Why Electing More Women Matters: A Lecture by Ruth Hardy

Senator Ruth Hardy, a visiting Professor of the Practice for Fall 2019, will give a talk entitled, “Why Electing More Women Matters,” the first talk in the Department’s “Women and Representation” series. Senator Hardy will draw from her work as an elected official and former Executive Director of Emerge Vermont, an organization which recruits and trains women to run for office, to illuminate the reasons why electing more women to public offices up and down the ballot is good not only for gender equity, but also our economy, society, and democracy. With only about one-quarter of all elected positions in the United States held by women, we have a long way to go to reach gender parity among elected officials, and this inequality results in negative consequences for public policy development and outcomes. Thus, electing more women matters, for everyone. Senator Hardy was elected to the Vermont State Senate in 2018 to serve the Addison District, which includes Middlebury. Previously, she served three terms on local school boards. In addition to leading Emerge Vermont, she’s worked at Planned Parenthood, Middlebury College, and the Wisconsin Legislature.