As the female leader of one of the largest conservative policy organizations in the nation, reporters routinely ask me about perceived or actual sexism within the conservative movement. To the left-leaning media’s disappointment, I have chosen not to engage in the public discussion of personal slights or disagreements over the years. Frankly, conservative women don’t need their rescuing. We take care of business for ourselves and sometimes for each other. So, take care how you treat us.
I find it disappointing that these same reporters, so concerned about racism and sexism, have chosen to ignore the deafening crash of an enormous glass ceiling within our movement. As the historic term of Kay Coles James, the first woman and the first African American to become President of the blue-chip Heritage Foundation, winds down, it is essential to recognize the enduring contribution she has made to conservative women. Kay’s tenure at Heritage means that the most coveted jobs at the very top of legacy conservatism are no longer out of our reach. The ripple effects are already abundant.
Breaking barriers isn’t new to Kay James. She is a civil rights hero, and her personal story is replete with courageous leadership even when it requires sacrifice. In 1961 at age 12, she was one of the first African-American students to integrate the all-white Richmond, Virginia, school system.
Read the full article at The Washington Times.
Photo credit: Gage Skidmore (Creative Commons) – Some rights reserved
