Comments on: Giving the “Daughter Test” to Mainstream Media http://blog.thewhitehouseproject.org/2008/06/16/giving-the-daughter-test-to-mainstream-media/ The White House Project Blog Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:14:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Judi Berger http://blog.thewhitehouseproject.org/2008/06/16/giving-the-daughter-test-to-mainstream-media/#comment-4192 Judi Berger Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:22:35 +0000 http://blog.thewhitehouseproject.org/2008/06/16/giving-the-daughter-test-to-mainstream-media/#comment-4192 ngf6yft6drsc9f74 ngf6yft6drsc9f74

]]> By: Carrie http://blog.thewhitehouseproject.org/2008/06/16/giving-the-daughter-test-to-mainstream-media/#comment-1679 Carrie Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:56:47 +0000 http://blog.thewhitehouseproject.org/2008/06/16/giving-the-daughter-test-to-mainstream-media/#comment-1679 as the mother of two daughters, there was no other candidate for me other than hillary. hillary's candidacy and general existence in politics is no accident and she is a symbol of what is possible. not just because she shares our gender, but because she does embody the potential of each and every american girl and it is important that all women support that as a gift to our daughters and their daughters in hopes that one day that last glass ceiling will finally be broken. what would it be like to grow up in a country where men and women were truly equal, where women were paid the same pay for the same work and where the same weight was given to their viewpoints, both positive and negative? that is the world i am still working for and will do everything i can to create in my life time for my girls and all of our girls. hillary lead the first 'call to action' force that i can recall in my life, having been born too early in the feminist movement to remember another chance to speak out, speak up and demand to be heard. as the mother of two daughters, there was no other candidate for me other than hillary. hillary’s candidacy and general existence in politics is no accident and she is a symbol of what is possible. not just because she shares our gender, but because she does embody the potential of each and every american girl and it is important that all women support that as a gift to our daughters and their daughters in hopes that one day that last glass ceiling will finally be broken. what would it be like to grow up in a country where men and women were truly equal, where women were paid the same pay for the same work and where the same weight was given to their viewpoints, both positive and negative? that is the world i am still working for and will do everything i can to create in my life time for my girls and all of our girls. hillary lead the first ‘call to action’ force that i can recall in my life, having been born too early in the feminist movement to remember another chance to speak out, speak up and demand to be heard.

]]> By: Kelley Bell Wenzlaff http://blog.thewhitehouseproject.org/2008/06/16/giving-the-daughter-test-to-mainstream-media/#comment-1661 Kelley Bell Wenzlaff Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:03:24 +0000 http://blog.thewhitehouseproject.org/2008/06/16/giving-the-daughter-test-to-mainstream-media/#comment-1661 At the conclusion of the writing of our consitution, there is a story of a woman who asked Ben Franklin what the men had done in there. Ben Replied, "We gave you a Republic Madam, if you can keep it." An amazing moment really, as power is never something "given." Historically, power is taken. The brilliance of our Constitution lies in the radical notion that the founders took power, then gave it to the people instead of keeping it for themselves. (Well, they gave it to the men at least. It was not until later, that ideal was extended to women and people of color.) So we have our freedoms, and our right to vote, but can we keep it, as Ben suggested? His writings show he was none too optimistic about that prospect. He understood voter apathy and the pervasivness of political ignorance in our society. As a mother, I am not waiting for anyone to "give" women the respect we deserve. I am stepping up and demanding so, just as you are Marie. If women want respect, if they want a voice in the media, if they want a seat at the boardroom table, if they want representation in the hallowed halls of government, then we must take it, without any expectation that it will ever be wrapped up in yellow ribbons as a gift. If the White House Project teaches us anything, it is that we are the gatekeepers. We are the voices of change, and we will only succeed when we determine to stand together and demand respect. Thank you for your example Marie. I hope every woman on this forum will follow suit, by writing, speaking, and acting in ways that will tear down those walls. We have much work to do, and our daughters are depending on us. At the conclusion of the writing of our consitution, there is a story of a woman who asked Ben Franklin what the men had done in there.

Ben Replied, “We gave you a Republic Madam, if you can keep it.”

An amazing moment really, as power is never something “given.” Historically, power is taken.

The brilliance of our Constitution lies in the radical notion that the founders took power, then gave it to the people instead of keeping it for themselves. (Well, they gave it to the men at least. It was not until later, that ideal was extended to women and people of color.)

So we have our freedoms, and our right to vote, but can we keep it, as Ben suggested?

His writings show he was none too optimistic about that prospect. He understood voter apathy and the pervasivness of political ignorance in our society.

As a mother, I am not waiting for anyone to “give” women the respect we deserve. I am stepping up and demanding so, just as you are Marie. If women want respect, if they want a voice in the media, if they want a seat at the boardroom table, if they want representation in the hallowed halls of government, then we must take it, without any expectation that it will ever be wrapped up in yellow ribbons as a gift.

If the White House Project teaches us anything, it is that we are the gatekeepers. We are the voices of change, and we will only succeed when we determine to stand together and demand respect.

Thank you for your example Marie. I hope every woman on this forum will follow suit, by writing, speaking, and acting in ways that will tear down those walls. We have much work to do, and our daughters are depending on us.

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