the local Chamber of Commerce. They were polite and listened to her every word, but they courteously rebuffed her idea and quietly shelved it.

McCarroll was tenacious. In her long dress and a bonnet, she got down on her hands and knees and “painted” a 4-inch wide stripe down the middle of US Highway 99, which ran in front of her home to create two separate lanes. There are varying accounts of how she did this, and the most noted one is that she painted a two-mile long strip. Another version is that she used baking flour and striped a mile-long white line down the middle of the road. This most likely was the first stripe in Riverside County, the state, and probably in the United States. She then launched a letter writing campaign and distributed petitions to the state and county to incorporate the use of lines down all county and state highways. This effort continued for seven years without any success until McCarroll organized an Indio Women’s Club. The Club then received support from the County, District, and State Federations of Women’s Clubs. She petitioned the California State Legislature to ratify a law authorizing the California Highway Commission to stripe all state roads. When the legislators recognized that thousands of women club members backed this legislation, and women could now vote, they quickly passed the law to mandate that all roads and highways be painted with a dividing stripe. This amazing doctor added inventor after her name and has been credited with saving thousands of lives and improving the safety of the roads.

The community of Coachella Valley has honored her in a touching way. They requested that a portion of Interstate 10 between Jefferson Street and Indio Boulevard be dedicated as the Dr. June McCarroll Memorial Freeway. The legislation was passed in 2000, and the dedication took place on April 24, 2002. In addition, a bronze plaque attached to a six-foot-high concrete pillar in Indio was erected in her honor and dedicated in October 2003.

Dr. June McCarroll was a fascinating women and an exceptional doctor. Let me share one other piece of information about her. In 1907, the Bureau of Indian Affairs appointed her as the first doctor to care for hundreds of thousands of Cahuilla Indians living on five tribal reservations, a massive area that spanned from the Salton Sea to Palm Springs. The Indian medicine men regarded her as the “white medicine man” and highly respected her as she saved the lives of thousands of children from a devastating measles epidemic.

To learn more about other remarkable women who contributed to the growth of the newly created state of California you can always check out Women Trailblazers of California: Pioneers to the Present.

Please share your thoughts~~Hannah

Equality in Hollywood?

No. Equality for women does not exist in the wonderland of Hollywood. Women producers, directors and writers are vastly underrepresented. The industry and those in it will agree is run by money, for money and at its core is about money. How can more women make inroads in the major areas of creativity and production? A recent opinion article in the New York Times, “How Can Women Gain Influence in Hollywood?” discussed several points of view with interesting ideas to challenge the industry to create more opportunities for women. To read article, click here.

The consensus is that women must be resolute and continue to fight for increased representation in all facets of the entertainment business.  This may not be an especially creative solution, but not giving up is the only solution.  The history of Hollywood has many examples of women who have been remarkably successful. They achieved success by being strategic, tenacious, and applying their talent and brains. Primarily, they did not walk away from the challenges and discrimination they faced daily. And yes, there is progress, but unfortunately, inequality is alive and well in Hollywood and the struggle continues.

Today I would like to introduce you to an extraordinary trailblazer who made it possible for other women to work their way through the maze of Hollywood’s “good ole boy network.” I learned about this “forgotten” Hollywood hero while I was writing Women Trailblazers in California: Pioneers to the Present. Please meet Dorothy Arzner.

Arzner, born  in 1897, was a noted film director during Hollywood’s’ Golden Age.   Sexism was a dominate feature in the film industry when Dorothy Arnzer decided to embark upon a career in editing and script writing in the early 1920s. In spite of this environment, she became the only female director during the post silent boom of Hollywood filmmaking and the first female member of the Directors Guild of America. Her exceptional talent was quickly recognized by the leaders of the industry, and Arnzer moved from typing, editing, and writing scripts, to directing for Paramount studios.   She made history by directing Paramount’s first sound movie and then transformed film sound technology by essentially creating the first boom mike. During her career as a director from 1928 to 1943, Arzner was able to make a smooth transition from directing three silent movies to fourteen “talkies.”Between the years 1927-1932, Arzner directed eleven feature films for Paramount and then left to work on her own.  RKO hired her to direct Katharine Hepburn, their new star, in Christopher Strong.

Arzner was not a typical Hollywood luminary; she did not fit whatever that illusion was. Her life, her persona, and her films were not the expected norm for that era. It was no secret that Arzner was a lesbian and lived for more than four decades with dancer and choreographer Marion Morgan who appeared in some of her movies. Dressed in suits, ties, and short hair combed tightly back, she emitted an authoritarian demeanor. This may have been her way to portray herself as “the man in charge” and to fit into the Hollywood boy’s club.

Although she established the largest oeuvre by a woman director, her work had been practically excluded in accounts of film history. Not until the 1970’s and the rediscovery of her work in a project of feminist film studies, did she finally receive the critical acclaim she deserved.   During the rise of the feminist movement in the 1960’s and 70’s, when Arzner’s career and works were “rediscovered,” the younger feminist film scholars described her films as challenging the dominant, male oriented society of the times. Arzner, however, did not want to be boxed in and labeled as a gay or woman director.  She was, above all, a director. For women who wanted a career in film, she became a role model. For feminist film scholars, she was the subject of much debate. These younger women wanted to give Arzner the recognition that eluded her and believed she deserved from her generation.

The Directors Guild in 1975 honored her with a “Tribute to Dorothy Arzner.” Katharine Hepburn sent a telegram which read: Is it wonderful that you’ve had such a great career, when you had no right to have a career at all.” Arzner’s noted quote is “When I went to work in a studio, I took my pride and made a nice little ball of it and threw it right out the window.” This quote perfectly described Arzner and how she became an acclaimed director in a predominantly male industry.

Women like Arzner had to continuously struggle for the status they deserved. It may be distressing that several generations later, talented, creative and exceptional women are still on an uphill road to “make it” it Hollywood. However, Arzner and some of the brilliant young directors of today are exemplary of the success that is within reach.

Please share your thoughts.

Who is Julia Morgan?

Many of you reading this blog are familiar with the name Hearst and probably the world-renowned Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. Some of you had the breathtaking experience of visiting this splendid landmark. In your mind’s eye, envision the images of magnificent architecture and pools and gardens. Another structure that also conjures up a lovely image is the detailed and intricately designed Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.  If one were asked to picture the architect who designed the castle and restored the hotel, most likely it would be a male figure. That assumption is incorrect. The woman who is responsible for the design of these structures and 700 more is Julia Morgan: the first woman architect in California, first woman graduate in the University of California, Berkeley civil engineering program, and the first woman permitted to attend the influential art school École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Morgan was one of the most significant architects in the early twentieth century and a trailblazer for women in civil engineering and architecture. She was a legend unto herself in California structural design history.

During the 50 years of her long and brilliant career, Morgan designed over 700 structures including the bell tower on the campus of Mills College in Oakland, a structure that withstood the great 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the Asilomar Conference Center, hundreds of residences, churches, clubs, banks, schools, hospitals, and large retail stores. Some of her residential projects may be categorized as ultimate bungalows and express the Arts and Crafts Movement in the American Craftsman style of architecture.  However, her signature commission is the Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Today, the official name of the 90,080 sq. ft. estate is the Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument.

The life of this amazing trailblazer, architect and visionary will be celebrated with at Julia Morgan 2012 Festival that begins on October 1st, 2012, and lasts for over six weeks, ending on November 16th. To learn more about Julia Morgan you can find her biography in my recently released book, Women Trailblazers of California: Pioneers to the Present, here and for more information on the Julia Morgan Festival, click here. Enjoy reading more about the brilliant first woman architect in California.

Women’s Equality Day 2012

Let us celebrate Women’s Equality Day by remembering and honoring the brave women who fought the battles state by state with fierce determination to ensure that all of us have the freedom to vote and ultimately political independence.

Early in the history of the United States, the battle for woman suffrage had been waging for decades, and long before the Civil War, women were seeking voting equality. In the 1870’s, a group of pioneer suffragists demanded their own political voice and civil rights; they did not want men deciding their future. It was, however, not until 1920 were all women granted enfranchisement with the passage of the 19^th amendment to the United States Constitution. There were hard fought battles, devastating defeats, countless alliances, and many divides, but they never wavered in their determination for woman suffrage. Women finally achieved the freedom men had since 1776; to choose for themselves what they believed was best for them. As we commemorate, Women’s Equality Day, please read the text of President Barack Obama’s Presidential Proclamation and never forget out sisters who fought long and hard so that we may have our freedom.

A PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

On Women’s Equality Day, we mark the anniversary of our Constitution’s 19th Amendment, which secured the right to vote for America’s women. The product of profound struggle and fierce hope, the 19th Amendment reaffirmed what we have always known: that America is a place where anything is possible and where each of us is entitled to the full pursuit of our own happiness. We also know that the defiant, can-do spirit that moved millions to seek suffrage is what runs through the veins of American history. It remains the wellspring of all our progress. And nearly a century after the battle for women’s franchise was won, a new generation of young women stands ready to carry that spirit forward and bring us closer to a world where there are no limits on how big our children can dream or how high they can reach.

To keep our Nation moving ahead, all Americans — men and women — must be able to help provide for their families and contribute fully to our economy. That is why I have made supporting the needs and aspirations of women and girls a top priority for my Administration. From signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law and creating the White House Council on Women and Girls to combatting sexual assault and promoting women’s economic and political empowerment at home and abroad, we have worked to ensure women have the opportunities they need and deserve at every stage of their lives. As women around the world continue to fight for their seat at the table, my Administration will keep their interests at the core of our policy decisions — and we will join them every step of the way.

Today, women are nearly 50 percent of our workforce, the majority of students in our colleges and graduate schools, and a growing number of breadwinners in their families. From business to medicine to our military, women are leading the fields that were closed off to them only decades ago. We owe that legacy of progress to our mothers and aunts, grandmothers and great-grandmothers — women who proved not only that opportunity and equality do not come without a fight, but also that they are possible. Even with the gains we have made, we still have work to do. As we mark this 92nd anniversary of the 19th Amendment, let us reflect on how far we have come toward fully realizing the basic freedoms enshrined in our founding documents, rededicate ourselves to closing the gaps that remain, and continue to widen the doors of opportunity for all of our daughters and sons.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim August 26, 2012, as Women’s Equality Day. I call upon the people of the United States to celebrate the achievements of women and recommit to realizing gender equality in this country.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh. Barack Obama

Welcome to golf in the 21st century

Well, let’s welcome the Augusta National Golf Club, the very private white man’s club, to the 21st century! It finally opened its doors to two very deserving women, Condoleezza Rice, former secretary of state and the first black Provost of Stanford University, and Darla Moore, VP of Rainwater, an investment company, and one of Fortune’s 50 most powerful American businesswomen. Rice and Moore made history as the first two women to join the hallowed ranks of this elitist club in which membership is by invitation only and through a private process. The club, which was established in 1933, prohibited not only women but also blacks. It was not until 1990 that the first black member was invited to join. How many other blacks are members? Hard to determine since their membership list is “secret.” Is the invitation to Rice and Moore just a token one? Hard to say, and only time will tell. Should Rice and Moore be belittled and condemned as some comments indicated in the blogosphere yesterday? Not at all. However, I would not classify it as one those significant moments in women’s fight for equality. As we have experienced throughout history, and I learned in depth writing Women Trailblazers of California: Pioneers to the Present, every small step counts. We must continue to break down the barriers and support the women who are in the forefront doing it. We all stand to gain. For more detailed information on this story see the New York Times article here. What do you think about this?

Who ruled the London Olympics? American women and Title IX

On the 40th anniversary of Title IX, American women showed the world how this one piece of legislation, which prohibited gender discrimination in school sports, changed the course for women’s participation in sports. The women at the London Olympics were superb. Of the 46 Gold Medals for Team USA, female athletes won 29, the men 17. The women also topped the men in overall medals earned, 58 to 46 for a total of 104 Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. Without women earning all these medals, the United States would have trailed China in total medal counts.

This definitely was the “year of the women” at the London Olympics. The US team was even nicknamed “Team Title IX.” American women were not the only dominating factor; there were over 5000 women athletes representing 200 countries, 44% of the total Olympians competing. The Russian and Chinese medal winners were also mostly women. What a tremendous role model for the girls and young women fortunate enough to witness this year’s women’s supremacy via Twitter, Facebook, and television to list a few avenues transmitting the latest competition results.
Yes, Title IX has been a fantastic success. Women’s participation in sports has increased 900% in public schools and 450% in collegiate sports since enactment of the law. Wonderful role models now exist for young women who at one time could only dream of playing sports and competing on such a high level. The US is the impetus for other countries to expand programs for their female students and cultivate future Olympians. Working together, women will become stronger and more dominant athletes.

However, there is still a gender gap. Of the 109 members of the International Olympic Committee, only 22 are women. This statistic must improve. There has to be total equality for women in all aspects of sports; in participation, management, and leadership. Please share your comments.

Are women stalled in the middle of the corporate ladder?

Women have risen rapidly in the business arena, but not quickly enough. The 2012 ranking of Fortune 500 corporations includes a record 18 companies headed by female CEO’s. This new high, however, translates into just 3.6 percent of the companies being led by women. If we take a positive view, we could interpret it as good news, because in 2002 and 2003, there were only seven Fortune 500 firms that had female CEO’s. Although we are moving, it is at a snail’s pace, and we have not made significant gains.

Another concern as noted in a Catalyst report in December of last year is about one in ten companies had no women serving on their boards. Furthermore, women of color still held only 3% of corporate board seats. Another fact, most of us know is that women earn less pay for men in comparable jobs and held only 7.5% of executive officer top-earner positions in 2011, while men accounted for 92.5% of top earners.

We now have to ask, is women’s leadership truly stalled and is anything being done to train and prepare a younger generation to take the reins of the larger corporations? There are definitely a larger number of younger women in the pipeline and on the career ladder to lead the top corporations. Let’s look at Marissa Mayer, the new CEO at Yahoo, and a perfect role model. The first woman engineer at Google, she was the driving force for most of their popular products. It is interesting to note she was six months pregnant when they chose her to lead the struggling company. Just a few years ago, this would have been unfathomable. Fortunately, there are more young women such as Mayer who are ready to step into leadership roles.

Where can look for a trend? Try the business schools. Although they are certainly top heavy in male deanships, they are moving in the direction of selecting more women to lead the schools as noted in a recent Wall Street Journal article. Appointing women as deans has a positive value in many arenas; they have authority and contacts in the business word, they attract more women students, and they are living examples for the female students how women can influence the business world. As Linda Livingstone, dean of Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management noted, the increasing number of women deans, just like the presence of women executives in the corporate world, “helps [students] to see the kind of things they can do and where they can go.” According to Fortune executive editor Stephanie Mehta, “The good news is that while we have 18 today, there’s a pipeline of women coming into leadership positions that’s very, very deep and very, very wide.”

As women, we must strive for parity and equality and continue to educate. With so many bright young women moving up the corporate ladder, this is the time for the business world to take every opportunity to enable them to move to the top rung. This includes both Fortune 500 and non-Fortune 500 companies. How wonderful women will be able to choose. Let me know what you think.

Best kept secret in San Diego

For the past year, I have had the privilege of being a board member of the Women’s Museum of California. When I first joined the board, I learned that we were one of only five women ‘s museums in the country. Can you imagine only five? Sadly, the Texas women’s museum has had to close its doors. Fortunately, our small but vibrant museum in San Diego is growing. We are now entering our 30th year, and in August, we are moving to a larger and lovely new location in an expanding cultural arts venue at NCT at Liberty Station in Point Loma.

The museum was founded by Mary B. Maschal and other women who realized that women were not included in the mainstream version of history. Maschal was passionate about the endeavor and devoted many years of her life collecting and preserving numerous historic artifacts that exemplify and document the life histories and achievements of many women, in both the United States and abroad. In 1983 she applied for non-profit status and named her body of work The Women’s History Reclamation Project (WHRP).

For the next fourteen years, Maschel created a living museum of women’s history in her own home, filling virtually every room with historic documents, banners, posters, and books. She and others also shared this archival collection through lectures on women’s history to school children, professional and social organizations, and community groups. After much prodding , Maschel permitted her home to function as the WHRP headquarters and invited the public to view exhibitions of her vast collection. So much excitement was generated by the archival holdings, that it became obvious that San Diego needed a museum dedicated solely to women and their stories.

In 1997, the WHRP moved into the second phase of its embryonic existence and relocated to the ART UNION Building in Golden Hill neighborhood of San Diego; in December of 2003, the WHRP changed its name to the Women’s History Museum and Educational Center or WHM.

During the ensuing years, the WHM has blossomed into a full-fledged women’s history museum and valuable community educational resource. The energy within the walls of the small storefront is palpable; the exhibits inspiring, the historic clothing collection fascinating, the workshops and lectures great, and the staff and many volunteers who manage all these things are amazingly dedicated to its success. In addition, the staff develops and implements educational events including art shows, stages performance presentations, maintains a library and research archive, and provides speakers for the community through its Speaker’s Bureau.

In 2011 the name of the organization was changed to the Women’s Museum of California with the tag line “preserving the past…inspiring the future”. Now the museum is moving into its third phase. It has outgrown its small facility and is thrilled to be on the move to Liberty Station.

Learn more about the Women’s Museum of California click here.

Sally Ride, first American woman astronaut

Sally Ride, the first American woman to trailblaze her way into space, died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 61. She was a brilliant physicist who became a role model for young women who until then only dreamed of a career in space exploration. She truly broke the space ceiling. Ride flew on the shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983 and on a second mission in 1984. To read more about her life and accomplishments, click here.