Council and Boise Member Center Address Women in Idaho

October 28, 2008. Posted by Linda Basch, President, National Council for Research on Women I'm pleased to share with you an op-ed I co-authored with Lisa McClain, Director of Gender Studies at Boise State University, appearing in today's Idaho Statesman.  The piece begins like this: Women, who are being aggressively courted by both campaigns, have much at stake in this election. Now that attention has turned from lipstick to the economy, perhaps we can start a dialogue on what really matters to women voters in Idaho. This election season has prompted many in the press, and even among women themselves, to wonder out loud: Can women "have it all"? Yes, women can have it all, but only if there are policies and programs in place to support them. Unlike Sarah Palin, the majority of us cannot bring our children to work or work from home. We must start looking at reality when it comes to women's lives. For example, in Idaho, one woman in eight lives in poverty. Nationwide, women disproportionately receive subprime mortgages. Only one in seven children eligible for child care receives that care. And half the work force, of which women comprise 48 percent, receives not one single paid sick day. So while the focus is on getting out women's votes, at the same time we need to start addressing women's concerns.... You can read the rest here.  As always, I welcome your thoughts!