Dear Lucas,
Tuesday morning it came to light that Senator Marty Golden sent a bizarre postcard to women in his district, inviting them to attend an event to learn about " posture, deportment, and the feminine presence ." When asked to explain, Senator Golden's office said these lessons were intended to help young women stand out and land jobs.
Sometimes a politician does something so bizarre and so out of touch...that it really has to be a window into the truth.
The truth is this: Senator Golden is part of a Republican majority that has held its ruling place in Albany for most of seven decades. He and his colleagues have a key role in governing our state, but they are almost comically mired in the past.
I agree with feminist writer Jill Filipovic's to-the-point response: "The actual issues women face aren't addressed by special classes on 'the art of feminine presence' and how to 'walk up and down a stair elegantly.'"
To address the real issues women face, we need to pass the New York State Fair Pay Act and a host of other bills to guarantee fairness for women in the workplace -- bills that Senator Golden's Republican majority has been blocking.
The story is astonishing -- and that's why it has spread like wildfire. First broken by City and State , the story has spread online, in print, and on the airwaves to outlets like the Daily News , NBC , the Village Voice , ThinkProgress , and Comedy Central .
Incidents like this can be funny, but they're symptoms of a serious problem. The Senate Republicans are dangerously out of step with our values -- not as Democrats or Republicans, but as New Yorkers living in the 21st century. I need your support both to win my own reelection, and to help strong Democrats join me and retake the state Senate.
Please join me at "Libations with Liz" later this month , or take a moment to make a donation now .
It's not going to be easy -- but with your support, I will keep fighting until we finally bring New York State's government into the 21st century.
Sincerely,
Liz Krueger