No Rose in Anyone's Lapel

In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man- if you want anything done, ask a woman.
-Margaret Thatcher-

Left to right: Addie Greene, former Palm Beach County Commissioner, Dr. Jean Enright, Commission Port of Palm Beach, Suzanne Mulvehill, our own Lake Worth City Commissioner and Tara Laxer, former Chief of Staff to Ted Deutch.

I really can relate to Margaret Thatcher’s statement. I found that men want to be the decision makers and rely on women to do all that is necessary to successfully implement the plan. I always feel a special pride in women such as the above who advance all of us in the eyes of the world.

Although a slow but steady process, the workplace has changed dramatically and women have come a long way. Without John F. Kennedy with the Equal Pay Act becoming law in June 1963 it might have been even slower. Since that time, women have gained about one half penny a year to close the pay gap.

However, the panel discussion last night was not about wage. It was about women in politics and how they got to where they are and what they did to get there. Presented by Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies along with the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, four remarkable women spoke at the Old School Square Theater on Swinton Avenue in Delray Beach.

The moderator was Dr. Kitty Oliver from FAU who introduced the ladies as the “best and the brightest,” saying that the advancement of women has been a long winding road.

Perhaps Margaret Trudeau said it best when she said, "I can’t be a rose in any man’s lapel." All these remarkable and smart women had their own personal stories and passions to share as to what provoked their decision to become involved in politics.

One thing that these women have learned is that no one gives you power. You have to believe in yourself and then take the lead...you don't have to dance backwards the rest of your life.