Another 55-Year-Old White Woman for Obama

Second chances are rare and wonderful moments. Baby Boomer white women now have one: we can cast a vote backwards in time, declaring that gender wins the 'who's-more-oppressed' game, or we can recognize that we missed an opportunity to fundamentally change institutions 30 years ago and our experience has made us wiser.

After each loss, Hillary Clinton or her supporters raise the specter of sexism in a divisive way; this stands in sharp contrast to Barack Obama's unifying discussion of race. Declaring gender as the "highest glass ceiling" has neither facts nor a hunger for uniting the country on her side.

In 1976, when I co-founded the first organization in the United States to offer comprehensive services, training, and consultation on the topic of sexual harassment, unwelcome sexual advances were disproportionately directed towards women of color; however, white women's complaints were consistently taken more seriously. Stereotypes and privilege were at work then, and they continue to play a critical role in our society today -- especially in the workplace.

In 2007, the Level Playing Field Institute conducted a rigorous study of 19,000 professionals and managers to determine who leaves corporate America and why. When the data were broken down, race, not gender, became the defining demographic. People of color are more than three times as likely to leave solely due to unfairness (9.5%) than Caucasian heterosexual men (3.0%). In comparison, Caucasian women are only one-and-a-half times more likely to leave (4.6%). The cumulative effect of stereotyping, mistaken identity, being asked to attend extra recruiting events and community functions to be the "minority face" of one's company is further indication that race plays a crucial role in one's experience.

When study participants were asked what could have kept them at their former employer, again, responses were divided along racial lines. For people of color, the single most important step employers could have taken was "a better manager who recognized my abilities." For Caucasian heterosexual men and women, the single most important step employers could have taken was related to the issue of "fair pay."

While there is a dearth of white women professionals and executives, the progress of people of color in any number of sectors--banking, law, consulting--has been pitifully slower. Solutions to the problem do not lie in irresponsibly fanning the flames of the "gender vs. race" argument, as Hillary Clinton seems to be doing. .

On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., where I spoke to a group of lawyers and social advocates, including three of the five Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) commissioners, I learned that white women voters in California and Michigan voted in favor of Propositions 209 and Proposal 2, both of which effectively ended affirmative action. Why would women, who had been assured equal opportunity under affirmative action, vote for such a measure? According to those who conducted interviews with them, because they believed that a vote for themselves and people of color was a vote against their white husbands and their white children.

We need to change this double standard where some are willing to see gender bias but unwilling to look in the mirror at one's own biases or to take action on any form of bias whether one is directly hurt by it. Instead of taking a stand, privileged white women have often opted out.

At a recent party celebrating the publication of my new book, I was asked by a privileged white woman why women don't support each other. This obvious reference to white women not lining up uniformly behind Hillary came from a woman with two Ivy League degrees who dropped out of the workforce to be home with her children. Another woman at the same gathering reflected that only one of the 100+ women from her MBA class was still working. As many studies find, the single greatest predictor of whether a woman lawyer or MBA stays in the workforce after having children is her husband's income. Why haven't these privileged women stayed to help make the workplace more welcoming for all of us?

To me, Hillary Clinton represents the status quo: privilege protecting privilege at the expense of less affluent or "connected" populations of our society -- especially with regard to creating a level playing field in American workplaces. I am supporting Barack Obama because he challenges us to build empathy, to care about others as much as ourselves, and to ask hard questions--such as who really has the unfair advantage?

Freada Kapor Klein, Ph.D. is the founder of the Level Playing Field Institute (www.l;pfi.org ) and the author of Giving Notice: Why the Best and the Brightest Leave the Workplace and How You Can Help Them Stay (Jossey-Bass, 2007)

Comments

[fouchnickens]

As a black woman who has left/been fired from two non-profit organizations supposedly dedicated to helping people who look like me, I have found it difficult to discuss this topic with my female friends who seem to breeze through careers on the sheer fact that they are white and well-connected. In both jobs, I brought up issues of race and disability prejudice clearly exhibited by staff members, as well as an unwillingness of the staff to examine the "Savior of the Darkies" attitude which I found more offensive than if nothing were done at all.

For exercising the skills which my supervisors initially lauded, I was punished by being passed over for promotion and being fired at will -- both times the punishment was handed out by well-to-do women who were only interested in decrying their oppression instead of contemplating how their prejudice cast a pall upon those who were not of their background.

I do not support Clinton based on her DLC membership, her inability to understand the importance of community organizing, and unanswered questions about her husband's dealings in undemocratic countries.

And yet, I am chided as an unthinking KoolAid drinker simply because I have decided to what I feel best for the country, rather than just my sense of self. I am still waiting for white feminism to recognize that I too am a woman all the time, not when the movement needs to seem less like a "big girl's club."

[chaoticfat]

Fouchnickens: Thank you. You articulated my thoughts exactly. For all their talk of feminism and women's rights, some white women just really don't get it. They really take their "Privilege" for granted. I really don't want to offend anyone, but there is an example that is in my head right now and I have to let it go:

You remember when Black Enslaved Women were forced to bed White Slave Masters whenever the notion moved them, or when the Wives had headaches and didn't want to be bothered and the Wives really didn't care as long as their homes were cleaned, meals cooked, children reared and they could shop and keep their standing in society?...Think about it, not much has changed and feminism as far as black women are concerned is a bunch of BS.

So Hillary's rallying cry during this primary that she has been the victim of Sexism really makes me feel disrespected by her and her campaign.

Be well, CF

[chrome327]

Thank you for all of this. Your post really resonated for me. You've nailed down so many things that have bothered me throughout this primary race.

[AlexVonHussein]

Hillary is and will be what Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, were for the Blacks. Down the road a Woman will emerge who will say she is a candidate running for presidency who happens to be female. She will give a speech about Gender... If she will be transgender please dont ask me!

[irishgawdess]

During the recession in the 70s, many women worked outside their home for the first time to supplement the family's income as many mid-level, white collar male workers being laid off. This was one of the great phenomena of that era. Sexual harassment was a tool used to get "power over," and it was likely that (white) women *had* to stay on the job regardless of what might be going on because theirs was the only paycheck coming home.

Just an aside: Who remembers the Virginia Slims commercial telling women "we can have it all"? Supposedly, we could buy our own bacon AND cook it up in a pan! What a woman! However, you felt guilty for somehow not being able to live up to that high standard. I bought in to that marketing crap until the late 80s, realizing I was too exhausted to keep it up. Women will always have to give something up in order to maintain balance in their lives: themselves, their family and friends, their avocation.

[lboucher]

I don’t even notice the color of his skin. I do notice the thinness of it, though.

— Dennis Miller, on Barack Obama

[NorVaGal]

Yeah, we ALL know what a pillar of moral authority Dennis Miller is. I consider it a great compliment to Obama that those of DMiller's ilk take pot shots at him. You know Obama's doing everything just right. Thin skin indeed. (LOL)

[egal]

Thank you!

It's so frustrating to see Hillary destroying her chance to represent capable and reasonable women by falling into the trap of playing the victim and pushing her failures into others' laps as some women did before they were widely accepted in work outside of the home. Forthright and perceptive reminders why her behavior is exactly the thing our country--not to mention, the causes of gender and other equalites--least needs are welcome.

They also help point out that many intelligent women are capable of making a choice not because they want to make a statement, stick it to the man, or support a fellow woman, or just contribute to a random female's achievement and thereby succeed vicariously, but because they believe in that choice and have many reasons for doing so.

[noo]

thank you, for your work and for this article.

[BookQueen]

I agree wholeheartedly with your article. Hilary has been pushing the idea that we should elect a woman President for our daughters as though electing an African American President meant nothing.

In response to the woman's question why don't women support each other and vote for Hilary - I don't support Clinton because she doesn't support other women. She helped to suppress the voices of sexual harassment victims. She has never spoken against her husband's welfare reform program which made the lives of single mothers miserable. And despite her backtracking, I think her baking cookies remarks show what she really thinks of moms who want to take care of their own kids.

Speaking of which, why do you assume working is the best way for those moms to support other moms? Not all moms want to be in the workplace. Why not support them by making it easier to stay home? Or at least respecting child care workers, including moms and dads. I'd like to see all the privileged working women who have money and power use some of it to support at-home moms.

[iswideopen]

Dear Freada: (And all who commented)
From the depths of my soul, I thank you. May more peacefullness and love follow as a result of your article.

[feeba]

Clinton has taken Kentucky and Obama is right there in Oregon.
The Democratic race for nomination is still very much alive – and most likely to be decided by superdelegates – as CNN points out clearly

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/20/primary.wrap/index.html

If you’re tired of waiting around for those super delegates to make a decision already, go to LobbyDelegates.com and push them to support Clinton or Obama

If you haven't done so yet, please write a message to each of your state's superdelegates at http://www.lobbydelegates.com

Obama Supporters:

Sending a note to current Obama supporters lets them know it's appreciated, sending a note to current Clinton supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Obama, and sending a note to the uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Obama. It's that easy...

Clinton Supporters too …. !

It takes a moment, but what's a few minutes now worth to get Clinton in office?! Those are really worth !

Sending a note to current Clinton supporters lets them know it's appreciated, sending a note to current Obama supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Clinton, and sending a note to the uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Clinton. It's that easy...

[globalmusing]

Thank you, Ms. Klein, for these compelling facts about race, gender, and politics in our country. I hope you'll soon be speaking about them to national television audiences.

[kburlz]

31 year old white male Obama supporter happy to see some Hillary supporters are coming around. I knew you would! After decades of nominating dorks we've finally got a winner. Get on board! Ask yourself: how much of my angst is caused by Obama supporters and how much is Obama himself? Don't hate the man for what his most vocal supporters say.

[Yohomegirl]

AMEN! A white elderly woman told me in tears that it was her last chance to see a woman president. Pat Shroeder said the same. But it is their last chance to see a black president as well. Well, hopefully they will live to see many more presidents, but you get my drift. I grew up in and still reside in the South. All white families had black maids where I grew up. The maids were always older than our mothers but they had to say 'Yes ma'am and no ma'am' to our mothers. To go from that to having a black man be president. That is a helluva lifetime. I will be so proud to have lived from one time to another.

[KarateKid]

Me, too. Bravo to you.

[Yola]

Thank you!

[PumaJ]

Thank you for your comments. I am a 57 y.o. white woman who has made observations similar to what you've described.

That Clinton puts sexism ahead of or at least on the same level as racism is the best example of how clueless she really is. Then to make comments about Bill Clinton being the first "black" president just further serves to illuminate her cluelessness and white privilege/arrogance.

[kira181]

"Former President Bill Clinton was honored as the nation's first black president Saturday at the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Annual Awards Dinner on in Washington, DC."

Just an example of attributing "comments" to Hillary which she didn't make.

Also, how, exactly, does she "put sexism ahead of or at least on the same level as racism"?

[NorVaGal]

"Whites won't vote for Barack Obama." Just an example of attributing "comments" to Hillary which SHE DID MAKE.

[lobear00]

Hillary is to bush What bush is to Hillary! Sister&Brother. "Trustworthy' No, "Lairs to the highest order " you bet. Nothing is ever what it appears to be! and apperances can be "decieving.

[KarateKid]

Well said, FINALLY. Although I empathize with the struggle of white women, it pales in comparison with the struggles of people of color.

As a person of color, the most offensive thing said to me was the insinuation that it was my color that got me where I got, after I had to be twice as good for twice as long as my white counterparts, including white women, to get anywhere in the corporate world. That's why the comments of Geraldine Ferraro offended me so much, including her self denigration.

Many of the commenters have said this numerous times: we would not hesitate to vote for a woman, just not this one, not after she mismanaged her campaign. She had all the advantages at the outset, the Democratic party apparatus, $44million to Obama's $3.5million, the African American and Latino Vote, the name recognition, a popular ex-President behind her, and a huge commitment lead among the superdelegates.

She blew it all, ending up deep in debt, changing her message numerous times, and now reduced to going around trumpeting Karl Rove's electoral map. Karl Rove!! I can't vote for someone this inept. None of these three have been president, so the best judge for the majority of us is how they lead and manager their campaigns. Obama wins by a mile; it's not even close. And it has nothing to do with gender, ladies.

[Yohomegirl]

Yeah, in my hometown the black kids came to school in ironed jeans because they had to be better to came anywhere near being as good. It is not right. Things are changing, it's good and we can make it better.

[KarateKid]

A lot of the younger people in this audience don't know what it was like, and how all southerners got painted with a broad brush. I knew a lot of southerners who were not prejudiced and thought segregation was wrong, and saw a lot of racism in the north. If they could only see how far we have come as a society.

I was born into a segregated world, blacks were getting lynched. School desegregation didn't come until I was 9; the Civil Rights Act was signed when I was 16. Voting Rights at age 17. I so agree with you on how significant it would be personally to see a black man become president; not just any black man, but a qualified one like Obama.