Campaigns for SG’s spring election are in full swing, with candidates hosting meetings and social media campaigns to gain support for their tickets. The female duo running for president and vice president on the “It’s Time” ticket took to Zoom on Feb. 3 along with six women who hold positions of power in Louisiana for a “Women in Leadership” panel. 

When moderator and Executive Director of Emerge Louisiana Tamara Agins asked the panel about their biggest obstacles in politics, many of the women said that their own belief in themselves is the hardest hurdle to jump. 

Former state Rep. Melissa Flournoy said that when she ran for office 30 years ago against an incumbent Republican, the state legislature was an “old boys’ club.”

“The biggest obstacle for a woman is getting comfortable in your own skin and in your own position, and knowing clearly that you have every right to run for office,” Flournoy said. “That level of confidence is frightening to people who may not have found their footing and their voices.”

Vice presidential candidate and psychology and English junior Angelina Cantelli echoed Flournoy’s sentiment about a lack of self-confidence.

“My personal biggest struggle has been my belief in myself,” Cantelli said. “If the Louisiana State Legislature is an old boys’ club, LSU SG is a young boys’ club.”

Rep. Barbara Carpenter said that confidence isn’t the biggest issue stopping women from assuming public office. 

“I don’t have obstacles when I’m in the chamber,” Carpenter said. “Raising money is our biggest obstacle. It’s very difficult for a woman to raise the money that the men do.”

Carpenter said that as a woman in politics, she knew that she couldn’t get emotional in front of her male counterparts. She recalled a piece of advice her mentor and panelist former Rep. Patricia Smith gave her.

“She told me, ‘Never show your emotions, never let them see you sweat and for god’s sake, don’t cry,’” Carpenter said. 
SG presidential hopeful and mass communication junior Mia LeJeune said that she feels like women self-censor their speech in politics to seem more palatable to the public. 
“There are parts of our minds curated to think that we can’t speak like this or can’t have this tone, and we get blasted for being aggressive or mean or rude,” LeJeune said. “I’m hopeful that the next generation of women will knock down those barriers and bring along other women to do the same.”

The panelists offered words of encouragement to women who are considering a career as a public servant.

Morgan Lamandre, legal director of STAR, an organization that provides support to victims of sexual violence, said that she used to be a perfectionist before she realized that perfection wasn’t attainable.

“Don’t let perfection stop you from progress,” Lamandre said. “Every step you take is progress.”

Louisiana Sen. Karen Carter Peterson gave her advice virtually, in a pre-recorded statement for the panel.

“The bravest thing a woman can do is put her name on the ballot,” Peterson said. “When women don’t have their seat at the table, we’re on the menu.”

When Agins asked LeJeune and Cantelli about the goals for their administration, the women said they would implement a system for LSU students to be able to register to vote along with systems to educate students about consent and proper Title IX practices.  

“There is a burden put on students to understand civic engagement, so I will institutionalize registering to vote,” LeJeune said. “We come to LSU to be better citizens. No student should graduate from this university without knowing the importance of voting.”

LeJeune reiterated the historical significance of a female-led ticket.

“This is an exciting and historic campaign because we would be the first female-female president and vice president of SG in LSU history,” LeJeune said. “I want to give back to the women that have helped me grow over the last three years of my life.”

Flournoy stressed the importance of a woman’s perspective in decision-making for a society as well as the opening women have to get involved in politics. 

“We need more women running for office at all levels,” Flournoy said. “There’s so much opportunity for women to change the game. We need to be in every room where decisions are made. We need other women to step up and write checks and be volunteers and vote for other women.”

Rep. Mandie Landry spoke about how women today face the same issues as women decades ago.

The hour-long event featured eight women sharing their unique experiences in politics to a virtual room of almost 30 attendees.