Women In Politics Magazine: Vote Local by Women In Politics

l a Loc

Town hall

Court V o te

S tre e t

October 2021

A word from our writing leader: ISABELLA RINALDI Over the past few years, I, like many

As a San Franciscan, I hold knowledge

other youths, have developed my own

on local political issues: homelessness,

political opinions and voice. As a young

healthcare disparities, housing

person and as a female I have heard

affordability, and population density. As

many paradoxical opinions surrounding

a Californian, I am educated on my

my place in the political sphere. I have

statewide political issues: the housing

heard words of encouragement, people

crisis, wildfires as a result of global

telling me “You are the future. Go be

warming, eviction bans, and dire

the change!”, but I also heard “Women

droughts. As an American citizen I am

shouldn't be in politics” and “Young

aware that the US, despite being the

people don’t care and are not

world’s greatest and most powerful

educated enough to have an opinion”--

nation, embodies one of the most

this argument I have come to learn is an

chaotic and turbulent politics in the

unconscious attempt to shield personal

world.

authority and power. However, after becoming involved in local politics and educating myself on the interrelatedness of politics around the globe, I know for certain that everyone has a voice in politics- regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, or race.

Many may believe that these issues are

I hope as you read this issue, and each

not something for a high school

of the insightful articles, that you feel

sophomore to worry about. Many may

empowered and inspired to make your

believe that it doesn’t impact me directly

voice heard in local politics- whatever

so I shouldn’t take action. Many may say I

capacity that may be- while also

am not smart enough to speak up about

reflecting on political issues from afar.

these issues. But let me tell you this, over the past year, I know now more than ever that involving yourself in local politics is the first step to achieving improvement in global politics. Local politics affect our everyday lives, from the policies and systems we live and adhere to our school or work experiences. Local politics, for every one of us, acts as our first line of government. Local politics and issues often set precedent for political improvements on a state level or even nationwide. If we look closely at each political issue in our town, city, county, state, country, or continent we can see the apparent interrelatedness of it all. Every political issue in the world impacts each and every one of us in some way. And the political change we seek in this world begins with our local politics. Throughout this month’s magazine issue, we offer ways to become involved in local politics, updates on politics around the world, and explore the positive changes we can make by getting involved.

TABLE OF 1 5 8

Contents

California Recall Explained

BY: TING CUI

of Marches and Demonstrations

BY: ANTONIA PAULUS

BY: REAGAN MADING

A Brief Overview of the Upcoming New York Mayoral Election

BY: SUSANNAH MAYALL

The US Involvement in Afghanistan and the Withdrawal of Troops: What life is like for Afghan Citizens

The Mountain Valley Pipeline: A Local Disaster

BY: SAGE LAHMERS

DA Affect California?

On Fridays We Protest: The Impact

BT: ELLA SOUTHARD

How Will the New Orange County

Closing the Gap: Japan’s Gender Inequality in Politics and Beyond

BY: HANNA MATSUWAKA

The Pollstation

BY: SHREYA RAJAPPA

California Recall

EXPLAINED By: Ting Cui

On September 14, voters in California decided whether or not Governor Gavin Newson would be removed from office and replaced by a Republican in a tangled California recall election. What began as a far-fetched effort by Republican activists has turned into a credible, wide-reaching campaign that had Governor Newson, a Democrat, fighting for his political life. Let’s rewind and take a look at how we got to this point.

Recalls are a strange and glorious part of California’s political landscape. Out of the 19 states that allow voters to remove state officials before the end of their term, it is easiest to put a recall on the ballot in California. No reason is necessary - all you need to do is gather signatures from 12% percent of the people who voted in the last gubernatorial election, which must include five counties. For the recall against Governor Gavin Newsom, the magic number of signatures was 1,495,709. It’s typical for governors to periodically confront recall attempts against them. Every governor in California for the last 60 years has had at least one recall attempt against him. However, attempts to recall a sitting governor don’t usually qualify for the ballot. Aside from this case, only one other recall has made it to the ballot. 11 months after Gray Davis, Democrat, was elected back in 2003, voters ousted him over his handling of the electricity industry and the state elected Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, instead. This was described as the most important event to shape California politics in that decade.

When Governor Newsom took office in

When the pandemic hit California,

2018, he beat his Republican opponent,

Governor Newson was among the earliest

John H. Cox, in a landslide. Newsom was

and most loyal proponents of taking

among Democrats who dominated

aggressive precautions to limit the spread,

California - a galvanizing figure with an

such as social distancing and shutting

ambitious and popular agenda. He helped

down early. Californians tolerated it, but

pass a ballot initiative that legalized

as time wore on pandemic fatigue set in

marijuana in the state, he was committed

and the political landscape shifted in two

to launching a marshall plan for

significant ways. First, it prompted a judge

affordable housing to fight homelessness,

to give proponents of the recall an extra

and he had a big climate change agenda

four months to circulate petitions and

to put clean water and coastlines above

collect signatures. The judge argued that

profit loss concerns. He represented a

because of the pandemic and shutdown

progressive wave of change to the state.

orders initiated by the governor, the

There were high hopes for the fairly

petitioners hadn’t had an opportunity to

popular Democratic governor in a heavily

go to public places where they could get

Democratic state. So what happened?

people to sign. Second, on the same day that this extension was finalized by a Sacramento judge, Governor Newsom attended a birthday party at the extremely

A couple of events led to this moment. To start, there is actually a profound strain of conservatism in California and soon after Gavin Newsom was elected, the conservatives in the state began trying to recall him over general Republican complaints of progressive policies regarding gun control and immigration. What started on Facebook in mostly rural and redder parts of the state was a longshot. It wasn’t expected to go anywhere - until the pandemic started to shake things up. Governor Newson never expected the recall to make it as far as it has and consequently did nothing to thwart the more seriously growing threat

until recent months.

exclusive and luxurious French Laundry restaurant, forgetful of the consequences that would follow his hypocritical actions. Photos of the event soon went viral, showing him and his lobbyist friends maskless at the dinner. Californians were outraged, saying it was hypocritical of the governor to ignore his own restrictions while forcing everyone else to follow.

Before the French Laundry incident, there were about 50,000 signatures for the recall. About a month later, there were more than half a million. The incident, combined with billions of dollars in losses to unemployment fraud, chaotic COVID vaccine distribution efforts, and harsh COVID restrictions supercharged the whole recall. The Republican National got involved and money started to flow in from Republicans across the nation.

On July 1, the Secretary of State certified 1,719,990 valid signatures from recall supporters, enough to trigger a recall election. This meant that an election would be held on September 14 and voters would receive ballots in the mail beginning August 16. Out of the 46 candidates running to replace Governor Newson the front runners include the former mayor of San Diego, Kevin Faulconer, Kevin Paffrath, a financial adviser Youtuber, and Larry Elder, a popular conservative radio show host. Honorable mentions also included Caitlyn Jenner and Angelyne. These candidates are essentially anti-Newson and represent the opposite of the progressive Governor’s policies.

There were two questions asked on the ballot: Do you want to recall the governor, yes or no? If yes, who should replace him among these other 46 candidates? If the majority voted to recall the governor, then whoever got a plurality would win the governorship. This meant that for one of the 46 candidates to win, they needed more votes than the other 45 even if that was not a majority. In order for Governor Newsom to win, he needed to get 50 percent plus one majority of the votes on the first question.

Prior to the vote, public polling showed that Newsom was favored to win the recall and in the weeks leading up to the vote, Democrats stepped up the outreach to the party’s base in order to combat voter complacency. Despite Newson’s flaws, Democrats are still an overwhelming majority in the state and will begrudgingly keep him as governor because they believe he will do a better job than any Republican. If Newsom wins the recall, it doesn’t necessarily mean that California voters are satisfied, but rather that they simply prefer him over the Republican alternative. President Biden and Vice President Harris endorsed Newsom recently as well. But if voters are disengaged, or have mixed feelings about the governor then it could have become a problem for Newsom. The universal verdict before the election is that Caitlyn Jenner should not be the new California Governor.

Update: On September 15th, Newsom bolted to a quick victory in the recall vote, winning by a roughly 25 point margin. More than 11.8 million people participated in the recall election, with 6.7 million of those voting in the replacement candidate question. The replacement candidate that won the most votes was Larry Elder with 48%, with Kevin Paffrath trailing far behind with 9.8%.

On Fridays, We Protest

THE IMPACT OF MARCHES AND DEMONSTRATIONS BY: ANTONIA PAULUS

On Wednesdays, we wear pink. On Fridays, we protest. Two references many members of our generation will probably understand. The first one, of course, is a quote from the 2004 movie “Mean Girls”, which arguably did not have the biggest political impact. Meanwhile, the other represents many teenagers´ early weekend plans since 2019, when Fridays For Future, a global organization set on changing climate legislation to save the earth, reached its peak. Alongside climate protests, there are countless other causes that an increasing amount of members of our global community march the streets for — consequently influencing political happenings in more ways than might be thought.

Demonstrations are a form of political partaking we have seen for a long time. While the term has only been in use since the 19th century, it's reasonable to equate historical displays, many of which started revolutions, to modern demonstrations. This comparison, however, needs to be done carefully: while both have a goal of changing politics, revolutions are linked to violence and often war. Demonstrations, whether in the form of marches, rallies, sit-ins or more, strive to make an impact peacefully. As suggested by the name, a large number of people gather together to demonstrate their opinion, wants, or demands to achieve political or structural change.

Going back to Fridays For Future, many are familiar with the attention the Great examples of this are the civil rights demonstrations or, in a more recent light, the Black Lives Matter movement. Though now commonly associated with violence due to less than peaceful opposing parties-, each of these causes were born to be peaceful.

organization -founded by Greta Thunberg- brought to arguably the biggest threat of our time, climate change. Without even being able to vote yet, Greta was able to speak to the most powerful politicians in the world and share her perspective. By going out in the streets every week, the protestors raised awareness for climate

Do peaceful marches actually work,

change unlike ever before. By adding a

though? Oftentimes, especially for

whole new amount of pressure, and

younger people who are not allowed

even crossing over to the sector of

to vote yet, it feels like no political

education, politicians have finally been

action will actually bear fruits. Going

forced to answer the protestors’

to marches or partaking in rallies,

demands in some form.

however, are impactful and empowering options for youth political involvement. Research done by The Washington Post suggests that

Further proving its effectiveness, though

although there might not seem to be

in a horrible way, there are still too many

too many examples of demonstrations

places where protesting is not even an

directly and immediately influencing

option. Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan,

the law, there are plenty showcasing

Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Uzbekistan,

the influence they still possess. Taking

Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Russian-occupied

a look at the civil rights movement

Crimea, and the Russian-separatist

from the 20th century, it is evident

occupied territories of eastern Ukraine,

that areas where several marches

for example, are all areas in which the

were held are now more likely to be

freedom of assembly is severely

less racist (measured by standard

endangered, or not given at all. Even in

racism scales), and align politically

parts of the US, the right to protest is

with the Democratic Party.

constantly jeopardized by old and new laws, as well as issues in the justice

system.

While voting may often feel like the easiest and quickest way to influence political happenings, it is far from the only one. Brave protestors like Greta Thunberg lead the way to a more involved community of youth activists, proving neither age nor experience matter: We, the citizens of the earth, can be heard. Sticking together, going out, or even staying in and using newer ways of technological protesting, are all ways of taking political action. Our voice, whether that be in a literal or metaphorical way, is the most powerful thing we have. We must use it when given the opportunity.

THE US INVOLVEMENT IN AFGHANISTAN AND THE WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS:

BY: ELLA SOUTHARD

WHAT LIFE IS LIKE FOR AFGHAN CITIZENS “Since March, we reached out 19 times to Americans in Afghanistan…,” “our Operation Allies Refuge ended up getting more than 5,500 Americans out…,” “we were ready when they and the people of Afghanistan watched their government collapse...and significantly increasing the risk to U.S personnel and our Allies.”

Oftentimes with U.S public messaging, the American lives lost are spoken on firstly, or the current issues are undercutting U.S interests. There’s no mystery as to why; the media’s target audience are Americans who care about their nation and its citizens, and the governments’ job is to communicate the state of U.S affairs. It is not President Joe Biden’s fault, or any U.S President’s fault, for consistently emphasizing America’s military interests or losts, it is their duty.

However, it is at the fault of all U.S political leaders for failing to equally emphasize the incredible losses --which have been largely perpetuated by the U.S -- in other lands, like most recently with Afghanistan. While many Americans have heard President Biden speak on the success of the recent extraction of troops, and the historic evacuation of 120,000 people after the Taliban takeover, have they heard the staggering number (47,000) of Afghan civilian lives lost in the last 20 years?

American exceptionalism continues to

In the case of Afghanistan, the answer is

seep through the cracks of the nation’s

complex. The situation that President Joe

foreign affairs discourse. Most recently

Biden was presented with in April of 2021

the President said in a press

was quite binary, or so the President has

conference, “...no nation — no nation

communicated. In February 2020, Former

has ever done anything like it in all of

President Donald Trump signed a deal

history. Only the United States had the

with the Taliban stating that in 14 months

capacity and the will and the ability to

U.S troops in Afghanistan (which have

do it, and we did it today.”

been stationed there for 20 years) would

While pride should not be diminished for a job well done, this language is loaded with political victory laps. Did the Taliban takeover and US troop withdrawal have to be like this?

leave if the Taliban would promise to stop targeting U.S troops, killing innocent civilians, and conflicting with the Afghanistan government. This deal was criticized as a big ask.

The original intent of stationing troops in Afghanistan was to dissolve the location as a breeding ground for terrorism, so who’s to say that the Taliban will just all of sudden...agree to such a notion? When 14 months passed, Biden was faced with a choice -- either continue involvement and send more troops, or pull out the remaining troops per the agreement and end “America’s Longest War.”

Essentially, it came down to either losing more lives(on both sides) and possibly provoking more adversaries, or risk the collapse of the Afghan government’s integrity, but discontinue the two decade American invigoration. Neither were the ideal, but as a political leader is forced to do, a decision was made. The events leading up to April of 2021, were not so black and white. It didn’t have to be like this.

When American soil came under attack on September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush shortly thereafter declared a “War On Terror,” ensuring that no terrorist attack on American soil was made possible again. He said, “our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated.” At this point in 2001, 85-90% of the American public largely agreed the intervention in Afghanistan was justified.

The approval continued while American troops captured Taliban strongholds, created a more democratic government within the state, and executed terrorist leaders. Between 2001 and 2011, one could argue, based on the sheer magnitude and frequency of terrorist attacks, that U.S involvement was necessary in combating international security threats.

Then in 2011, Former President Obama announced that the U.S would decrease the troop presence by 90% and shift the mission from “combat to support.” The war was then officially declared over in 2014, but according

To exert some control over the situation in Afghanistan after many boots were off the ground, air power was increasingly invested in, hence the sharp increase in bomb droppings in 2019.

to investigative journalist Azmat Khan, the U.S dropped the most bombs on

Number Two: failed democratization

Afghanistan in the entirety of the war

attempts. Time and time again, the

in 2019. Between 2014 and 2019, two

U.S vows to invest in the structure of

things happened that allowed for

previously corrupt, decentralized,

President Donald Trump to make the

and failed governments --

deal with the Taliban in 2020, and for

Afghanistan was no different. The

the Taliban to take over again in

U.S did indeed work with the Afghan

August 2021.

government to rebuild and stabilize with the formation of a National

Number one: The withdrawal of 90% of U.S troops out of Afghanistan in 2014 was too quick. Not too quick in terms of timing, the combat had largely subsided, however too quick in scale. The sharp decrease in troop presence did not allow for the adequate training of the Afghan forces, so the leadership with the Afghan forces was lacking. As a result, the Taliban gained momentum with sieges, like in September of 2015

with Kunduz City.

Unity government, producing their first peaceful transfer of democratic power in 2015 after an election. However, what President Obama called defying “the threats of the Taliban” and “bravely casting their votes” in 2015, eventually transformed into “13,000 official complaints of irregularities in the electoral process,” in Afghanistan in 2018, according to TRT World.

The lack of stability in the government also draws from the continued sporadic conflict in the nation, as well as higher poverty rates because of displacement and destruction from the war. As President Obama said in his joint remarks with President Ghani of Afghanistan in 2015, “the only real way to achieve the full drawdown of U.S. and foreign troops from Afghanistan is through a lasting political settlement with the Afghan government.” This did not happen. In fact, five years later, a U.S President would do the exact opposite -negotiate with the terrorists.

It didn’t have to be like this. A near full circle from pre-9/11, but with more knowledge and losses. As a result of the nation’s historical actions, and in light of President Biden’s actions, Afghanistan is posed with a reality that looks somewhat familiar to the early late 1990s Afghanistan, ruled by the Taliban. Now, let's cut the US politics: What is life like right now for the Afghan people? Uncertain. Apprehensive. Desperation. The Taliban has demanded the Afghan people to go back to work, but don’t have money to pay them. Funds are not easily accessible, only $200 is allowed to be withdrawn every week, according to NPR.

Armed resistance has largely died down after the shooting of the brother of the former Vice President of Afghanistan was killed in the midst of fighting in the Panjshir Valley. Younger women specifically have been initiating civil protests without the support of many of the Afghan men. The higher education minister recently announced that women will still be able to pursue their degrees at universities. However in Herat, a Taliban gunman guarded a university and didn’t let the women students pass through. According to The New York Times, women journalists and broadcasters have been indefinitely suspended.

In Kandahar, women healthcare clinics have been shut down. Kabul University students were told not to leave their dorm without a male student accompanying them. All of this to say, life in Afghanistan is inching closer to what it was two decades ago, rather than a few months ago. The Taliban officials have vowed they have changed their ways and will not punish women outside the Islamic law, like they did in the 1990s. Many, of course, have been skeptical of such a pledge because of the history, and given the discrete and low reported actions already taken by the Taliban in 2021, every Afghan person has the right to feel uncertain and apprehensive about their future.

August of 2021 in Afghanistan was no surprise, in fact the U.S President Joe Biden had intelligence that a government collapse and Taliban takeover was probable months after U.S troops pulled out by the September 11th deadline. However, it wasn’t just this one intelligence reporting that gave us a heads up. It was years of unnecessary and failed American intervention after the initial mission was complete. Although we as a global community cannot undo history, we must continue to talk about the looming dark reality that stations itself around Afghanistan. Americans specifically need to speak out about the repercussions of our actions in order to attempt to rid of the American centric

language, and be a good neighbor.

BY: SAGE LAHMERS

In August, the United Nations declared a red alert for humanity due to global warming. Part of the reason we have reached the point of a terrifying global alert is because of our dependence on fossil fuels. When I look around my community I do not see a shift toward clean energy. In fact, I see the opposite. The Mountain Valley Pipeline, also known as the MVP, is a 303 mile long natural gas pipeline that is currently being installed in Southwestern Virginia and West Virginia. It has been estimated that the full amount of greenhouse gas emissions, excluding emissions from construction, generated by just the MVP mainline would be 90 million metric tons annually

For comparison, the average passenger vehicle releases about 4.6 metric tons. If installed, it would be a dangerous environmental disaster that would lock the region into using natural gas, which is a type of fossil fuels for another 40-50 years after which the pipeline will be “abandoned in place.”

The original plan, which was released in 2014, was for the Mountain Valley Pipeline to cost about 3.5 billion dollars and for it to be completed by late 2019. As of spring 2021, the new estimate is 6.2 billion dollars and for the pipeline to be completed by the summer of 2022. Recently the Mountain Valley Pipeline has come under fire for claims that it was 92% completed.

There are also serious risks with An analysis by the Allegheny Blue Ridge

thousands of transient construction

Alliance found that while construction had

workers coming to rural areas with

begun on 80% of the route, only 51% was

limited healthcare and other services

complete, meaning the pipe is in the

during a pandemic. The MVP does not

ground, welded, inspected, and backfilled

have acceptable Covid-19 prevention

with a restored surface. The reason they

measures. Many of the workers live and

are so behind is because they have been

work in very close quarters without

stalled with legal trouble. As of June 2020,

masking or routine testing. These

the owners have had to pay over 2 million

construction workers also have

in penalties for more than 300 water quality

extremely low vaccination rates, making

violations cited by Virginia and West

them more likely to be infected.

Virginia. Additionally, the MVP was designed to pass through 53 miles of karst terrain and more than 200 miles of high This is distressing because there is a risk of contaminated drinking water as well as risks to aquatic animals and their habitats. In addition, the MVP have also faced numerous lawsuits alleging violations of environmental laws including the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

landslide susceptibility which means threats to clean rivers and streams along with an increased risk of pipeline explosions. Explosions have happened on 2 separate pipelines in similar terrain in 2018. The blast zone from these explosions, in which no living thing could survive, is just over a mile wide. In 2019 alone, there were 614 reported pipeline accidents in the United States, killing 10 people and injuring 35 more. In April 2020, MVP reported that three sections of laid

There are so many issues with the pipeline beyond environmental determinants. The MVP disproportionately impacts lowincome communities, elderly residents and Indigenous sites. The value of the houses near the pipeline as well as the safety of the area goes down drastically.

pipe had shifted due to land movement. Consequently, MVP’s use of thinner pipe in less-populated areas means that the pipe may be more susceptible to the risk of rupture. This is especially dangerous because Southwest Virginia has earthquakes that could disrupt the pipe.

Another huge (but not publicly admitted) issue with a large transmission line like the MVP is radioactivity, which builds up within the pipes as a toxic sludge escapes into the air, where there are gas leaks along the high pressure pipe (these leaks are ubiquitous at pipe connections with other infrastructure), and is belched into the air from compressor stations. There is a possibility that this could contaminate dairy farm milk if cattle are grazing downwind of the compressor station emission plumes. The gas transported through the pipes is odorless and colorless, so leaks are not detected by people in the vicinity of a leak.

The MVP has also opted not to use strain

Additionally, the NRDC found that

gauges, which would allow a section of

investing the money the pipeline would

the pipeline to be shut off remotely if the

cost into clean energy could support

gauges detected anything. Pipelines are

more than 9,000 gross direct, and

already dangerous, so this decision is

indirect jobs in the region over the next

really irresponsible and harmful for the

20 years. This is three times what MVP

community.

owners estimate their pipeline will create over the same amount of time.

One of the claims in support of the pipeline is that it would create more jobs and stimulate the local economy. This simply is not true. An analysis from Tufts economists concluded that there was no support for the claim that it would lead to additional opportunities for new manufacturing in the region.

The resistance to the pipeline has created a local movement spanning from high schoolers to people older than 80. There are individuals chaining themselves to construction equipment and risking arrest to halt construction for a couple of hours.

Their goal is to wear the MVP down until their investors pull out. They have worked closely with their local representatives as well as reported on the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s every move. I spoke with multiple community members who are involved in the movement and heard some recurring themes. Many individuals said that they realized that nobody was going to help if not them. “I’ve learned that there are so many smart, committed, hard working people who will risk a lot to stop the pipeline,” one community member told me. Individuals have donated their time, energy, money, and resources to help stop the pipeline. They have marched, staged walkouts, written letters, been threatened, arrested, and more for this cause. Regardless, they have persisted.

This pipeline is just one example of a local movement, but it is a very important one. It brings so many people together regardless of color, gender, sexual orientation, income, education, and background. I know that this group is committed to creating change and I feel so grateful to be able to witness their amazing work. If you are interested in becoming more involved in your community, just look around. There is so much you as an individual can do for your community. Get involved in local organizations or volunteer for a cause you care about. You are never alone, and there are so many meaningful things you can do for your community.

Japan’s Gender Inequality in Politics and Beyond By: Hanna Matsukawa

From anime fans to tech geeks to food lovers, Japan is beloved by people all around the world for its rich culture. But while the small country is well known for its bustling cities, beautiful landscapes, and wide cultural influence, Japanese politics is rarely a global household topic. Like many countries around the world, Japan’s political landscape faces ups and downs and has its strengths and weaknesses, and like most countries around the world, Japanese politics continues to grapple with the issue of gender equality.

According to the 2021 World Economics Global Gender Gap Report, Japan ranks 120th out of 156 countries. The World Economics Global Gender Gap Index “benchmarks the evolution of genderbased gaps among four key dimensions (Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment) and tracks progress towards closing these gaps over time.” This low ranking shows that Japan still has a ways to go to “close the gap” and increase gender equality. While this statistic is from a recent index, Japan has been ranking low in gender equality for years. Many Japanese politicians, embarrassed by this, have worked to advocate for women’s empowerment.

In 2018, a Gender Parity Act was unanimously passed. It’s purpose was to increase the number of women in political office. This was a step towards furthering women’s rights, however, the act was non-binding so as not to infringe on the freedom of choosing candidates. Political parties could voluntarily work to vote more women into office, but it was not legally mandatory. Instead, parties would do their best to increase the number of women in government, without answering to a government-set number. The Gender Parity Act was a symbolic step forward, and many activists and politicians praised its historical significance.

As the years passed, the ratio of the number of women to men in office remained low. In 2020, about 10% of seats were held by women in the House of Representatives and about 23% in the House of Councilors. The House of Representatives and the House of Councilors make up Japan’s bicameral legislature called the National Diet. In towns and villages, only about 0.9% of mayors were women. Recognizing these numbers as low, however, is still an important step towards equality, and Japan continues to strive for greater representation.

The less women there are in political office, the less legal sympathy women have. This was clear with the case of journalist Shiori Ito and Japan’s Me Too movement. Many credit the launch of Japan’s Me Too Movement to Ito when she raised sexual assault allegations against editor Noriyuki Yamaguchi in 2015. Despite sufficient evidence found against Yamaguchi, charges were dropped by the police. While it is uncertain, many speculate that Yamaguchi was excused due to his close ties with the then Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe.

Another step in the path towards equality was increasing the number of working women in Japan. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe established a gender equality policy called

When this happened, there was no public outrage against Yamaguchi, instead, there was a backlash against Ito. Many people, including prominent women politicians, degraded her and victim-blamed her. Despite the rise in negativity and low support, there were

“Womenomics” with the hopes of increasing the number of women in the workforce. It’s goal was to shift from the traditional mindset of women as homemakers by allowing more time flexibility in the workplace and investing in daycare and parental leave.

Japanese women who came together to speak up at Flower demonstrations, Japanese women’s version of Me Too protests. Finally, in 2019, Yamaguchi was court-ordered to pay Ito damages.

Ito’s case underscored the poor treatment of sexual assault victims in society, and in 2017, Japan’s Penal Code was updated to expand it’s legal definition of rape. It recognized that people of all genders could be victims of sexual assault and increased the punishment against offenders. Despite the initial backlash against Ito, voices in society were able to push politicians to make a change for the better.

While such change is underway, there is still room to increase gender equality in Japanese politics. The Liberal Democratic Party, Japan’s governing party, recently invited women to attend important board meetings. However, these women were not permitted to speak during the meetings. Instead, they were asked to send in their views on the matters discussed after the meeting had finished. This instance speaks volumes about the importance of gender diversity in politics. Without sufficient representation, important policies that increase gender equality might not come about.

In early September, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced he would not be running for reelection, leaving the floor wide open. Since the LDP holds a parliamentary majority, the candidate they choose will likely become the next Prime Minister. In Japan, prominent women politicians are few and far between, yet two of the four main candidates in the race are women. While their political support is not as strong as their male opponents, Sanae Takaichi and Seiko Noda bring diversity and varying interests to the table. Takaichi is known for her harsh stance on national security, conservative opinions on gender roles, and plans to strengthen the economy. Noda is running as an advocate for women, people with disabilities, and people of the LGBTQ+ community (in a country where same-sex marriage remains illegal).

Japan has yet to have a woman Prime Minister. While it currently seems unlikely that Takaichi or Noda will succeed, they are not the first woman to run for Prime Minister nor will they be the last. And whether or not they win the election, it is important just to have diverse political role models show the value of women in politics. Though the road is long, step by step Japan approaches further gender equality and diversity.

HOW WI L L A NEW OC DA AFFECT CA? BY: REAGAN MADING

What does the District Attorney

Orange County, California, a county that has had

even do? Are they a figurehead, or

a long history of conservative District Attorneys,

do they actually make big

finally has a viable opportunity for a progresive

decisions? The district attorney

DA to step into place.

takes administrative, investigative, and legal leadership as well as,

For the past 21 years, the DA of Orange County

makes many of the crucial

(OC) has been focused on tough-on-crime

decisions in terms of what

rhetoric and actions. Tough-on-crime is the

sentencing is allowed, evidence

antithesis of criminal justice reform. It is directly

and jury matters. Although DA

against ideas of reforming the system based on

elections often receive little press,

underlying mental health issues, systems of

they have huge impacts on the

oppression, and mass incarceration and in

legal system. And that is why, if

general, believes high and harsh sentencing and

you care about criminal justice,

rulings is what's best for the country.

you should most definitely care about the DA.

But now, Rackauckas and Spitzer (the OCs past and current DA respectively) and their history of corruption and conservative values are being interrupted. Pete Hardin, a former Judge Attorney General in the Marine Corps and Prosecutor in Orange County is a progressive candidate running for District Attorney of Orange County. He believes in being smart on crime, a crucial part of criminal justice reform. Being smart on crime as opposed to being tough-on-crime means taking issues on a case by case basis and understanding the underlying issues.

Furthermore, Pete believes in ending cash bail, the death penalty, and addressing racial disparities in the legal system. Hardin could be a huge turnaround for Orange County, and serve as a symbol of the possibilities for criminal justice reform in areas that have consistently been viewed as conservative.

The District Attorney and what occurs within criminal justice are intrinsically linked. Since the District Attorney makes the decisions considering mental health and socioeconomic situations, if a DA is tough on crime minded, all of the founding aspects of criminal justice reform go out the window, and what becomes important is being, well, tough on crime. However, when a DA is considerate of issues such as mental health and racial biases, the criminal

justice system can function in a

It's time that country wide we pay

completely different, more progressive

attention to these races in the midterms

manner.

next year.

A BRIEF OVERVIEW ON THE UPCOMING NEW YORK MAYORAL ELECTION BY: SUSANNAH MAYALL

The end of 2021 marks the end of New York City’s Bill de Blasio’s final term as mayor. De Blasio has been a controversial mayor, who lived up to his campaign promises but is still disliked by many New Yorkers for his seemingly arrogant style. This turn around comes during a difficult time for the city, with residents seeing rises in crime and tax, along with the devastating effects of Covid-19 and flooding from Hurricane Ida.

This is also the first mayoral election since the controversy surrounding the NYPD’s response to Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. The primaries were in June, with the party nominees announced shortly after for the ballot in November. This election is also special because it is the first NYC mayoral election to use rank choice voting in its primaries rather than first past the post. This allows voters to rank the candidates, instead of just choosing one.

Democrats outnumber Republicans in New York 7 to 1, so the Democratic nominee Eric Adams is heavily favoured to win. Eric Adams was one of six children, and grew up in Brooklyn before moving to Queens as a teenager. At 14, he joined a gang and found himself getting into trouble with the police. During one incident with the NYPD, Adams was beaten by several officers until a black cop intervened. This act of compassion inspired Adams to turn his life around and join the same police force he once despised. He served the NYPD for over 20 years, throughout which he advocated against racial profiling and police brutality. After he left, Adams

Eric Adams’ mayoral campaign is largely focused on policing. Instead of defunding the police, Adams plans to make a series of reforms including turning the anti-crime unit into an anti-gun unit, which appeals to many New Yorkers because there has been a 66% rise in shootings since 2019. The reforms will also publish officers that are being monitored for violent behaviours. This comes after the NYPD revealed a poll saying that up to 60% of New Yorkers believe that the police department should be more heavily monitored.

was elected a New York state senator for part of Brooklyn, and the Brooklyn Borough President. Beyond policing, Adams’ campaign also includes expanding local tax credit for low-income families, investing in underperforming schools, and making improvements in public housing. Eric Adams would be the second black New York City mayor. Running against Eric Adams is Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, who also grew up in Brooklyn. During a crime wave in the 1970s, Sliwa founded the Guardian Angels, who patrolled streets and subways to

combat violent crimes. However, Sliwa did later admit to faking some rescues for publicity.

In 1990, he began his successful radio career and soon became a popular conservative radio talk show host on New York talk show WABC. This helped Sliwa gain attention and popularity in the city, decades before his mayoral campaign. Similar to Adams, Sliwa’s campaign also largely focused on policing. Sliwa promises to ‘refund the police’ by restoring budget cuts to the police department and reopening anti-crime units to combat increasing gun violence. He also would like to increase the number of police officers patrolling the subway.

This policy has had mixed reactions. One poll said that 77% of black NYC Democrats believed there should be more uniformed police on subways, whilst other New Yorkers would rather spend money on simply improving the subway system. On top of policing, Sliwa is a big animal rights activist, and campaigned for the establishment of no-kill shelters similar to those in Los Angeles. However, his passion for animal rights also gave him some strange looks from New Yorkers when he revealed he has 15 rescue cats. Likewise to Adams, Sliwa would like to improve education. However, his method is by improving conditions, promoting private and faith schools, and by providing every child with the required technology.

New York City will vote for its new mayor on November 2nd. Irrespective of who wins, a new mayor will be a fresh start for the city, and an opportunity to revive itself from a difficult couple of years. Both candidates show genuine passion for NYC, and have respectable campaigns to fulfill de Blasio’s role. Both candidates pledge to make major improvements to the police department, but in different ways, and the Democrat’s Eric Adams appears to have the most support.

By: Shreya Rajappa “I Voted” stickers handed from parents

Working as a student poll worker for the

to their children after they, gripping the

November 3 General Election in 2020, I

pencils tightly, filled in the bubbles as

not only got to witness community

they listened to their parents’

members making their voices heard, but

instructions. Pencils against paper is the

I also got to help them do so. These

only sound we can hear from behind

voters trusted me and the rest of the

cardboard dividers. A first-time voter

poll workers with their votes, a bond we

sliding their ballot into the blue bag,

didn’t take for granted. We made sure

following up the feat with a fistpump

their votes were counted, checking the

and experiencing the rewarding feeling

envelopes of mail-in ballots that voters

of contributing to something far bigger

brought to us to ensure all identifying

than themselves. Poll workers clapping

information was filled in correctly and

for every first-time voter at the exits.

directing ballots to the appropriate

bags. We made sure a tally mark was

made for each ballot on our tally sheet, including marking whether it was provisional or regular, and thanked every person for voting, for wanting to influence the trajectory of America and having faith that their vote could do that even when it’s just one out of many.

As I spent time over the four days of the election with older locals in my Californian town who have spent decades working at poll stations, their passion was made evident as was their desire to ensure everyone had a chance to vote. For example, inspiring me with her dedication to the cause, one poll worker told me how a long while back, she would keep a ballot box in her front yard and collect ballots from her neighbors, loved ones, and strangers. That’s how badly she wanted to make voting accessible.

Voter suppression is prevalent across the country. Many voters -- particularly those in marginalized communities -- experience long lines, shut-down poll stations, and restrictive laws. By involving themselves in local politics, working at a pollstation, students express their deep passion for limiting voter suppression. Consequently, many local voters are empowered to vote in response to the drive and dedication of youth to prompt accessibility and encourage voting. It also keeps poll stations, places where citizens gather with determination to make their voices heard, up and running. For these reasons, it would be beneficial for election offices to focus on recruiting student poll workers -- and for high school students to seek out this opportunity whenever election season rolls around.

At least in California, signing up to work at a pollstation isn’t a tedious process, requiring only a simple, one-page application and signed agreements from legal guardians and school officials (since it requires being absent from school) if you’re a minor. Those over the age of 16 who’s a US citizen or documented permanent resident with a GPA above 2.5 on a 4.0 scale can sign up to work elections; make sure to check your local elections websites and offices for county-specific requirements or changes to the listed requirements above. While the hours are long (6 am to 9 pm on election day in California with changes across state lines), the rewards make up for it with students receiving monetary compensation, hands-on experience in the election process, an opportunity to interact with and assist others who care about politics and the people politics affects, and relationships with older community members who offer insightful advice. The time commitment of being a poll worker is also more manageable than that of joining political organizations as high school students, requiring four days at most as compared to regular participation over extended periods of time.

This isn’t to say that you should stop at being a poll worker -- working elections should inspire you to do more for your local or regional community, to want to shape local politics in more ways than only casting a ballot or helping others cast theirs. Elections provide a glimpse into what matters to your towns or counties and what matters to you that’s on the ballot or noticeably missing from the ballot. They also provide insight into the aspects of your local government that need the most support. For example, after working the polls last year, a classmate of mine and I were inspired to join a political activist group focused on education reform called GenUp because we sensed a lack of emphasis on education policy improvements in our county. While there’s much more work to be done, working the polls is an excellent way to dip your toes into your local politics and inspire others to vote. We hope that initial toe-dip will lead to a cannonball jump.

Founder and Co-Exec. Director

Rebecca Joseph

Walnut Creek, CA | 15 years old My name is Rebecca Joseph and I am a highschool sophomore from the Bay Area. I got interested in politics during my first year of high school where I joined the Speech and Debate team. From there I fell in love with the world of politics, but soon became aware of the lack of representation women were getting in the field. I wanted to be part of a community of teens who want to support each other and the younger generation to pursue a career in politics; however, I was unable to find anything, so I started Women In Politics. Now, four months later I have been blessed with an amazing team and I cannot wait for all we are going to accomplish.

Please enjoy this issue!

Co-Exec. Director Katherine Bronov

Philadelphia, PA | 17 years old My name is Katherine Bronov and I am an online high school senior from the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. I have been passionate about politics since the start of high school and I have searched for organizations and clubs that interest me but found nothing until Women In Politics (WIP) caught my eye. WIP is a very special organization and fascinatingly the first of its kind. I am so grateful to be a part of this team and work alongside girls that are just as enthusiastic about politics as I am and recognize the shortage of women in this important field. Please enjoy this issue!

Christine Corry

Sacramento, CA | 17 years old

SRETIRW

Magazine Manager

Isabella Rinaldi

San Francisco, CA | 15 years old

Editor Leader

Cedar Roach

SROTIDE

Writing Leader

Magazine Design Leader

Sara Keegan

New York, NY | 17 years old

Rachel Baumann | Katherine B

SRENGISED

Dallas, TX | 18 years old

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