SWE - Spring 2009 - (Page 16)

The “Second-hardest Job in BY MEREDITH HOLMES, SWE CONTRIBUTOR America” S hortly after the inauguration of Barack Obama, Michelle Obama admitted that being addressed as “first lady” felt “surreal.” The nation’s newest first lady, a Harvard Law School graduate who had just resigned her executive position at the University of Chicago Medical Center, is in a position to understand just how strange the office of first lady really is. Paradoxical and ambiguous As a well-educated and accomplished professional woman, wife, and mom, new first lady Michelle Obama is navigating undefined territory and contradictory cultural expectations. The position carries with it great privilege — a mansion and staff of attendants , and brings the first lady into contact with some of the world’s richest and most powerful and talented people. On the other hand, it’s an unofficial position, with no salary, no formal job description, and no constitutional guidelines. The duties change according to each first lady’s personality, the political climate, and the shifting roles of women in society. Each first lady puts her own stamp on the office, but tradition, the media, and expectations of the most diverse population on earth impose constraints on every move she makes, every word she speaks. One thing about the job is certain: It is so demanding and takes so much time and energy, that previous plans, avocations, and careers must be put on hold. The first lady has almost no legitimate power. Historian, author, and first-lady expert Carl Anthony describes the first lady’s clout as “covert,” and her power as “derivative.” That is, she does not have power conferred by a recognized legal body, only the power derived from being the wife of the U.S. president. As women in ever-increasing numbers earn graduate and professional degrees, enter traditionally male fields, win athletic scholarships, and participate in politics, we are becoming uneasy about this old-fashioned route to power. As women in ever-increasing numbers earn graduate and professional degrees; excel in traditionally male fields, such as science and engineering; win athletic scholarships; and participate in politics, defining the first lady’s role becomes ever more complex. Although Michelle Obama will still have to walk a fine line, the nature of her responsibilities is a little clearer, thanks to Hillary Clinton. When the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons sued first lady Clinton for her leadership of the health-care reform task force, the U.S. Court of Appeals declared that her activities were within the boundaries of her “political and ceremonial role.” And, as Anthony points out, derivative power is still power. The first lady just needs to figure out how to use it, how to navigate the contradictions of her office, and recognize the opportunities for getting things done. An accomplished sorority First ladies have, in general, been well-educated, and many had successful careers before they came to the White House. Florence Harding turned her husband’s newspaper into an influential and profitable enterprise. Lou Hoover, the only first lady with a science background, was the first woman in the United States to earn a geology degree. She also won a mining industry award for a manual she translated for use in China. Lady Bird Johnson turned a small radio station she bought in 1942 into the Texas Broadcasting Corporation, a media empire that made the Johnsons very wealthy. Recent first ladies have been highly credentialed: Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama all have advanced degrees. Now that women can become lawyers, physicians, senators, engineers, and astronauts, we expect them to be high-powered professionals and fashion icons, devoted wives, and brilliant hostesses. Dorothy Miller, Ph.D., director of the Flora Stone Mather Center for Women at Case Western Reserve University, PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES 16 SWE SPRING 2009

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SWE - Spring 2009

SWE - Spring 2009 Heritage Club Contents President's Note View from the Executive Suite Editor’s Page Honoring Women’s History Public Policy Update First Lady: The “Second-Hardest Job in America” Bringing Science and Engineering into Public Policy At the Intersection of Engineering and Public Policy From Research to Reality Coffee Table Dialogues Membership Information & Calendar A&B Winning Essays from the Lava Lounge Engineering World: Issues • Events • Technology • People Point of View: Your Role in Public Policy Career Toolbox: Communicating with Congress; Finding Your Voice Corporate Partnership Council Media Shelf: Women’s History Opportunity Index SWE Scrapbook: Dressed for Success

SWE - Spring 2009

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