§ Gail Collins, New York Times OpEderess: "Once they figured out how to reapportion districts by computer to protect all the incumbent, it became really hard for women to get elected. That big year of women getting elected happened after reapportionment.... Kids ask me, 'I'd like to run for office. What should I do?' Well, it takes 27 years to qualify. And then you're in the State Senate and if you're in New York then you just want to shoot yourself."
§ Nell Scovell, former David Letterman writeress: "I realize that 'hire qualified women!' is the sort of outraged demand that's often met with a sigh. No one disagrees and yet gender inequality in high-paying positions extends into all professions. A friend of mine who temps at an investment bank once remarked to her male boss, 'You know, I don't see a lot of female bankers'-but he cut her off. 'Don't even,' he warned, as if the problem were simply unsolvable. But, of course, that's not true."
I really like today's feminist bent. Also, I just read the review for Gail Collins's book "When Everything Changed" this morning - it looks really good (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/books/21change.html).
That female banker always struck me as a bit of a canard. My recollection from banking was that any moderately qualified female was an automatic hire. Certain groups were half female at junior levels with a dramatic tapering towards the senior level...most of the brightest realised they wanted to do something either mildly or radically different with their lives.
At senior levels, the few that did decide it suited their personality were generally wildly successful.