Anti-Female Bias Fuels Sen. Brown’s Massachusetts Victory

Apparently,  a debate has been raging for some time in Massachusetts about the existence of a “glass ceiling” that stands in the way of ambitious, uppity women who want their place in politics,  the New York Times claims in its post-election analysis.

Voters did not reject the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate because they wanted fiscal relief, strong counter-terrorism and an end to one-party rule. Instead, they saw fit to embrace a Republican for first time in decades who emphasized his gender.

This is the same Massachusetts that was out in front of legalizing marriage and divorce for lesbian couples, that’s how anti-women the state has been in recent years. But there’s history here as well. Jane Swift, a former Republican Massachusetts state senator, was elected lieutenant governor in 1998 and became acting governor when Paul Cellucci resigned to become ambassador to Canada.

There’s also current State Senate President Therese Murray and of course Attorney General Martha Coakley who is martyred in almost every paragraph.

The Times acknowledges these key female players but only as an aberration and quotes from political experts with Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government who lament the lack of concern and appreciation for women in politics. The coverage year is not so far removed from the disdain the newspaper consistently exerts toward southern states like say Mississippi where its preferred candidate typically loses.

One of the more outlandish comments comes from a Democratic operative who accuses Sen. Scott Brown of overtly appealing to voters on the basis of his masculinity.  The idea of tax relief and a restrained federal government did not figure into the equation here. At the same time, the article does concede that “no tallies of the vote by gender were available.” Yet, it is assumed the women would not be motivated by the same issues as men.

The article does finally work toward something in the way of common sense in an interview with Kerry Healey, a Republican, who served as lieutenant governor under Mitt Romney. She won her party’s nomination for governor in 2006 but lost in the general election to Deval Patrick. If there is a paucity of women in politics, it stems more from the unappetizing nature of campaigns than it does from any institutionalized resistance toward women,  Healey explains.

“Politics in Massachusetts is a blood sport,” she said, “and that fact alone may deter many women who might consider seeking elected office in a milder political climate. Women know that choosing a career in politics may damage their economic security, family or reputation.”

Sen. Brown was not elected on merit, instead he rode a wave of anti-female sentiment that has been festering in the state for some time.

Popularity: 1% [?]