Long before Melvoid J. Benson had the title Representative in front of her name, she was a 21-year-old who paid a $2.50 poll tax at Madison County Courthouse in Tennessee to garner herself a place on the list of registered voters.
Long before Suzanne M. Henseler had the titles of Representative and Majority Whip before her name she was an 18-year-old student who stumbled across a dream job at John F. Kennedy’s political office.
And long before Catherine E. Graziano earned her titles of Senator and Senate Health, Education and Welfare Committee Chairperson she was a nursing professional who simply wanted to get her message out.
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Their roads – with differences in distance and scenery – have all led to the same place: the Rhode Island State House.
They are three of 36 women legislators who have been elected to shape the laws and future of the state. It’s a job they all take very seriously, mainly because of where they come from.
"I was a retired school teacher in 1990 and my greatest desire was to be on the school committee," said Benson, a North Kingstown Democrat. "When (the local Democratic Party) said they needed someone like me to go up to the State House, I considered it. I retired in June 1990, ran in September of 1990 and have been there ever since. My pledge today is the same as when I announced: the three AAAs — accountability, accessibility, and action with an emphasis on ethics in government. "
For Graziano, it’s about spreading an important message.
"I ran for office in 1992 when I decided to try and put myself in a position where I could address those issues that were important to me, namely health care, security, safety for elderly citizens and wage equity for workers in state service primarily," said Graziano, a Democrat from Providence. "I campaigned on those issues and the fact that I was a professional nurse and nursing educator certainly helped me to get elected. I continue to address these issues during this my tenth year."
And for Henseler, it’s about being a part of change.
"Every day is a challenge," a Democrat from North Kingstown said. "To me the important thing is to get my legislation passed. It’s like a field of dreams."
It may not always be easy to be a woman in politics, but it’s not something these three focus on.
"Some people may thing that gender is an issue," Graziano said. "I happen to think that competence and ability to work hard count for more than strictly gender. It is a job that requires a great deal of effort and time to do it right. Since this is a part-time legislature, it is difficult for those who have a job or family to consider. Here is where it is more difficult for a woman to compete since loyalties may be divided."
Henseler agreed.
"That is definitely the hard part," she said. "Many women have the very important job of family, and it’s hard to balance."
All three legislators say there is little intimidation anymore.
"I got a lot of practice with this in the classroom," said Benson, a retired teacher. " I have never felt that people weren’t listening. I am naïve enough to think that my gender doesn’t matter."
"I sometimes enjoy being the only woman in the room," said Henseler. "I think we bring a unique perspective, maybe more discussion on topics men wouldn’t think about."
Still for many women legislators, including these three, family matters are at the heart of their work.
"The issues facing all of us continue to be the improvement of education, balancing the budget, stronger laws for protection against domestic violence, safety and security for the young and elderly," Graziano said. "My pet issues are pay equity and comparable health care availability for all. I hope to live long enough to see these issues finally resolved."/
"Pay equity is something I have been pushing for years," Henseler said. "I don’t think that we will get it this year because it will take at least $5 million – but I will keep trying. Domestic violence and health care are two other big ones."
For Graziano, one of the biggest challenges is convincing fellow legislators that issues she supports are important to them because they have spouses, children and parents.
"Domestic violence and breast cancer certainly fall into this category and I have had some success in getting colleagues to agree with me," she said. "It’s an ongoing battle to address constituent concerns while insuring that any legislation will benefit Rhode Island citizens in general."
Another challenge lies ahead for all three legislators, as the state’s redistricting effort could once again change the gender make up of the state’s General Assembly and some fear that means fewer women.
"Downsizing is probably going to make things worse since others like myself and Senator (Maryellen) Goodwin, (a Providence Democrat) are expected to be involved in a primary or general election races against other incumbent senators, so the number of women elected could go down," Graziano said. "There is currently no women among the top five general officers in the state and that may continue as well. We should be ashamed to let that happen again."
For Benson, it isn’t about how redistricting affects gender, but how it affects the issues.
"I have been here 12 years, if people haven’t heard of the progress I have made then I don’t deserve to go," she said. "It’s the people’s seat, not mine."
