VCC Magazine Winter 2020

V irginia C apitol C onnections , W inter 2020 8 I was elected to represent Arlington in the historic body called The Virginia House of Delegates in a special election held in January 1991. In late November I attended a conference sponsored by the Rutgers University, Center for American Women and Politics. (CAWP) I was awed by the participants, elected and hope-to-be elected women from every state, whose resumes had years of experience in campaigns, but as volunteers, and their backgrounds were impressive. This was to be the Year of the Women for the U.S. House and Senate. The only women sitting in the Senate in 1991 were one widow of a man who had served, and one other. Two of 100. In our audience in 1991 were Patty Murray, Barbara Mikulski, Carol Moseley-Braun, Dianne Feinstein, and Barbara Boxer, whose 1992 election would triple the number of women in the US Senate, to a whopping six! Every woman running for the U.S. Senate would share her experiences as an “agent of change” candidate, and also seek suggestions, support as she geared up for a statewide campaign. Their election was the result of a number of things, particularly demographics, global politics, scandals with incumbents, ripple effects of the women’s liberation movement, Clarence Thomas’s nomination for the US Supreme Court by an all- white, male Senate Judiciary Committee, and the beginnings of the reports of sexual harassment. And then, I heard Beverly Byron, a quiet conservative Democrat from Maryland’s 6th Congressional District. She chaired the Military Personnel and Compensation Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee. Now how in the world did she get that position? Seniority, and although her military experience was limited, she was a parent. She told us of how she asked many other members of the subcommittee how satisfied were the uniformed officers and enlisted servicemen with the daycare provided at military bases throughout the world. “No problem” was the refrain. But Representative Byron decided to ask the same question directly of these servicemen…and women. When the results of her survey were compiled, everyone was in for a surprise. First, many male soldiers were divorced, and had no spouse who “stayed at home and took care of the children”. Childcare was scarce on bases, and often too expensive off the military. The recent increase of women in the military found their concerns and issues similar to their male counterparts. As a result, Chair Byron began to identify changes that needed to be made at every military base, targeting the needs, taking suggestions from those for whom childcare was a missing link. This was one of the best examples to me of avoid assumptions or stereotyping, and “You should never judge a book by its cover.” Ever heard that before? A woman’s perspective, expressed by her questions, just may be different from a man’s. We found that to be true in the House of Delegates, even when only 15% of the body were women.We were not homogeneous. Our parties, backgrounds, districts, ages, and experiences were quite different. As a result, when Arlington Delegate Judy Connally looked into data of women’s health in research projects, she found no research using women—data were extrapolated frommen in the research. Her study of this complete disregard for the health of women in our Commonwealth led to the formation ofWomen’s HealthVirginia which is headquartered in Charlottesville, providing an annual health fair about women, for women. Throughout Delegate Connally’s tenure, she communicated with both sides of the aisle regarding the challenges and possibilities for women’s health. Some sessions we have had a bipartisan caucus or issues group for women. This often led to co-sponsorship of legislation, or small conferences. When the statute of limitations for reporting marital rape was abolished, each woman of the House was provided with data and rationale for removing this barrier.Why should the wife of an abuser not be afforded equal protection under the law? Everyone was encouraged to offer her concerns, issues during the House floor debate. And I am reminded of the Speaker’s comments later when he described the vision before him—many women of the House “popping up” simultaneously to speak for the bill. A number of female legislators later offered their thanks for being encouraged, prepared, and involved in the debate. These times of collaboration have been inconsistent.And eventually, the partisan divide became too obvious to ignore, even as a member of one party or the other. If you avoid becoming friends, and positions on an issue become more important than Virginia, then it has become easier to maintain the silence requested by one party or the other. No fraternization— even that term has its gender influence. History shows that although Virginia women voted immediately following the ratification of the 19th amendment, the state did not ratify that same amendment until 1952. Remember that, 32 years later, and it counted! Nothing has created more of a division based on stereotyping and misinformation than ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment in Virginia, from the 1970’s until today. Originally, both parties worked nationally for ERA ratification, under the leadership of Democrat Liz Carpenter and Republican Elly Peterson within the organization ERAmerica. Republicans and Democrats, women and men, have kept that vote from reaching the House floor inVirginia. A new approach has brought the bipartisan team, and for that we can be grateful.When I was working for the Equal Rights Amendment’s passage in the Virginia General Assembly in the late 1970’s, I kept thinking “I can’t believe that a state with a flag showing a bare-breasted woman standing on a dead man doesn’t already have an ERA.” Perhaps leadership and understanding by women and men, Democrats and Republicans, will bring a different result to the Old Dominion this time. My new found hero is Delegate-Elect Shelley Simonds who was elected this past November. She never gave up, and perseverance is part of leadership. “The best is yet to come.” L. Karen Darner is a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1991-2004 representing the 49th District. For a uniquely Richmond experience, stay at Richmond’s oldest and newest boutique hotel. 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