Strong, Beautiful Working Women, or Sen. Hillary Clinton Holds a Press Conference at Barnard College
Male chauvinists, stop reading now, or forever mourn the loss of the next minute of your life: Senator Hillary Clinton, presidential unhopeful, gave a press conference at Barnard College today addressing a recent US Government Accountability Office report on pay inequity for women in the workplace. IvyGate was pleasantly surprised that Barnard let us into the press room, where we proceeded to snap a bunch of shots of HRC from close range. But, before the photo barrage, let us turn to the topic at hand: the fact that, on average, women earn twenty percent less than men for the same work. The fact that Hillary earned (we’re ballparking here) twenty percent less votes than Barack Obama was not mentioned.
Although we had our suspicions about this press conference (suspicions involving the barely-departed coattails of one Barack Obama, see Liveblog 9/11/08), Hillary was eloquent, thought-provoking, and (we can’t believe we’re typing this) funny.
Some highlights, after the jump:
The speeches leading up to Senator Clinton were mostly soundbites, two or three minutes at the most, but there were some high points:
- Barnard’s new president, Debora Spar, believes that equal pay and equal rights “are not the stuff of front page stories or SNL skits, but they are the seedy reality.”
- Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, with an affectionate backwards glance at Clinton, who was resplendent in head-to-toe turquoise: “Fortunately our lioness is back on the job.”
- DSpar again, on ballistic missiles–I mean Barnard women: “One of my favorite themes–what young women can do when launching themselves into a male-dominated world.” She then jokingly asked Sonia Ossorio, President of New York City Now, to teach a class at Barnard. Columbians, get ready to cross-register!
Clinton began her speech with a nod to Congresswoman Malone, stating that “her book is really worth looking at because I’m putting in a shameless plug for it.” She went on to describe the importance of pay equity what with our sad, crappy economy. According to Clinton, “we’re on one team, the American team, and we’re on the fourth quarter down trying to figure out how to get across the goal line together.” Not said: and she is our mascot, the Lioness. Clinton then accused President Bush of “eight years of failed economic stewardship” and, impressing upon us again how very screwed we are during this economic crisis, she opened the floor to questions from the media.
Best Question, hands down:
Q: If you were in the White House, and it was 3 AM, what would you have done about the economic crisis?
Clinton: “Well, I would have answered the phone, and I’m not sure President Bush did.”
Runner up (aka Almost Best Question):
Q: A recent poll has Obama only 5 points ahead. Do you think it’s possible that New York could go to McCain?
Clinton: “No.”
So, to recap: Half of Ivy League grads will take twenty-percent longer to pay back their student loans, we now we have a statistic to quote in order to make men buy us drinks (screw feminism, we’re po’), and turquiose pants are never, ever a good idea.
Also, the ever-delightful Bwog liveblogs the event here.
–Article and Photography by Robyn Schneider
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September 15th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
I have yet to see any evidence that women actually earn less than men with similar jobs. I did pretty thorough research on this once because I was curious. Women are paid the exact same for the same jobs. Women’s overall national average pay is lower though, because they are in less lucrative position. This may be due to their personal choices (family, etc) or to discrimination (maybe).
September 15th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
are you sure this wasn’t a move to get the press away from sarah palin?
September 16th, 2008 at 1:31 am
and all we get are academics and graduation speakers… :(
September 16th, 2008 at 6:17 am
Nic, seriously? What do you call “pretty thorough”? I went to Google Scholar, typed “pay inequity” into the search field, and “Gender-BasedSalary Inequity in Social Work: Mediators of Gender’s Effect on Salary” popped right up (it’s result #5 for me). Now, you’d have to ask your library to get it for you, and it only deals with social work, but it’s just that easy to find more information.
Googling “pay inequity bibliography” gets you this, which might disabuse you of the notion that women are paid the exact same for the same jobs: http://www.dpeaflcio.org/programs/ALA_Updated_Biblio_Pay_Equity.htm
What resources did you look at?
September 16th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Well, won’t you look at that. Thx for the link Joe. Looks like the data shows that males work more hours per week and more males work full-time than women, straight from the U.S. Department of Labor. Is it any wonder that males are earning more? Just HAVING the same occupation doesn’t mean that you are DOING equal work.
September 16th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
“less votes”? seriously? try “fewer”
September 16th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
I think that the work of both Sonia Ossorio at NOW-NYC and
September 16th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
I think that the work of NOW-NYC Sonia Ossorio and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is remarkable. This fight for equal pay is very tumultuous and it requires a lot of courage, but its significance must never be underestimated. I am a male feminist with a disability and a proud member of NOW-NYC. I have years of experience knowing what it is like for a person with a disability to earn less than someone without the disability. Regardless of the presidential electoral outcome this coming November 4th I know that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton will not give up this struggle for anything, and we must stand in solidarity behind her. I also know that NOW-NYC President Sonia Ossorio will not relent in her commitment to this battle either as I am aware that her NOW-NYS and National NOW counterparts are working just as tirelessly to put an end to this wage inequity. Keep up the great work, and I am committed to helping in every way that I can.
September 25th, 2008 at 2:46 am
Ballistic missiles huh? Thanks for the compliment.