Lois Phillips, alumna of UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School, has co-authored the article “Women in Biden’s Cabinet Need to Be Seen and Heard” with Anita Perez Ferguson. Originally published by Women’s eNews, the article was then picked up by Ms. Magazine and can be read online. Since then it has also been re-printed by the Pacific Business Times with the new title, “It Takes Guts to Be a Woman in Politics.”
The timely article identifies the ways in which journalists have covered women in top political roles in the past—focusing on how they look and sound rather than on what they say and propose to do. Phillips and Ferguson make the case that it is up to everyone to ensure fairness in future media coverage of capable women leaders, ending with a call to action.
Lois Phillips (Education, Ph.D., ’87), is the founding CEO of Antioch University Santa Barbara, founder of the Association for Women in Communications SB Chapter, and Antioch University’s Women in Leadership program faculty. Dr. Phillips has hosted two public television programs and co-hosted an NPR talk show. She is an expert on gender issues in public speaking, providing regular on air commentaries, producing blog posts and a Women Seen and Heard podcast series with co-author Anita Perez Ferguson.
Anita Perez Ferguson, Ph.D., is a Visiting Fellow at Council of Independent Colleges, and advisor to the Inter American Foundation, consulting on Diversity Programs and Board Development. The former President of the National Women’s Political Caucus, Dr. Ferguson speaks often at state and national conferences.