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08 March 2006
Historian Susan Ware Discussed American Women of Influence
USINFO Webchat transcript, March 8
Susan Ware, a noted expert on 20th century American women and former professor of history at New York University, discussed American women's contributions to U.S. society on International Women’s Day March 8.
Following is the transcript:
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of International Information Programs
USINFO Webchat Transcript
American Women: Their Contributions to U.S. Society
Guest: Susan Ware
Date: March 8, 2006
Time: 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (1400 GMT)
WEBCHAT MODERATOR: Welcome to USINFO Webchats. Our webchat on American Women: Their Contributions to U.S. Society will take place on Wednesday, March 8 at 9:00 a.m. EST (1400 GMT). If you would like to submit a question now, please do so!
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new web-based publication to which Dr. Ware served as a consulting editor. Please visit the "Women of Influence" website at http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/womeninfln/.
WEBCHAT MODERATOR: Good morning, good day, and good evening to our participants. Our webchat with Dr. Susan Ware will begin at 9:00a.m. EST (1400 GMT). We are receiving your questions.
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Best wishes on International Women's Day!
SUSAN WARE: I am delighted to take part in this webchat in honor of International Women's Day and I look forward to taking your questions and talking with you about American women's history.
QUESTION [Kester]: since women contribution to society growth is so enormous, and women can easily positive changes than men, what do you think can be done, that has not done, to have more women participates with their male counterparts on equal basis?
ANSWER [Ware]: While I agree that women have made, and will continue to make, enormous contributions to society and politics, there is still more than can be done to make sure that women enjoy equal access to social benefits alongside men. Areas which are of special importance are access to education, health care, employment, and full political engagement. This forward momentum will need the input of both men and women.
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Q [Regina]: Who was the most important U.S. woman responsible for women getting the right to vote in the U.S.? Why did it take so long?
A: It is hard to pick one woman in a struggle that lasted for 72 years! In the early years the key players were definitely Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony; in the last stages of the fight, Carrie Chapman Catt was a very important tactician and Alice Paul supplied the moral urgency. It took so long for women to get the vote in part because when it was first demanded in 1848, it was a very radical idea to have women participate in politics. Even as late as 1920 when the 19th amendment was passed, there were many who believed women's place was in the home. Giving women the vote helped the challenge that presumption
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For more information on the U.S., see: Outline of U.S. History
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Q [IRC Rome]: Hi there. We're writing from Rome, Italy.
We often hear that women in the U.S. are payed less than their male colleagues. Is it really true? And, if so, how is it possible?
A: Yes, it is sometimes true, despite legislation such as the Equal Pay Act of 1963 which says that women and men should be paid the same wages on the job. The reasons that women are paid less range from the social (women's work is often not valued as highly as men's) to the economic (the structure of jobs and industry tends to segregate women in lower-paying jobs and men in higher-paying ones). While much progress has occurred in the last three decades, women still do face economic discrimination on the job.
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Q [Marek]: Are there any specific lessons that are most important for us to draw from these women? Why focus on them?
A: The stories of individual women such as those highlighted on this site are important and timely because they can show us how an individual identified a problem and worked to solve it, or how she was able to break down barriers and take on opportunities that had been closed before to women. While it is possible to point to discrimination against women in the past, I always find it more useful to point to the contributions that women have made. We can draw inspiration from these women and use their contributions are a spur to future change.
Q [Regina]: Most achievements by women are seldom as significant as those of their male contemporaries? John Adams vs. Abigail Adams, for example. So why study secondary characters in history?
A: It is hard for me to think of such a spunky woman as Abigail Adams as a secondary character in history, but you raise an important question that goes to the heart of what is history and how do we study it. As a diplomat, revolutionary leader, and President, John Adams is obviously a major figure in American history, but one reason for his success was his loving and long-term partnership with his wife, who was an important sounding board for him throughout his career. Looking more broadly at what counts as significant, I think that history needs to encompass the daily lives of ordinary Americans as well as the lives of presidents and diplomats. It also needs to recognize the contributions of both men and women, realizing that women are not always given the chance to participate as fully as men and therefore may not have received the same public acclaim. In general, history needs to record the diversity of experiences. Even though at first glance a life might seem "secondary" or "ordinary," it can be very helpful in understanding American history at that time.
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As Dr. Ware works on her next question, we welcome requests from participants on future topics for webchats. Please send your ideas and comments to mailto:usinfowebchat@state.gov.
Q [IRC Rome]: President Bush said yesterday that about one quarter of the seats in the new Iraqi parliament will be filled by women. How do you see this result, and how is the situation in the U.S. Congress?
A: Women's participation in the political process is an important marker of women's status in society as a whole, so a large representation of women in the Iraqi parliament can definitely be seen as an important step. While women's representation in the U.S. Congress is not at that level, it is important to remember that elected office is not the only way that women can influence the political process. Throughout American history, even in the years before they had the vote or won election to office, American women participated in political life in their communities and the nation as a whole through voluntary organizations, religious groups, and reform organizations. This phenomenon has been observed worldwide.
Q [Joanna]: Dear Dr Ware,
do you think that different perceptions of the role of women at professional settings shape the salaries - is it that if there is a higher percentage of women at given profession the salaries are more equal to male salaries? Thank you, Joanna
A: Sometimes different perceptions of individual women's capabilities may affect their salaries within a certain profession because of sexism and discrimination, but just as significant is the clustering of women in certain professions, such as teaching, health care, and social work, where the pay and prestige has not been as high as professions like law and medicine, which until very recently were almost entirely populated by men.
WEBCHAT MODERATOR
A short guide to women and girls' rights: http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/principles/women.htm.
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What have you enjoyed the most about your work in women's history?
A: I feel very lucky to have chosen a career where I can spend my time (and get paid for it!) researching and writing about the contributions of American women to history, and then sharing what I have learned with my students and readers of my books. I have always believed that a picture of American history that excluded the role of women was an incomplete one, and I have dedicated my scholarship to trying to fill that gap. I have also always loved biography, and that has shaped the topics that I have chosen. Telling the stories of individual women like Molly Dewson, Amelia Earhart, and Mary Margaret McBride has allowed me to look more broadly at the fields of politics, aviation, and radio, respectively.
Susan Ware
Thank you to those who sent in questions, and those who followed the discussion. I have enjoyed taking part in this conversation, and hope that it will encourage people to learn more about the role of women in American history, and global history generally.
WEBCHAT MODERATOR
Thank you to everyone who participated. The webchat is now closed. A transcript of this webchat will be available on this website within the hour. For more information on USINFO webchats, please visit our homepage at: http://usinfo.state.gov/usinfo/Products/Webchats.html.
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