As for figureheads, I think one will emerge…it will be someone or some people who do the work we’re trying to do passionately, consistently and successfully. I don’t think we can pick one now.

One of the reasons I am here today, part of this group, and wanting to be an agent for change is because I was so saddened by the hate, vitriol and anger directed at Hillary and Sarah. So I hope that whatever we do at the New Agenda we will do always keeping in mind that we need to model the behavior we want to see: tolerance, respect, peace, kindness, encouragement. Do you all think that will work?

So I like the idea of a positive frame. The way I see, someone is going to have the take the risk of getting off the couch and out from behind the keyboard. Everyone is afraid to do it alone. Look what happened to Hillary and Sarah–it takes a lot of courage to take that risk. There are things that could be done right now. NYC is filled with disaffected Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin supporters, and most of the televised media is located right there. MSNBC is, for instance, I believe. Why aren’t women coming together from across the spectrum to spend a few hours outside their offices? They might Have to stand there every night for a few weeks during the two hours Tweety and Olbermann are on, but they couldn’t be ignored forever. I live in Indiana or I’d already be there starting that.

Likewise a group of committed people could be standing outside of Obama’s house in Chicago, or his HQs there. They could be quietly holding up signs and asking questions about women in the Obama administration. A couple of weeks of this would be enough to make some kind of progress. He couldn’t suffer that forever, and the media would eventually pick it up. I live five hours away, and I’d be willing to commit any Wednesday or Friday there if others were to join me.

I wonder if there is a religious leader that we can talk into joining us? Someone prominent within one of the more liberal faiths, such as UCC? While I’m not religious in the least and hold no beliefs on the supernatural, I do understand that these other leaders instilled a faith component in their movements that helped shield them somewhat from criticism and gave those movements a sort of cultural respectability. It is past time for women to be speaking out from the pulpit.

For the women’s movement, there’s the women who lead by example of their accomplishments, like Clinton and Palin- and who I’d like to see but haven’t found yet- the woman who stands up to the media and culture bias and is the face of that resistance.

(Without pushback to the media bias, the accomplished women politicians get trashed. )

A group could easily be the figurehead for that resistance, and maybe it’s the people in New Agenda who will fulfill that role.

I still hope for an already famous person to lend their face to the movement- or maybe that woman is even now hiding in obscurity and fate will propel her to the fore.

Someone who “calls” the media on their bias and leads the resistance by example- that’s what would inspire me.
Of course, that’s just my 2 cents.

I think the least a figurehead group ought to do is speak the truth and ask difficult questions: Ask the public, the media, politicians, why not 50% representation, NOW? What are we waiting for? Why is not Obama choosing 50% women for his cabinet? Should political leaders ignore hateful speech and actions towards their opponent if it helps them? Is there not an ultimate responsibility to promote dignity and good sportsmanship in politics, which is more important than winning?

I think a figurehead group can inspire by taking positive actions that are sincere and show love towards women and all people. They would always connect the dots for people of how equality and fair treatment of women make society as a whole better, using science, and examples from real life, from history and from other countries.

I work for a city agency that sent a broadcast email message asking people to submit artwork for an exhibit for Black History Month. I wrote to the organizer, expressed my enthusiasm for this exhibit and asked whether such an exhibit is planned for Women’s History month. She wrote back: “As a matter of fact, we used to have a Women’s History Month exhibit immediately after the BHM
Show, but it got too hard to handle logistically, so we stopped doing Women’s History.” Ouch. That hurt. It was too hard, so we stopped. In other words, we didn’t think it was worth the effort.

I wrote back offering my services with logistics if they will reconsider, and recommended that they have a Women’s Art Show at a less busy time of year…

So perhaps a figurehead group can address such slights publicly. When a women’s history art show is dropped, when a girls sports team funding cut in favor of a boys’ team, when a financial or educational institution continues to deny advancement opportunities to female employees, all such things can be called out publicly by our group. Or when females are promoted or valued, our group can draw attention to that, and reward the organization or company doing it with good publicity. Along the same line, we can have a monthly recitation or public recognition, an honor roll, where we publicly acknowledge women from all walks of life who have made a positive difference, or women who have attained a significant advancement in their arena.

Maybe we can make ourselves available as a group for news interviews. We can book speeches at colleges, high schools, girl scout groups, women’s groups, and tell our story and our purpose. And always with a focus on the positive.

I personally would want to ask people to treat themselves and their enemies with dignity, respect, and tolerance. I would give examples of how hate speech and dehumanization of people has led to atrocious acts throughout history. I would ask people to accept each other’s differences and strive to see the common ground.

How about you, what would inspire you?

I like that idea a lot. We would have a difficult time picking one figurehead but a group of truly diverse women would be a great tone to set.

It would be easier if we can do a group of figureheads. Any other volunteers? Common, everyday women figureheads from a variety of backgrounds would be inspiring. You’d just have to be willing to go public, consistently, long term.

I’m half serious about volunteering myself, mostly because I feel like, who the heck am I to be a figurehead, but I totally like the idea of a group of regular women being the face and voice of this group.
Young, old, different shades, different upbringings, parties, different in so many ways, yet united with one purpose…respect and support of female advancement.