Alaska has the image of being a man's land. We have big fish, big bears and big dog sled races. But did you know Alaska also leads the nation in empowering women?
The Last Frontier has proud history of Alaska women who have displayed strength, courage, and leadership in our state.
The influence of Alaska women on our state has been so great that the first act of the territorial legislature was to give women the right to vote, seven years before the same law passed nationwide.
Elizabeth Peratrovich is known to many as the face of Alaska civil rights. Her impassioned testimony was considered decisive when the anti-discrimination act passed the Alaska Territorial Legislature in 1945, nearly 20 years before Congress passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski is the first woman to represent Alaska on the national stage in the U.S. Senate. Fran Ulmer carried the banner for Alaska women as our first lieutenant governor. Sarah Palin made history by becoming Alaska's first woman governor in 2006 and again in 2008 by being the first Alaskan to appear on a presidential ticket.
Alaska women have been a powerful force in halls of the state Capitol leading both the House of Representatives under Speakers Ramona Barnes and Gail Phillips and the Senate under three presidents -- Jan Faiks, Drue Pearce and Lyda Green.
In Alaska, women don't record history, they write it.
Today, 16 Alaska senators and representatives are women who hold many key positions in the Capitol.
I am proud to work with Sen. Cathy Giessel, a nurse practitioner, who championed a statewide vaccine program through the Legislature this year, which was recently signed into law. Giessel's efforts will lower the cost of immunizations ensuring that basic prevention treatment is accessible to all of Alaska's children.
Sen. Anna Fairclough of Eagle River has one of the most respected financial minds in the Capitol. She was instrumental in crafting and refining the Alaska LNG gas line framework that passed the Senate by a wide margin and went on to become law. As vice-chair of the Senate Finance Committee and chairwoman of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee, Sen. Fairclough is responsible for vetting and reviewing how many of Alaska's tax dollars are spent. It's a thankless job, which she executes with tireless professionalism and integrity.
Personally, I am saddened by the scourge of child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence that defines life for many women across our state.
As Senate Rules Committee chairwoman, I have had the opportunity to meet hundreds of Alaska's women and I am moved by the personal stories I have heard from those who suffer needlessly. Many of my colleagues join me in working daily to raise awareness and to protect the next generation of Alaska women leaders.
Please consider joining Sen. Murkowski and myself at the upcoming Alaska Women's Summit, Oct. 16-18 at UAA's Wendy Williamson Auditorium, where we will be addressing recent research outlining the challenges still facing Alaska's women.
We – as Republican women legislators -- chose to go into public service to fight to develop our resources, grow the economy, and create high paying jobs. We strive to break down barriers and enrich the field of opportunities. We believe that upward mobility, a sound education, and the right to apply for any job is the key to shattering the "glass ceiling."
We don't ask for handouts or special privileges. We believe that earning a seat at the table gives us more power than being handed one.
I am confident Alaska women will continue lead in the years ahead. Our success shows the world that we don't just survive the Last Frontier, we thrive here and are proud to call Alaska home.
Sen. Lesil McGuire represents District K in southwestern Anchorage in the Alaska Senate.
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