Women’s political participation on decline

City Council intern looks to turn it around

By Becki Leonard

Published December 10, 2006

Weaving through crowded tables at Starbucks coffee shop, a young woman with light hair and a complexion to match looks relatively at ease.  The softness in her eyes and gracious smile on her face create a calm demeanor that is nothing short of infectious.  One would never guess that this gentle-natured IU student thrives on dealing with men in power on a daily basis.

Bridget Gross, a 21-year old IU student from Monticello, Ind., is in her second year as an intern for the Bloomington City Council.  Though the council is composed of only males, she says she has learned not be intimidated or let her “female” status interfere with her work.

Photo By Becki Leonard Bridget Gross, City Council intern, feels it is important to stay connected with local current events.  Staying informed is a key aspect of her position, she says.

“I have learned to be nice, but not too nice,” says Gross.  “I think it’s a struggle for most women to learn to do that.  Even some of the strongest women are too nice in nature.  It’s just how some of us were made.”

Gross is a relatively unique figure in Bloomington government.  According to the Report on the Status o Women in Bloomington and Monroe County, produced in 2005 by the Bloomington Commission on the Status of Women, the number of women involved in Bloomington city government is steadily decreasing.

“There has been a noticeable decline in both the percentage of women running for city elected positions, as well as the percentage winning, since the 1991 elections,” the report states.

Democratic Women's Caucus established

This statistic is not to be taken lightly, the Report emphasizes.  Regina Moore, elected to City Clerk in 2003, seems to agree.  After an all-male Bloomington City Council was elected in 2004, Moore decided to take action.  She formed the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC), whose mission is to fund, inspire, and support progressive women to increase the number of females in elected and appointed positions. 

“If women want to affect change in their lives and those of others within the community, state, country, and world, they must be actively engaged,” the Report states.  “This is particularly important in the civic arena, which shapes the policy of our daily lives.”

The DWC endorsed 11 candidates in the recent Nov. election, in hopes of seeing more women in elected positions.  Seven of the endorsed candidates were successful in being voted into office.

One of those candidates is Barbara McKinney, elected to the Bloomington Township Board.  She says her position is a low profile one, but people recognized her as a DWC-endorsed candidate.                                  

“I’ve had a number of people tell me they heard about the endorsement, either through the DWC website, from flyers the DWC women distributed, or by other means,” McKinney says. 

“That had to have helped.”

McKinney joined the DWC and decided to run for office because she strongly supports women getting more involved in the political process. 

“I remember many, many years ago, my aunt, who was a Republican county auditor in a small town in Southern Indiana, telling me that she didn’t think women should run for county commissioner because they don’t understand roads and highway maintenance,” says McKinney.  “That struck me as a silly comment, even then.  Women can learn how to make roads, and women need to make their voices heard.”

Gross agrees,noting that she had the urge to get politically involved at a young age.  She recalls seeing images from the first war in Iraq, bombings and acts of violence, and feeling scared.

“I always wanted to know what was going on,” she says.  “And my parents tried to explain it to me in a way that I would understand.  I still have that same feeling. I want to know what is going on and who is making decisions.”

Photo By Becki Leonard

The Showers Common, which surrounds Bloomington City Hall, showcases an engraved plaque displaying the names of 1998 City Council members.  Unlike the 2004-elected City Council, this former council boasted female officials.

Gross believes not all women have that same feeling, which results in low female governmental involvement.  She thinks that women get overwhelmed with family and professional priorities and can’t make time for political activities.

“Women are the heartbeat of our culture,” says Gross.  “In a lot of cases, they take care of families while having demanding jobs, and political affiliation is just something separate that they don’t have time for.  I mean, how can you think about changing society when you are so bogged down?”

Participation comes in many forms

According to the Report, women’s political participation is the only way to ensure women’s lives, opinions, and ideas are represented.  Political participation can mean anything from voting to addressing labels for a female candidate to running for city council.

The DWC members embrace all areas of the political process.  While not every woman runs for office, those not on the ballot are writing letters to newspaper editors or phoning friends, urging voters to support DWC-endorsed candidates.

Val Haughton, who ran for Circuit Court 5 judge, credits the DWC with making her campaign come to life.

“They designed and mailed postcards for Teresa Harper and I encouraging voters to vote for both of us,” Haughton says, referring to the Circuit Court 8 judicial candidate.  “They developed cards to be handed out at the polls advising which candidates the DWC has endorsed.  They also walked door-to-door with me and wrote e-mails to friends on my behalf.”

Gross notes that she has attended DWC meetings and looks to the organization for inspiration.  Haughton sees why.  

“Their support and encouragement is so empowering,” she says.

“I know a lot of males have been accepted to the program, a lot more than females,” says Gross.  “But this is a male-dominated sector.  While I have accepted that, I think I am ready to handle the dynamic there, and hopefully start to change it.”

Gross’ coworkers believe this is possible.  Stacey Jane Rhoads, administrative secretary to the city council, notes how impressed she is with the way Gross has handled the male dominant environment in Bloomington government.

“Bridget has marked herself as not only an extremely dedicated student of civil society, but also a committed professional,” says Rhoads.   “She continually works to improve the accessibility, efficiency and transparency of city government.”

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