There was a story in the Wall Street Journal about the executive women of America and how they identify with Hillary Clinton.

These are the women who have sacrificed a great deal and put up with a lot of crap to make it to the boardroom. They have put up with the discrimination, endured the sexual harassment, condescension and humiliation. Walked the narrower line of acceptable behavior in the workplace and stood fast in the face of judgement by both men and other women.

Executive women make up 19% of the executive order in America, which is both phenomenal and not yet where we want to be.

They have my gratitude.

These women identify with Hillary Clinton and internally seethe every time someone criticizes her cleavage, hair, and fashion sense, or ask her inane questions about enjoying pearls or diamonds.

Yet they hedge their bets by donating to John Edwards’ campaign or declare themselves “undecided” based on this sentence: What if she can’t win?

So can she? Win, I mean?

She can if we support her.

Post from: Blisstree

Executives Support Hillary – Sorta

Women work. That’s a fact. But, at this point mothers are all making Sophie’s Choice (A “Sophie’s Choice” is a tragic choice between two unbearable options based on the 1979 novel by William Styron).

Choosing between working and staying-at-home is a choice between two extremes that suck for everyone in the family.

American parents have twenty-two fewer hours a week to spend with their kids than they did back in 1969. And 67 percent, two-thirds of all of working parents say they do not have enough time with their children, Hillary said in a speech.

Is that because women started working? No. It’s because American’s don’t value motherhood and nurturing enough to have family-friendly employment policy.

You know, the sad fact is that our country is only one of a handful of countries that don’t guarantee a legal right to paid maternity leave. And in the US only 7 percent of men have access to paid paternity leave, and less than 20 percent of women with a high school degree receive paid maternity leave. Now, for professional women, the story is somewhat better. Access to paid leave has steadily risen — from 14 percent in the 1960s to 63 percent in the 1990s, she said.

The Family Medical Leave Act is better than nothing, but not by much. It doesn’t apply to all Americans for one thing (doesn’t apply to small businesses). It’s unpaid for another. And to top it all off it’s laughably short (6-12 weeks) when considering life transitions, like welcoming a child into a family or caring for a sick relative.

Really, everyone thinks society would be a lot better if there were more face-time between parent and child (yeah, you too Dads). And I see one candidate who has an actual plan to make that wish a reality and her name is Hillary. Since no one can find the rewind button on feminism and women in the workforce, I think it’s time we decided where we want it to go from here.

And certainly a lot of women who are employed with children, more than 60% would prefer to work part time, but that’s not in the cards, because it’s hard to manage that and it often doesn’t pay enough to make it work for them, she said.

I think the answer lies in more family-friendly employment policy. Read her speech here. Though not completely sold on Hillaryland, Elizabeth over at Career and Kids  is talking about Hilary’s agenda for working families too. Elizabeth thinks the plan sounds great, but she’s just not sure she can see the plan happening.

I would point out that the economy of America would crumble without the working woman at this point. So, it’s time the American Family stood up and demanded what we need.

Post from: Blisstree

Hillary = Family Values

Yesterday was one of those days…customers would have to wait; it was time to take a trip down memory lane by organizing a closet that was simply out of control and sorrowfully out of date.

Join me and my Hefty garbage bag won’t you? as I take you to a land far, far away — once known to me as Corporate America: (wear sunglasses, some of this stuff is pretty darn horrible to look at.)

• First stop: Red, Hound’s Tooth Suit with velvet collar and buttons. Colleague told me it looked like something Elmer Fudd would wear. For 10 years it has been sitting in the closet because I didn’t believe him. Now I do, into the bag.
• Next: The BCGB tan skirt with the high-wasted band, in the ugliest tan color I’ve ever seen…was supposed to make me look powerful…but made me look top-heavy. Gone.
• Sinister side-street: Risque, nightie-like top in garish mint green with lace trim, because all the magazines said you should wear something provacative under your suit jacket. Really looks slutty. OUT.
• Big Shoulder District: Or the Dynasty era (I’m really aging myself aren’t I?) Blue pinstripe number with pearl buttons . Lining has been fixed so many times, pearls buttons are missing from the sleeves and made too much noise in meetngs because of my bad habit of gesticulating during presentations. I wish you didn’t have to go, but you do.
• Ugly Shoe district: Blue ‘gator slingback pumps, purchased on ebay when they first came about. What was I thinking? Seriously. Out.
• Sweater Lane: Another brilliant purchase: a tan, crew neck Anne Klein (because she designs for working women)…with frilly cuffs. Still thinking about this one.
• Sensible Avenue: Plaid flannel shirt to help employees feel that I was approachable and one of them….and also that I was highly creative by trying to match it with a pencil skirt. Don’t even wear on the weekends with jeans. Toss. No, really Toss.
• Last stop on our tour: Corduroy skirt with leather string belt (affection for Dwight Yokam). Seriously, what is with the tan…never worn: Into the bag.

That’s it I did it…cleaned it all out. Tomorrow? The kitchen junk drawer. Now back to those customers. And thank god for Hefty garbage bags, eh?

Post from: Blisstree

The Closet of Our Lives