The Harvard Salient -- 12 February 2007

Women Take the Spotlight

A few of the women people look up to

Lately, women have been making headlines both at Harvard and around the nation. With the Democrats' sweeping victory in last year's midterm elections, the House of Representatives has inaugurated its first woman Speaker. Just last month, Harvard formally announced that Radcliffe Dean Drew Gilpin Faust will succeed Derek Bok as the first woman president in the University's 371-year history. And Harvard's own Conservative Women's Caucus stagedtheir widely successful second annual conference for right-leaning co-eds. Indeed, the continuing battle for female empowerment is progressing nicely.

Yet, women still face daunting challenges in receiving the respect they rightly deserve. Terrible role models, both past and present, have indelibly soiled the term "feminist," whilst preaching the doctrines of abortion-on-demand and self-victimization. Lamentably, Speaker Pelosi will symbolize that the woman's path to success lies with her Democratic allegiance and liberal sympathies. And populist figures like the vulgar Miss Amber Madison ridicule feminine virtue with her immodesty and obscenity. However, they are not the only female voices speaking.

Thankfully, thoughtful and intelligent personalities like National Review's Kathryn Lopez regularly remind us that true feminists, true ladies, are indeed good conservatives.