Women
shortchanged
in politics
by Carol Strasser
It's been over 50 years since women were
enfranchised. In those years, no major political party
has nominated a woman for president. Nebraska, like
most states, has never elected a woman to the House
of Representatives or the Senate.
In a recent student poll conducted by the
Nebraska Women's Political Caucus (NWPC), 79 per
cent said they would vote for a woman president if
she were qualified and nominated by their party.
If their party nominated a woman for the House
of Representatives 90 per cent said Ihey would vote
for her if she were qualified, and 91 per cent said
they would vote for a woman senator.
When the male and female response to the
questions was compared, the percentage of males
registering approval of a woman candidate was from
10 to 17 per cent less than the female percentage.
The survey was conducted to gauge women's
attitudes towards women in politics, the status of
women and family related attitudes.
The sample was heavily weighted with University
of Nebraska female students-150 females to 50
males. Mates were included m the survey for a
comparison of male and female attitudes on the same
questions.
The students were chosen at random from the
University registration booklet and 85 per cent
responded. The respondents were then interviewed.
The survey still has to be compared to national
figures, said Celeste Wiseblood, who collected the
data with the help of other University students and
adviser Susan Welch, assistant professor of political
science.
vVasebtood said the response probably is fairly
representative of Nebraska public opinion since 24
per cent classified themselves as somewhat
conservative, 37 per cent somewhat KberaJ and 17 per
cent middle of the road.
Although a clear majority said they would vote for
a woman for Resident : or Congress, only 29 par cent
of the males and 45 per cent of the females said they
would vote for a woman nominated by their party for
county sheriff.
Because of the stereotype of sheriffs and women,
"people ust can't picture a woman as sheriff."
Wiseblood said.
Women now are beginning, to group together to
question why more women aren't in office and to
open the political stucture so women aren't afraid to
run. Wiseblood said.
The goal of the bi-partisan NWPC, and that of the
national caucus, is to make women aware of their
power and to participate in politics, she said.
NWPC workshops were held in February in
Lincoln to discuss women's issues-child care, divorce
and abortion laws, low income and minority issues,
and the Equal Rights Amendment. A policy
committee meets each weekend.
The emphasis was on action. Wiseblood said, and
many woman were encouraged to file for an office or
as a convention delegate, and to work for candidates.
Problems women have to overcome before they
can equalize the power structures are apathy, family
pressures, stereotypes promoted by the media and
attitudes of men who are afraid of competition from
women, she said.
Women don't get as good a break as men,
according to 69 per cent of the men and 72 per cent
of the women surveyed.
Women are able to understand politics as well as
men, said 78 per cent of the men and 91 per cent of
the women.
Kathryn Braeman, chairwoman of the caucus's
temporary steemsi comrarnse who isi
Rep. Charles Tbone for the First Congressional
District seat, said sba doesn't expect attitudes
towards bar as a woman candidate to be a problem.
The problem for women candidates is to find
financial backers, she said, since women don't have
contacts in the business world as men do.
'Women don't realize the cost involved. You can
find many women involved and concerned with
politics who don't have political know-how" she
To got something accomplished in politics, you
have to have contacts with a party, Braeman said.
Many women's political organizations. lata the
Learn of Women Voters, are bi-partisan.
Braeman is the wife of a University history
professor John A. Braeman.
Other questions in the survey were family-related
issues. A law which would permit abortions during
the first three months of pregnancy, with no
restrictions stated, was favored by 82 per cent of the
males and 73 per cent of the females.
A reform bill making abortions legal in the cases of
rape or incest was approved by 92 per cent in case of
birth defects by 84 per cent and by 91 per cent in
case of danger to the health of the mother.
The percentage dropped to 67 per cent in cases
where the child is unwanted.
Seventy-eight per cent of the males and 84 per
cent of the females were in favor of the federal
government providing funds for day-care centers.
However, the percentages dropped to about 50 per
cent if the expense per child were as much as a
welfare payment or if similar centers were financed
for middle-class children.
In the survey. 45 per cent agreed that government
has the right to limit family size, 55 per cent opposed
the system of contractual marriage where the
marriage can be dissolved at the end of a set period
and 69 per cent approved of alimony only under
special conditions.
A similar survey is being conducted by Bellevue
College. Wiseblood said, and the caucus is attempting
to have it conducted in other Nebraska communities
as well.
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PAGE 2
THE DAILY flEBRASKAN
THURSDAY. APRIL 6, 1972