By Francés Matteck/editor-in-chief
The White House Council on Women and Girls, brought to life in March by an executive order, is unnecessary.
Linda D. Hallman is the executive director of the American Association of University Women, a group whose mission is to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research. The council was a high-priority recommendation from the AAUW to Obama.
Hallman commended the administration for the creation of the council and described it as a victory for her organization and the millions of women and girls who will now have a “pipeline directly into the White House.”
The praise for this initiative is foolish. Women and girls already have the opportunity to make their voices heard on issues that are important to them. Every American does. They can write to their representative and make their opinions known. Not only that, women hold a record number of seats in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives with 17 and 74, respectively. These female delegates do not lose their femininity once they are sworn into office, and male delegates would be unwise to ignore the voices of their female constituents as they outnumber males in the U.S. by several million.
Supporters for the council will argue that it provides an outlet for women to promote their views on political concerns such as abortion or equal pay. However, with so many advocacy groups already doing this, one more, even one in the White House, is superfluous.
How can the council advocate for all girls and women on political concerns when they have different opinions derived from a wide variety of experiences? It cannot claim the ability to represent the views of all women. Even women who have had similar life experiences can form different opinions. There is no way to speak for everyone.
This executive order is not a victory as Hallman believes. It is a throwback committee in a government full of committees. As a nation, we should be beyond the need for councils like this. All this does is imply that women and girls are segregated. It says they are a shoebox in a closet with floor-to-ceiling shoe racks.
It seems that everyone is classified these days, and it shouldn’t be that way. It is not about men or women, black or white, gay or straight. It’s about Americans.
Instead of installing councils that imply divisiveness in the country, perhaps President Obama should think about promoting unity.
