Western Herald

Issue date: 3/18/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Michael Lininger Michigan senator Debbie Stabenow encouraged women in politics and their roles in society during her speech at the Fetzer Center Monday.

Senator Debbie Stabenow contributed to the celebration of women's history month by speaking at Western Michigan University concerning women in politics, on Monday in the Fetzer Center.

Stabenow made history when she became the first woman from Michigan to be elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000. Stabenow also served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1978 to1990 and became the first woman to preside over the House. She then served in the Michigan Senate from 1991to1994 and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996. She was elected to her second term in the U.S. Senate in 2006.

The auditorium was packed to hear Stabenow speak.

"I walked in today and had an enormous sense of pride to see the room so very, very full," said President John Dunn of WMU when introducing Stabenow.

Stabenow said it felt wonderful to be back on WMU's campus, especially during a time known as women's history month.

"I look forward to the day when women are so integrated into history books that we won't need a special month to celebrate women because we have become such a large part of history," Stabenow said.

Stabenow spoke of the struggles women have endured to obtain the rights that men have always had. She stated that the first women involved in the U.S. Senate were only elected to fill their husband's position after death.

"It wasn't until 1986 when the first woman was actually elected to the U.S. Senate on her own terms," Stabenow said, "we have come a long way since then."

Stabenow said there have been 35 women senators in the history of the U.S. Senate and 16 women are serving in the Senate at this time, which is the most we have ever seen.

"We now have a woman on every committee in the senate and not one legislation goes through the senate today that does not have a women's voice on it," Stabenow said.

Stabenow spoke about her personal experiences as a minority growing up. She was valedictorian of her senior class in high school and loved math and science. She remembers her teachers giving her only three options as a career, even after all of her accomplishments: teacher, nurse or social worker.

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