Women’s Issues? Say What? Chenoweth Says Gender-Equity Battles Were Won Long Time Ago

U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth told Idaho lawmakers Thursday there are no women’s issues Congress needs to address.

“Those battles were fought a long time ago. That’s behind us,” she said in an address to the state House of Representatives. “Now we’re fighting for all Americans.”

Her comments outraged Jen Ray, director of the Boise-based Idaho Women’s Network, who said, “It just goes to show how out of touch she is with reality.”

Chenoweth, R-Idaho, said reporters in Washington, D.C., often ask her what her women’s issues are. “I say mining, water law, recreation, lots of things,” she said. And when pressed further on whether she has any women’s issues on her agenda, Chenoweth said, “I say no.”

State Sen. Mary Lou Reed, D-Coeur d’Alene, responded, “I think Congressman Chenoweth is turning her back upon the women and children of her district while she’s concentrating on issues related to resource extraction and development. No matter what she says, there still is a very real need for advocates for children and women in this particular Congress.”

In an interview after her speech, Chenoweth said the battle on women’s issues was won long ago, thanks to women who preceded her. “They’ve established very well that women have a place in the House and the Senate,” she said.

“I think society and business as well as politics have made the shift. There are still attitudes, and there always will be attitudes out there.” But, she said, “we cannot control behavior with legislation.”

State Sen. Sheila Sorensen, R-Boise, said she agrees with Chenoweth that issues such as water law and agriculture are “not just men’s issues” and that people shouldn’t expect women legislators to be interested only in issues specific to women.

But some women’s issues remain, Sorensen said. “I don’t think they’re over. I think we need to continue to highlight issues that affect women in particular.”

Marilyn Shuler, director of the Idaho Human Rights Commission, said her agency continues to hear concerns about discrimination against women in employment, sexual harassment, the so-called “glass ceiling,” which some contend restricts women’s career advancement, and other issues relating to women in the workplace.

“There still seems to be an unexplained difference in the salaries of men and women,” Shuler said. People contacting the commission also have expressed concern that traditionally female jobs pay less than traditionally male jobs.

“Those are issues that many people are talking about.”

Diedre Chadderdon of Coeur d’Alene, newly appointed chairman of the Idaho Commission on Women’s Programs, said her commission is looking at a broad array of issues relating to women. They range from equal pay to sex crimes to domestic violence.

“We certainly aren’t sitting in our meetings with nothing to do,” she said.

, DataTimes