Women fill Boston Globe’s Op-ed page

Today, the Boston Globe’s opinion-editorial page is comprised entirely of essays written by women. Since the Women’s Monitor began tracking its opinion pages, this is the first time the Boston Globe has run an op-ed page featuring only women. Back in March, we observed a similar occurrence in the New York Times, but only because the women were writing about Elliot Spitzer’s scandal. While an all-male op-ed page isn't an uncommon occurance, the all-woman day is so rare we always take notice. We applaud the newspapers for increasing the volume of women voices in the mainstream media and hope to see continued exposure.

The opinions by women in the Boston Globe take positions on a variety of pressing issues facing society. In response to a recent opinion in the New York Times, Jean Vennochi, a Globe staff writer, challenges Gov. Mitt Romney’s opposition to governmental aid for U.S. automakers. Vennochi notes his “calculated” political history and accuses him of taking the popular stance regardless of the issue.

Margot Stern Strom, the president and executive director of Facing History and Ourselves, addresses the issue of education reform and asks the new administration to consider a new idea. Strom argues that schools need to provide compelling subjects appealing to students’ interests. Additionally, teachers should be prepared to lead students in conversations about social discourse.

Also appealing to the new administration, Anneke Van Woundernberg, a Congo researcher at Human Right Watch, calls for world leaders to convene efforts to give aid and to relieve the crisis in Congo. And finally, Therese Murray, president of the Massachusetts Senate, and Steven Baddour, Senate Chairman of the Joint committee on Transportation, urges for transportation reform to take place in the form of addressing administration inefficiency and lift financial constraints on the MBTA and regional transit authorities.

Romney takes auto industry for a ride by Jean Vennochi

Education, Democracy and Rights by Margot Stern Storm

Taking on the crisis in Congo by Anneke Van Woundernberg

Transportation: reform before Revenue by Therese Murray and Steven Baddour