Female legislators set to break up ‘Men’s Club’

Our View

Female legislators set to break up ‘Men’s Club’

This year’s session of the Arkansas Legislature, which begins Jan. 14, should prove to be very interesting on at least one aspect based on what we believe will be the influence the number of women will have at least in the House of Representatives.

The number of women in the Arkansas Legislature in 2019 will match the record high of 32 set in 2009, and six more women will serve than did in the previous General Assembly.

Today, 25 women will be among the 100 representatives sworn into the House for the upcoming 92nd General Assembly, up from 18 last year. Now, on the other side of the isle in the Senate seven women will return, down from eight previously. Also interesting to note is the fact the House’s class of 24 freshmen will include seven women. And, we might add, Arkansas is one of 20 states that has never had a female governor. However, according to a story posted online by the Little Rock newspaper, Arkansas did have the first woman who was elected to the U.S. Senate, Hattie Caraway.

The most senior of them all, state Rep. Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren, made a good observation when she pointed out that overall, more women are becoming interested in the political area and, might we add, that their input and involvement will make a difference as far as women and children related issues are concerned.

For instance, in October 2017, state Rep. Sarah Capp, R-Ozark,, started a project in which several female lawmakers filmed video monologues that were posted on social media with the hashtag “ARGIRLSLEAD,” with the intent of attracting interest in their careers from young women.

Also interesting to learn is that House leadership began pressing members to attend a sexual harassment- prevention seminar last year, after the rise of the #MeToo movement and harassment scandals that forced resignations of lawmakers in other states, as well as in Congress.

Another example of the impact women are having in are state Legislature is when Gayatri Agnew, a mother who was running for a state House seat in Bentonville, persuaded the Arkansas Ethics Commission to clarify the fact that campaign funds can be used for child care expenses. Unfortunately for Agnew, she lost her race to the incumbent, state Rep.. Jim Dotson, R-Bentonville.

Admittedly, one of the most recognized women in the state Legislature is no other than the vocal and liberal Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock. Elliott was on point when she said the number of women in the 92nd General Assembly is “something to celebrate.” As expected, Elliott went on to say that the number of female lawmakers still falls far below women’s share of half the population.

While that may very well be true the fact remains that women in politics are making an impact and the state Legislature is no long considered “THE MEN’S CLUB.”

While women may not have as strong a voice as they might like what they do have to say and do will be duly noted among their male counterparts.