Being a woman in politics is not easy
BY JASON COHEN
For decades women have fought for
equal rights and been marginalized
in society. Unfortunately, the same
can be said for the Bronx; where for
many years it was considered a “Boys
Club.”
With election season around the
corner, Assemblywoman Nathalia
Fernandez, Senator Alessandra
Biaggi and Council 14 Candidate
Pierina Sanchez spoke with the Bronx
Times about the challenges they face
as females.
According to Fernandez, she has
often encountered people who don’t
want to talk to her because she is a
woman. She added that being a Latina
on top of that can make things worse.
“Some people just want to talk to a
man,” she explained.
Since getting elected, the lawmaker
has received comments such as “Why
don’t you be a mother, have kids and
do you think you can do that?”
Fernandez credits people like Senator
Elizabeth Warren for showing that
women can succeed in politics.
Even as she runs for borough president,
Fernandez still deals with sexist
comments and often has to repeat
herself because people don’t take her
seriously. People even remark on how
she dresses.
“Oh you dressed very seductive today,”
people say to her when she is
only wearing a button up, slacks and
a blazer.
There are also people who love to
write nasty messages on Facebook,
such as “you are too stupid for this
job and you think you are a hot pretty
face.”
She tries not to let stuff get to her
and has developed thick skin.
“I think sometimes people fi nd
things to hate you for,” she said.
Biaggi, who is a victim of sexual
assault, feels women have come a
long way in politics, but there is still
much more ground to cover.
She explained that while there are
more female elected offi cials, many
are still treated with sexism and
rude comments.
Throughout her life Biaggi was
told she was dumb, won’t make the
law review, get into college, be successful
as a lawyer or wouldn’t become
a senator.
“This is the playbook men use to
keep women out of the arena,” she
said.
It is not easy to endure all of this
hate, she noted. With an entire political
system designed and built by men,
Biaggi is not surprised there still so
much animosity towards women.
Biaggi told the Bronx Times that
the negativity isn’t just from people in the community. Often it comes from
her colleagues.
Some people tell her she is out of
line when she asks questions and
knows she has been called the b and c
words behind her back.
“It’s very clear that not many people
have confronted them about their
behaviors,” she stated. “Having more
women in government is one of the
most positive outcomes we can have
as a society in the country, not just the
NYC Council.”
Sanchez, who is running for offi ce
for the fi rst time, has witnessed sexism
her entire life. As a child, she saw
how her mom and aunt get taken advantage
of by the landlord for their
lack of English.
She is a woman of color and looks
young, so often people question if she
is really a candidate and if she is qualifi
ed. Sanchez has been paid less on
projects and asked if she has kids and
what her husband thinks.
“You’re told to wait, it’s not your
time,” she explained. “But for me my
time is now. Women need to be a signifi
cant part of the leadership. We
do have to hustle harder and work
harder.”
She recalled how during a recent
Facebook Live event a viewer said
“she was young and doesn’t have experience.”
Sanchez questioned if she was
a man would that have been stated.
Like many women in politics she
has thick skin and keeps her eyes on
the prize.
“Our leadership should be leadership
of the community we come from,”
she said.
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Council 14 Candidate Pierina Sanchez spoke about challenges as a woman in politics.
Courtesy of and Council 14 Candidate Pierina Sanchez
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