The current era of American politics is tumultuous, characterized by widening political gaps and a feeling that leaves most Americans feeling uneasy about their future. Tensions have increased across the country due to social instability, economic uncertainty, and heated discussions about important topics like immigration, voting rights, and climate change. There has never been a more pressing need for active leadership.
As a woman in my early 20s, the current political climate has left me uncertain about what the future holds for myself, my peers, my loved ones, and my community. I am currently earning my degree in political science, and although there are many women in my classes and working towards the same degree as I am, outside of academia I have found it challenging to find women that want to get engaged in politics. The conversations surrounding politics feel unsafe, taboo, impolite, or rude. The age-old saying, “Don’t talk politics at the dinner table,” has rapidly changed to, “Don’t talk politics.”
As the American political landscape evolves, I often wonder how I can empower more women to get involved. To start, I sat down with Massachusetts State Representative Denise Garlick, to learn about her story, and to ask her how she believes more women should be involved within the political realm.
State Rep. Denise Garlick began her career as a Registered Nurse. As her career progressed, Representative Garlick became an effective advocate for the health and safety of nurses. She became a member of the Massachusetts Nursing Association and later went on to become the President of the association. She recalled how as a nurse, the concerns of health and safety of herself and other nurses were pressing; she learned how to advocate and stand up to power, how to marshal research to back up her decisions, and the importance of public speaking skills. Her career in politics began very organically. As she advanced to higher levels of responsibility and advocacy of her fellow nurses, she often found herself on Beacon Hill constantly asking for change. Representative Garlick asked herself, “Why am I always asking?” and stated that her first entry into politics started with recognizing that she was sitting on the wrong side of the table. Instead of asking for change, she could be pioneering change on the ground. From there she became the first publicly elected Chair of the Board of Health and Suicide Prevention in Needham, Massachusetts.
I asked Representative Denise Garlick, “What adversity, if any, have you faced as a woman in politics? How did you overcome the adversity? What did you learn from it?” Rep. Garlick’s answer was one that I believe all women need to hear and one that many women can relate to, regardless of their career field. When she was first running for public office, the support she received from fellow women was mixed. She explained that older women were encouraging and incredibly supportive in her journey. It was the women that were her age and younger that she didn’t see the same support from. Garlick stated, “They couldn’t see themselves doing this job, so they couldn’t see me doing this job.” She described that the stereotypes for women are difficult to break through. Even after being incredibly successful in her political career and being the 172nd woman elected to be State Representative in Massachusetts, the balancing act is a constant battle for women in positions of power. The question that arises for many women is, “Am I good enough?” She described that women constantly must “prove that they are strong but not aggressive; passionate but not hysterical.” You are worthy. Garlick voiced, “Do not allow people to dismiss you. There is a disconnect in society about what women can do and that women can lead.” It is time that that changed.
I asked Representative Garlick what areas of politics she wished more women had a voice in. She said that women need a voice in all areas of politics. Women often get regulated to healthcare, education, and mental health areas of politics. “Until women are sitting at the table talking about the economy, transportation, and business issues, they will not be seen as equal partners,” Garlick expressed.
To end our interview, I asked Representative Garlick what advice she would like to give young women wanting their voices to be heard and wanting to become more involved in politics. She expressed, “Number one, I want women to claim their power. I want women to be engaged in issues that bring a woman’s perspective to the difficult issues we are dealing with. To do that I think women need more infrastructure like networking and coalition building. Women need more mentors and need to be willing to mentor each other. They need to not be afraid of their passion, to understand their impact, and to support women candidates.”
My interview with State Representative Denise Garlick was both fulfilling and validating. Not only did she inspire and empower me in my aspirations for a career in politics, but she also marked the first step in my journey toward empowering the women around me.
To all the women I can reach, claim your power. Stand up for yourself and your fellow women. Together, we can change the world around us.