Henrietta Hay's Column

Sexism is still alive and flourishing in Happy Valley. Most of the time I can laugh at it, but now and then the pressures build and I get a little testy. This week I have been aware of it more of it than usual. Unfortunately, too many Americans still believe that a strong, intelligent man is competent, while a strong, intelligent woman is a pushy broad.

Thank goodness there are some bright spots in the picture, like a couple of women who have to be taken seriously in spite of their handicap. I am spending the morning between my computer and the TV broadcast of the confirmation hearing for Ruth Bader Ginsburg. So far I have not heard her voice because the Senators are all making speeches, but I have not heard so many nice words for a female type person in years. And never for one who is not young nor blonde nor glamorous! Maybe there is hope.

Ginsburg spent her first two years of law school at Harvard where, as one of the nine female members of her class, she was asked by the Dean how she could justify taking a man's place. In 1959, after graduation from Columbia Law School, first in her class, not a single New York law firm offered her a job. No wonder her kids had to tell her to lighten up.

It didn't slow her down. She has been a major force in the development of modern gender discrimination law in the United States, having argued and won virtually every major sex discrimination case before the Supreme Court in the 1970's. Now she has been appointed to be a member of that Court.

Another woman who must be taken seriously is Attorney General Janet Reno. Several months ago I made the prediction to anybody who would listen, that she was going to turn out to be one of the really outstanding women of her generation. I still think so. She is forcing people to accept her on her merit. Any person who helped her mother build the house she grew up in, who can wrestle an alligator into a crate, and who can stand up to the President of the United States must be taken seriously as a human being regardless of sex. My memory may have a gap or two, but I think she is the first political figure since Harry Truman from whom I have heard the words, "I am responsible," rather than, "mistakes were made," or, "I am not a crook."

She does not project the usual Washington image. As Time said, "Here she came, trailing swamp stories and reptiles, a self-described awkward old maid with a sensible name and sensible shoes."

But she is a highly sophisticated woman, with a Harvard law degree and years of experience as a prosecutor in Miami. Surely no one would be so brash as to call her a pushy broad to her face. These are woman who must be evaluated on their intelligence and ability.

Most women of great influence have succeeded without worrying too much about how they look in TV sound bytes. At 6-ft. 2-in. Reno is pretty imposing. Ginsburg, who looked so very small sitting alone at that huge table in the Senate hearing room, probably does not come up to her shoulder. Neither one of them looks like Madonna, thank goodness. These are women whose brains and talent and character overcame the image and forced the world to listen to them.

Best of all, they will serve as role models for the young women following them. As Diane Carman says, "Janet Reno provides another model for the feminine ideal for all those little girls with big brains and ambitions. They can look at her and realize they can become scholars instead of anorexics, admired leaders instead of hot numbers, respected leaders instead of trophy companions."

And they can do it without being called pushy broads. I'm waiting for the day when all strong, intelligent women are called competent.