In these difficult times, while we attack Sauver America itself, it is important to note progress and victories.
This year, for the first time, women constitute a majority in the Senate of the State of California. In both rooms, 58 women – a record – are in service. It is only in two seats of gender parity, which would make California the world's largest economy – and one of the four American states – to have a 50% of women. In the Assembly, for the first time, a majority of committees are chaired by women.
For me, it's a great moment. For what? Because it is important that is in the room where decisions are made for our families and communities. These are not only the figures: these are policies. When we sit around the table to discuss family problems at home, all voices must be represented in order to fully understand the problems of each person and find solutions that will work. It's just common sense.
The year I arrived in the American Senate – 1992 – was called “the year of women”. I always thought it was a great overestimation because even if we tripled our figures in the Senate, we only went from two to six! We were therefore 6% of the Senate, and the media called him a great victory. Don't get me wrong. It was a start, and now 26% of senators are women. But it was a slow version to arrive here – and it is always at 24 seats to reflect the balance between the sexes of the nation. This is why what is happening in California deserves attention.
The path of Golden State parity was not a serendipity or an inevitable result of Californian liberalism. A new report by the Center for American Women and Politics from Rutgers University highlights the strategies that accelerated women's figures in the Legislative Assembly. In 2013, the representation of women followed to fall at a 20 years lower only 22%. We would take back.
A group of activists realized that targeted recruitment of women for specific districts could change the situation. They launched an organization called Clost The Gap, and during the decade since then, the number of women democrats elected to the California legislative assembly has more than doubled, from 23 to 47 seats. California jumped from 19 to 4th at the country level for the legislative representation of women.
What did this work? The report offers a lot of credit to early strategic targeting of the winning districts, personalized coaching for potential candidates and the incredible network of organizations working to elect more women.
When I ran for the first time, there were few resources for women who wanted to run. In fact, I founded the first chapter of the national political caucus of women in the county of sailor before presenting myself to a county supervisor. When I ran for the American Senate, a new group called Emily's List helped women candidates access funding like never before. Today, there are several groups that offer political training to women and CAPs who approve and finance the women candidates. These organizations compressed the calendar to reach parity in Sacramento up to just over a decade.
When I think of painfully slow progress towards parity at Congress, I wonder what we can learn from California to fill the gap between the sexes on a national scale.
Anita Hill's hearings in 1991 inspired a generation of women to take political measures. The last decade has provided its own powerful moments that have triggered the change. From the “Me too” movement to the devastating reversal of Roe against Wade, women are angry. But anger alone is not enough. True transformation is built by strategy, organization and a collective commitment to action.
At the heart of this transformation is the power of representation: when women see other women exerting an influence and shaping decisions at the highest level, something clicks and that they begin to believe that change is not only possible but within their reach.
I know the power of first -hand representation. While I was traveling in the state as a senator, the young girls ran towards me after an event and said: “You are just like me! Maybe I can be a senator one day.” And I don't think they only talked about the fact that we were at the same height.
Our democracy is constant work in progress – and we cannot afford to hold it for granted. We do not have the luxury of complacency; We must continue to organize and innovate because, frankly, the issues are too high. A favorite song for the organization of the union takes place like this: “Freedom, freedom is a hard thing won / You must work for that, fight for that, day and night for that / and each generation must start again.” The past generations fought and won large gains; New generations must take the coat and push further.
I hope for a future where every woman, in each community, has the opportunity to shape the decisions that affect her life. The future will be defined by strong and intelligent women who will intervene to present themselves for all kinds of political functions – and by those who organize themselves in the long term to help them win.
Barbara Boxer represented California in the American Senate from 1993 to 2017. She also served for 10 years in the House of Representatives and as a sailor county supervisor for six years.
