Can Women Put an End to Sexist Politics?
Dave Kerpen
Serial Entrepreneur, NY Times Best-Selling Author, Global Keynote Speaker, Investor, Writer for INC.com
“Daddy," said my pensive 10 year old daughter to me the other day, “Why is Anthony Weiner in the news all the time, with naked pictures? I thought he wasn’t in Congress anymore.”
Most of you probably don’t know that I almost ran for public office in Queens, New York in 2008. For years, I’ve had a deep interest in public service – and while ultimately I chose not to run five years ago, I am still interested in one day serving in government, in New York City or elsewhere. So I’ve followed the goings-on of government officials and would-be elected officials with a keen eye.
Frankly, what I’ve seen is disgusting.
I looked up to Eliot Spitzer, the former governor of New York, and then he let me down, in a scandal with a hooker that led to resignation. Now he’s running again for office in New York City.
I looked up to Anthony Weiner, the former Congressman from New York, (finally, an elected official who used Twitter well!) and then he let me down, in a scandal involving him sending nude pictures of himself to young women. Now he’s running for Mayor in New York City!
The two elected officials I admired most have both been disgraced by sex scandals. But that’s just the beginning. In the last five years, the list of male US politicians disgraced by sex scandals is both exhausting and embarrassing: John Edwards, Mark Sanford, Kwame Kilpatrick, Vito Fossella, Pete Domenici, Herman Cain, Chris Lee, Mark Souder, Eric Massa, David Vitter, Larry Craig, Mark Foley, and Gary Condit sadly represent just a partial list.
While all those men have been disgraced by politics, elected women, admitted far fewer in number, have not been. Why? Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, had this to say:
“The shorthand of it is that women run for office to do something, and men run for office to be somebody.”
That may be the case, but it’s no excuse for the seemingly-endless stream of male politicians in New York and throughout the country who can’t remain faithful to their partners. The news media doesn’t make it any better, as they follow every move of these disgraced male politicians and their inevitable attempted comebacks.
My friend Reshma Saujani is running for New York City Public Advocate, and just launched a campaign called, “Up to Us.” The campaign aims to empower women to help shift the political climate in New York from sex scandals to women’s issues. An online petition at UpToUs2013.com attempts to reclaim the public discussion from misogyny to the real needs of women and girls.
Up to Us might be aimed at women, but as a husband to one amazing and talented female leader, and a father to two amazing daughters, I believe men have an equal responsibility to shift the conversation from sex scandals to the gender gap, and put an end to sexist, misogynistic, sex-crazed male leaders.
My daughters deserve better. We all deserve better.
What do you think? Learn more now at UpToUs2013.com.
Now it’s your turn. What do you think of the current stream of sex scandals in NYC politics and throughout our country? Why do you think female leaders are not disgraced by sex scandals while men continue to be? How much do you think the martial and sexual conduct of our elected leaders matters? What responsibility do you think women and men have for our elected leaders? Let me know in the Comments section below, and please do share this post with your network.
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Dave Kerpen is the founder and CEO of Likeable Local. He is also the co-founder and Chairman of Likeable Media, and the New York Times-bestselling author of Likeable Social Media and Likeable Business, and the new collection, Likeable Leadership. To read more from Dave on LinkedIn, please click the FOLLOW button above or below.
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Senior Instructional Designer at Altec
9 年To suggest women are responsible for male misbehavior in politics is like saying women responsible to change male behavior in sexual harassment situations. The responsibility resides in every bystander who knew the conduct was going on and did nothing to top it. Men must hold each other to higher morale standards and women cannot let it slide when they are not the recipient.
Indeed to do something is more powerful than to be somebody. Really a great article. Everyone should opt to do something rather than being somebody. And thanks for such a article. As a female i got encouraged and appreciated by this article. Thumbs up..
Health Guide/Counsellor
11 年This is a continuation as the first part was rather long. Both issues need to be discussed and tackled head on to find real solutions to scandalous behaviour and Women's and Girl's issues. I do recommend Prayer first and foremost for Wisdom. I commend and congratulate you Dave for being so caring to your lovely wife and adorable daughters. This shows True Love, which brings harmony in the family and gives stability to the children.I agree with you that our Children deserve better. True Love is what we need in society at large. May our Lord God who is True Love by nature, shower us all with His real Love and teach us how to love one another on earth. The greatest gift of all. On the whole, I think Women could put and end to sexist politics if they know whom they are in Christ. and make use of their gifts. They are naturally gifted with multi- tasking etc. Both parties will eventually realise that every human being is unique with his/her special talents and purpose and we are all called to fulfil our destinies in life. So we are to encourage, inspire, and empower one another as men and women to contribute to the well being of all so that women will not need to fight to be heard, or prostitute themselves to survive as some women do.
Health Guide/Counsellor
11 年Sex scandal in NYC Politics and elsewhere, could be seen as unacceptable to many especially when a responsible leader who ought to be a role model for the younger generation is involved. @ Debbie Walsh commented that "Women run for office to do something, while Men run for office to be somebody" I would argue that both sexes do run for office for both reasons i. e to make a difference and to gain power. Responsible women leaders are probably more reserved and don't get involved with sex scandals as such. Becoming somebody however, does not give one a licence to degrade oneself sexually simply because one has become affluent and influential.Sexual sin or sexual immorality has ultimately, caused many a downfall of great men including men of God who should know better. Thank God for His over-flowing Grace and Mercies ( which are new every morning) to remedy such situations and help us overcome temptations, if we turn to Him in repentance. God's Word which does not change, admonishes us to love the wife of your youth like your self as your other half. The solution to sexual scandal of any kind I think, is to guard against sins of the flesh e.g the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh, by putting on the whole Armour of God at all times. (see Ephesians 6 ) in the Bible, and applying the Wisdom of God's Word to our daily circumstances.