Linda Quayle writes:
Up to now, respondents have argued that there are plenty of (actual and potential) women IR commentators, but they are being overlooked. That’s true, and it’s a really good point. But there's something much more systemic happening.
Why are there so few women in the world's Parliaments? Why are there so few female CEOs? Why does my engineer husband have so few female colleagues? Why are there so few female motor-racing drivers? (A recent snapshot from the UK highlights some of these issues)
Look around: We're just not anywhere we should be in the numbers we should be, even in states where discrimination has been outlawed for years.
Things are getting better. When I compare my opportunities with my mother's, we've made great strides. But they are not getting better anywhere near fast enough. And we all need to do some serious political thinking across the board on why that is. The classic response – 'there's nothing (legally) stopping them' – is just not delivering the goods.
