There is no shortage of women coming forward with stories of sexual harassment and assault in the workplace, so former President Barack Obama has offered a simple way to fix the imbalance of power that leads to this toxic culture: Put more women into leadership positions.
During an event organized by the French networking organization Les Napoleons, Obama pointed out that there should be “more focus on putting women in power because men seem to be having some problems these days.”
“Not to generalize, but women seem to have a better capacity than men do, partly because of their socialization,” Obama explained, France24 reports.
While he declined to name any particular politicians, sexual harassment and assault allegations have rocked the Capitol recently. There is the ugly campaign to elect alleged child molester Roy Moore (R-Ala.) to Congress; then there are the multiple women have come forward with sexual harassment allegations against Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.).
Obama asked leaders, and perhaps voters, to give more power to the disenfranchised.
“How can I make the people around me better?” Obama said, pointing to a need for change. “How do I empower them… how do I build a team where everyone’s pulling together to get something done?”
Obama’s comments quickly went viral, as news sites implied the former president was calling on Americans to elect more women into Congress. For many progressives and women, that doesn’t sound like a bad idea right about now.
He’s not wrong! #womeninleadership https://t.co/qS29W2KbyJ
— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) December 4, 2017
Wonderful idea. It is our turn now.
— Teresa Boardman (@TBoard) December 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/LoveAgapeLove1/status/937653860897828865
THE ONLY MAN WHO CAN STAY https://t.co/lEvQ4yZUuZ
— Emmy Bengtson (@EmmyA2) December 4, 2017
.We need to elect more women because women represent half (give or take a percent) of the population. In a representative democracy that means they should be half the representation. (Give or take a percent.)
— Gary V. Foss (@garyvfoss) December 4, 2017
Representation+Democracy=Half Women
Everything else is rhetoric.
Others think Obama should still be president. Obviously.
Omg we miss you so much❤️ You appreciate strong women & gladly admit #WomenRock 😎💙🇺🇸#TheRWU #TheResistance
— @StopHateNow (@njterrie) December 4, 2017
I miss him so
— NYY Mae (@NYY_Mae) December 4, 2017
Well, at least there’s always Michelle Obama.
@MichelleObama for president!
— ◻️Alien Fortune Teller 👾👽👾 (@Annatlast) December 4, 2017
Run Michelle Run!!!!
— D (@danielle2u) December 4, 2017