Seven women from across the Commonwealth met yesterday in the Rotunda Dome Room for an annual discussion on the evolving role of women in law and politics.
The panel of faculty, students and alumni, organized by the Women's Affairs Committee of Student Council, discussed topics ranging from feminism to sexual stereotyping in the job market.
Third-year College student Emmy Smith, chairwoman of the women's affairs committee, said the purpose of the discussion was "to show young women at the University that they can go into these fields, which are typically male-dominated, and discuss some of the obstacles women typically face."
Jeannemarie Devolites, the Republican Majority Whip in the Virginia House of Delegates, spoke at length about the challenges of forging a political career while also raising a family.
"The women in the general assembly are all very smart and very respected," Devolites said. "It's harder to raise money and harder to prove yourself [as a woman], but in the end, I think because you work harder you end up being better."
Devolites graduated from the University in 1978, the fifth class of women to be admitted.
Government and foreign affairs Prof. Lynn Sanders mentioned the difficulties of maintaining a female identity in traditionally male fields.
"When you're in a male-dominated field like politics or political science, part of the job description becomes acting male," Sanders said.
International Relations Prof. Erica Gould said that as women enter into male-dominated fields gender issues become more important.
"As you make decisions as to where you'll go in the world, the more female identity becomes important," Gould said. "Issues of gender rise to the surface."
Second-year Law student Valerie Nannery said that upon entering law school a female law professor told her she had to act like a male in order to succeed there.
Nannery also mentioned a discrepancy between health benefits, including having a prescription drug plan to cover contraceptives, as an area that needs to be addressed.
"Gender equity does not just benefit women," Nannery said. "Men will need leave for childcare and prescriptions that only pertain to men as well."
Third-year Law student Laura Riposo Vandruff addressed the issue of the negative connotations that have become attached to feminism in recent years.
"I'm at the tail end of a generation of feminists who are not apologetic for how we feel," Vandruff said.
Sanders added that, in her opinion, feminism and humanism are not very different. To Sanders, human rights and female rights are intimately connected.
University alumna Tracey Hopper, who now practices law in Albemarle county, and Lori Fritz, a graduate student in the department of government and foreign affairs, also participated in the panel.
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