The Green Party is Turning Pink.

Who are those Women in Green?

This year, the Green party might as well be the Pink Party.  Both in the US and Canada, this party is appealing to women,getting a good percentage on the ballot—and making women the Big Ticket items.

This pinking of green might not seem that important in the invitation-only American two-partymonopoly, but in Canada, the Green party is finally being taken seriously—iteven scored a spot on the national debates.  

For starters, Green platforms on both sides of the border are stuffed with things women want like acancelled war, income splitting, pay equity, fiscal sustainability andchildcare. In fact, one of the 10 key values of US Green party deals withgender equity and aims to eradicate male political and economic domination.

For their Presidential candidate, the Green party picked controversial six-term congresswoman fromGeorgia, Cynthia McKinney.  Known for her tough stance on Iraq and Katrina, McKinney chose Rosa Clemente as hermate.  Even if you own a TV, you wouldn’t necessarily know they’re both women of color, because they don’t get airtime.

However, in Canada, the Green woman-in-charge does get on national TV.  As her campaign gears up for the October 14 Federalelection, leader of the Green Party, Elizabeth May makes it into the paper.  Her first front page coverage wasprotesting her exclusion from the debates—and it kind of launched her.

A ferocious petition effort generated 80,000 signatures demanding that the woman be allowedto speak. Now Ms. May is being allowed on-stage to debate the leaders ofthe other four parties—which are led by gray-haired or graying white men.  It kind of legitimized her—and herparty.

Although the Greens have just one seat in Parliament (the MP wasn’t elected green, but underwent aparty-change operation), it’s likely they’ll scoop a few more. The lastelection, 600,000 Canadians voted green and about 9% are leaning toward theGreen Party.

MORE WOMEN TO CHOOSE FROM

The Green party is certainly putting lots of women on the ballot. In the US, the party claims 225elected office holders—mainly small potatoes like city councilor, librarytrustees, and water boards.  Although the numbers may be insignificant, the gender isn’t: About28% of those are women (compare that to Congress’s 16%).  This fall, some 26% of the Greencandidates in the US are women. Still, the most visible Green win remains the mayoraltyof Richmond California. That not-to-be-sneezed at city of 100,000 (1/6ththe size of Alaska) is governed by Gayle McLaughlin.  A green lady (who is actually brown skinned and wears a hijab)is running for Mayor of Minneapolis—and in her last race, she gained arespectable 33% of the vote.

In the Canadian election, the Green Party has 87 women running for Parliament—or 28 percent, in addition to thefemale party leader.

THE APPEAL

Women’s candidates and a platform that’s good for women, may just reel in the lusted-after female vote.  In Canada, 23% of urban women support the Greens (vs. 18, 17 and 14 for

the other parties) according to a poll by Harris Decima.  That bodes well for election day since80% of Canadians live in cities (not igloos on the tundra as most Americansmight believe.) http://www.greenparty.ca/en/node/7075

In the debate debacle, it was clear women supported the woman in Green.  80% of those in important swing ridingswere adamant that Ms. May should play in the big league. The other  party leaders caved, not wanting toalienate  sought-after women voters more than necessary.  But no handicaps allowed: Just like the big boys, she will have to speak French in onedebate. She did—even made a joke or two in that language, and didn’t need toread or memorize her message.

The year 2008 introduced gender politics of politics into the conversation.  Candidates are desperate for the soccermom vote and actually nominate hockey moms to appeal to females.  Punditry and strategist try to thinkwhat do women voters want.  Letting women choose women to lead should be a first step.