When the last election came to a close and Kellyanne Conway became the first woman to successfully run a U.S. presidential campaign and then was appointed to Counselor of the President, I had hope for the future of women. It was a big moment for women. Even if people didn’t necessarily like Conway, it meant a new dawn for women in America.
Then came Hope Hicks, and she was given a role created just for her: White House Director of Strategic Communications and later, the role of White House Communications Director. When I saw that on the news I was so excited because I thought that this was a huge step for women everywhere. Someone as young and beautiful as her went from being a model to a well-respected communications director.
Then came Megan Barry, the former Nashville mayor, who became the first woman to ever hold the post when she won by a sweeping majority in 2015.
However, the hope and anticipation I had for these women deflated when Hicks announced her resignation on Feb. 28, just 24 hours after she admitted to the House Intelligence Committee that she sometimes tells “white lies” for her job.
Kellyanne Conway allegedly violated the Hatch Act twice, according to the US Office of Special Counsel.
And Megan Barry plead guilty to felony theft of property over $10,000 and resigned her post as mayor on Tuesday, March 6, 2018.
As a woman who hopes to one day work in political public relations, this is especially disappointing. Women already have to work so much harder to prove that we can get the job done just as well as men can. When women such as Hicks, Conway and Barry mess up it disappoints not only me, but countless other women who are striving to be just as good as they are.
There’s an old quote from the Bible in Luke 12:48 that says, “to whom much is given, much will be required.” This is relevant to our women leaders now and in the future. These three women were given such amazing opportunities and because of that, women in America expected so much from them.
I realize that us women will sometimes be disappointed by our leaders, but don’t mess up so completely that you can’t recover. You are not only given a tremendous opportunity that some of us may never get, but you are blazing a trail for other women and when you mess up, you prolong the process.
We expect you ladies to have a spine and stand up for what is right. You shouldn’t be telling “white lies” just because your boss told you to. You shouldn’t be stealing from your own city that you vowed to protect. You definitely shouldn’t be violating the law while holding such a prestigious position in the White House. You should be exceeding the expectations that were put before you and upholding values to a higher degree than ever.
Hannah Hutson, Editor-In-Chief
