Sen. Sharon Broome, D-Baton Rouge, brought together a group of powerful local women Thursday to get feedback on pressing women’s rights issues in preparation for her presentation at a national conference.
Broome, a member of the Manship School of Mass Communication Board of Visitors, has been selected as one of two candidates to represent Louisiana in the 2010 Conversation for Vision 2020.
Vision 2020 is a conversation about women and leadership. Women from around the country gather to discuss issues that perpetuate inequality through eight different areas of focus, according to the Vision 2020 website.
Broome put on the event to get feedback from women of different backgrounds, said Crystal Jackson, Broome’s public relations and marketing consultant.
“She is going to use this information to fuel the package she is taking with her to the convention,” Jackson said.
April Hawthorne, legislative assistant to Broome, said this is the only event Broome has put on.
“Though this event is the only one of its kind before the convention, there are high hopes that women will continue to come together to discuss their rights in the workplace,” Hawthorne said.
One of the main topics at the event was the perception of women in Louisiana, which brought a heated discussion.
“I think perception depends on where you sit or where you stand,” said Kim Reed, chief of staff for the Louisiana Board of Regents. “Women in the South are continuing to work hard, so it’s not so much the perception that is different, it’s the reality.”
As that topic wound down, this issue of wage gaps in men’s and women’s salary began.
“It’s an uphill battle to get men in positions of power to understand that women should be paid equally,” said Sen. Yvonne Dorsey, D-Baton Rouge.
Legislative process is institutionalized, and change comes about slowly, Dorsey said.
“The men are at fault, but so are some women who join them,” she said. “When women come into positions of a power, they begin to act more like men. We need them to embrace our feminine identity. We need them to be at the table as women to fight for equal rights.”
Teri Fontenot, president and CEO of Woman’s Hospital, said those who think passing a law would change the problem have a sad misconception.
“Women have to mentor and support each other to enter the circles that men have dominated,” Fontenot said.
Broome will attend the conference later this month to discuss these issues among others.
Read more about Vision 2020 here.
—-
Contact Kayla DuBos at [email protected]