Recently I was asked to give a speach on why women should talk politics, I immediately thought, “Well...why shouldn't we?” In reality many women have had negative, often oppressive, experiences when talking politics. In my experience this seems to lead to either women shying away from talking politics because it isn’t something women are supposed to do, or it drives them towards politics.

Politics & Power
Politics is often defined as the allocation and distribution of power. But in reality, power isn't really a property but more of a relationship. So what we are really talking about is the ability to influence others. Many scholars believe women feel differently about power and use power differently when compared to men. Men are commonly thought to view power as dominating or a "power over" while women view it as empowering or a "power to." This concept of empowering is seen as more inclusive because it allows a choice between the power to act or not to act. Inaction can have as great of an impact as action. I too believe that women view and use power differently and for this reason, we as women should talk and participate in politics.

Talking Politics
When we hear people talk about politics we often hear them use the term 'political issues.' I think this is misleading and automatically creates a barrier for some people because they don't see themselves as being 'political.' So let’s examine some of these 'political issues.' How about quality schools for our children, affordable daycare, access to quality healthcare, ensuring a chemical company doesn't build in your neighborhood, trash pick-up, clean drinking water, clean air...the lists goes on and on.

There are a lot of ways to talk politics and participate in the political process depending on your time, availability, and comfort level. You could talk with neighbors, friends, and family about a particular issue to educate them on why it is a concern. Or you could write a letter-to-the-editor, email or call your elected official, hold a fundraising house party for an advocacy group or political party, circulate petitions, vote....No matter who you are or how much time you have, there is a way to be involved in building women's political power.

Let’s talk about voting for a moment. Did you know that women voters have the power to provide the critical margin of victory in elections?!? Imagine what politics could look like if more women voted in all elections. We often overlook local and state elections which are often decided by very close votes. All too often these days folks get swept up in what is going on nationally and we forget to focus on our backyards. Your County Commissioners and City Council Members make more policy decisions than the state legislature or Congress that impact your everyday life. 

On Buying Power
Women hold political power, whether they know it or not, because they control the majority of buying power in the U.S. According to the article, “The Buying Power of Women” by Wanda McPhaden, "Women now make 83 percent of all consumer buys, including 94 percent of home products, 89 percent of vacations, and 75 percent of all decisions regarding the purchase of the largest investment most of us will ever make—a house.”

Why is our buying power political power? Money is directly related to what does or doesn't happen in politics—and the places where you spend your money most likely contribute financially to political candidates and/or parties. I encourage you to check out opensecrets.org, the website for The Center for Responsive Politics which is a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics, and its affect on elections and public policy. American women spend about $5 trillion annually...this is over half the U.S. Gross Domestic Product and we are the majority of the consumer in the online marketplace. One visit to opensecrets.org and you will see how much of this money ends up in politics. 

Women in Politics
According to the Center for American Women and Politics a record 2,429 women were general election candidates for state legislative seats in 2006. The previous peak was in 1992, when 2,375 women ran. In the 2006 election:

• 16 women were elected out of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate
• 71 women were elected out of 435 seats in the U.S. House 
• 76 women hold statewide elective executive office including 9 women governors.
• 1,734 women serve in state legislatures across U.S.
• In North Carolina's state legislature women hold only 8 seats out of 50 in the Senate and 42 seats out of 170 in the House. Yet we are 51% of NC's population.

While we have definitely come a long way in terms of involving women in the political process, I believe that until our elected bodies become more reflective of the people they serve, women will still have to fight to become economically self-sufficient, end violence against women, improve access to healthcare, level the playing field for women, and increase the civic participation of women and minorities.

So what have we discovered?
Women bring an aspect of empowerment to the political arena. This approach is considered more inclusive because it allows a choice between the power to act and the power not to act. As the primary caregivers (80%) and as working professionals (46%), women have a vested interest in many so-called "political issues" like quality healthcare, clean water, and good schools. Women already have political power through their buying power and voting power—now it's just a matter of putting that power to good use. Until then women will remain underrepresented in both federal and state legislatures—yielding elected bodies that are not reflective of the people they serve.

So again I ask, "Why shouldn’t women talk politics?"