John, This email is a little long, but I’m asking you to stick with me and read it in full. Ironically, only days after the last prominent and highly qualified female candidate dropped out of the presidential race, we recognize International Women’s Day. It’s a day to celebrate women’s achievements, but also a day to acknowledge and address challenges that keep women out of political power. Our current Congress is 75 percent male—not by coincidence but by design. The obstacles to run for and to prevail in campaigns for top offices are massive: economic power and gendered norms that keep women from considering careers in politics, fundraising gaps, gender-unequal access to networks and institutions, and recognition by the media—just to name a few. Female candidates and politicians also operate within narrow bands of acceptable behavior, the boundaries of which are policed relentlessly by party leaders, colleagues, voters, and the media. Every woman I know running for Congress has faced some version of these questions and comments that people would not feel comfortable addressing to male candidates: “Why don’t you run for a lower office? Why don’t you wait until he is done and decides not to run? Are you strong enough to run? You should have an image consultant. You don’t belong in Congress. You need to do this. You need to do that.” Women shouldn't have to work twice as hard as their male counterparts to run for office. If you are a man I’m asking you to honor your favorite female candidate and contribute to her campaign today. She has already done the improbable—she is running. If you are a woman and not routinely making political contributions, I’m asking you to become a donor, and here’s why: 62 percent of political contributions come from men. Women drive consumer spending, but men shape our political landscape! Let’s all work together to make our country more equal, more compassionate, more generous, and more just. PS: Read this interesting report on the challenges women face in parliaments around the globe.
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