Five Ways #CosmoVotes will Benefit Women
This past week, Cosmopolitan.com got some pushback for their new initiative, #CosmoVotes, which shares stories about issues that impact female voters and endorses candidates. We here at VoteRunLead, know that culture matters – who doesn’t love a little pop culture with their politics? — and are excited for the launch of #CosmoVotes. We understand the importance of going to where women are and laying the groundwork for women’s political leadership where they are already engaging in social and public life. In response to the criticism of #CosmoVotes, we would like to share our Top 5 reasons for why we believe this new political focus will benefit women across the political spectrum. So here it goes!
#CosmoVotes will…
1) Raise the aspirations of young women to lead in politics. No matter what Fox Commentator Guy Benson thinks young women don’t just care about shoes and fashion. They’re engaged in their communities and are hungry to do more. When they see more women leaders in the mainstream they are more likely to opt to lead – it’s the role model effect – and we simply need to have more of it.
2) Make the side dish the main dish by creating a conversation about women’s issues that affect all women regardless of political persuasion. #CosmoVotes will amplify this coverage by tackling what many of us already know – women’s issues haven’t found a home in either party when it comes to equal pay or reproductive health – and Cosmo can make it digestible for the Cosmo audience to help them decide who has their best interest at heart.
3) Strengthen the case for why female political leadership is good for democracy. Diversity of candidates helps our democracy thrive: women work across the aisle more frequently, broaden the political agenda, and engage constituents more. And, there is higher voter turnout when candidates are reflective of the country. Even in 2014, we need to keep making the case that, yes, gender matters.
4) Make Voting Cool. Remember, politics isn’t just presidential elections — it’s PTAs, community boards, and other elected offices, too! We need young women to know that their votes are powerful in local, state and federal elections. With their voting power, they could elect new generations of leaders at all levels. And, maybe some of them will be their peers.
5) Connect resources to a new generation of women leaders. We need more women learning about —and running for —office. The more platforms that share resources and knowledge, train women to run and show them role models of other women in political leadership, the better.
We support #CosmoVotes for helping us to change history! We don’t have 500 years to wait for equal representation. The time is now.
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(Originally posted on BlogHer)
