Cultural Event: Perceptions of Powerful Women

Someone please inform me…why do I seem to be the only one that feels as if feminism is no longer a problem? I have not spoken to any of my girlfriends about this subject, (which I really should, figuring some of my girlfriends are already becoming business women) nor have I made myself enroll in any such class, but I really though this issue of women, power and feminism was over long time ago. Women are everywhere; women are in the business, political, academia fields… we are everywhere men are. So what am I missing?

On March 12, 2008, we, the students of CSU Chico had the opportunity to attend a short conversation held in the BMU, directing itself around the idea that even though women have made quite a name for themselves through practices in medicine, business, politics, and many other prestigious fields, men still hold the most powerful position in the United States. Dr. Lori Beth Way, political science professor and feminist, (as she claimed) facilitated a 50 minute discussion. Perceptions of Powerful Women was about, yes, you guessed it, feminism. It was of course more than that. Topics touched upon women gaining power, perceptions of women with power, issues powerful women encounter, ways women hold personal, professional, and institutional power. I might be just too naïve, but I think women are doing a great job in the world today and we should stop complaining as if we aren’t getting opportunities or credit for our capabilities and intelligence. Let’s recognize we could quite possibly have a female president for the first time in history.

Dr. Lori Beth Way invited three women to the discussion. The first women to speak, told us about her political journey. From the time she began, walking door to door for mile and miles trying to get money and support for her campaign to currently where she has so much on her plate, and so little time to relax. She concluded telling us that we all can do anything we want to do and put our minds to. She was very friendly, offering a helping hand to us all as well as stressing to us to start young. The second women told us her journey, which was quite different that the first speaker’s. The one story that stood out to me, she told us she was fighting for a job position and lost, after years later being given the position she was originally after and creating great friendships with the coworkers around her, she found out she didn’t get the position the first time around because she had a hyphenated last name. What kind of bologna is that?! The third guess speaker was such an enjoyment to listen to. She is only one of two black female professors at Chico State, and she was so funny! She explained to us her position at the university, and emphasized that if she wanted to fix or change something, there were at least two other people she had to go to. Basically, even though she has this incredible, priceless career of teaching kids of the future, she holds little to no power. It was nice to hear that even though she can’t change things, which is very frustrating at times, she wouldn’t change her position.

Dr. Lori Beth Way and the three guess speakers got all of us thinking about how much hard work you have to put into your career. Starting young and putting all your time and efforts towards what you want to do most will pay off in the end. I was forced to reconsider if women have a harder time in the work force, but either way I know I will work my butt of to do what I want in life. You only get one shot at life, and I’m not going to waste any bit of it!