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The President’s Commission on the Status of Women at Wayne State held an event on Oct. 23 explaining the importance of women voters and why they should vote.
Many women entered the Undergraduate Library, in light of finding information about race, gender and women and political issues which will be helpful and encouraging for women to vote.
The keynote speaker Jocelyn Benson, an assistant professor at the WSU Law School and a member of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Election Law, said there are issues involving women in voting and civil rights that are being violated.
Gender wasn’t an issue at Wellesley College, the school from which Benson graduated.
She realized that people do see race and gender and it is important.
Benson took for granted that women can be leaders. Wellesley College, an all-woman college, was accustomed to a female president, professors, leaders, etc. Her visit to Oxford University, a coed college, quickly enlightened her.
“Gender is significant,” Benson said. “Gender does matter.”
Benson said how at Wellesley College she was used to women leaders just how today many people are used to men as leaders. Both have equal leader characteristics but there is a more significant role for women leaders to play.
Women in politics have to prove their capabilities because gender is such an issue.
“Race, gender, and politics are very important for this election because it’s about what voters want,” Benson said. What they want in a leader. What they can bring to the table.”
She also explained how regardless of race, Democrat or Republican, either way this election will be historic. Either we’ll have the first African-American president or the first female vice president.
Issues in voting and participation
Benson focused on voting such as, who casts it, who participates in voting and how the law affects the way people vote?
Benson said that class and race are in relation when it impacts communities.
“If we exclude certain groups our world becomes disenfranchised,” Benson said. “We all have to work together and make sure people vote.”
A question and answer session was held after Benson’s presentation, ranging in topics from vice president hopeful, Sarah Palin, the early voting scandal in North Carolina, and the question of being turned away from the polls if wearing candidate’s campaign gear.
Benson is in the process of writing a book, “Democracy and the Secretary: the Crucial Role of State Secretaries of State in Promoting Democracy.” She also has many other published works.
With many accomplishments under her belt, she continues to fight for the equal treatment of women and discrimination, voting and a democracy.
my sister!!