Incidents of bias are among the most interesting stories shared by our trailblazers, cutting across many aspects of their identities – from gender and race to sexuality and social class.
Click on the links below to hear some of our trailblazers share the experiences of bias they endured in their path to electoral achievement.
Door-to-door discrimination
Sometimes I’d knock on the door, and somebody would say, ‘You’re not moving in, are you?’
Career highlights:
- First African American woman in the Ohio Senate
- First woman Mayor of Dayton
I could go on and on
The guy next to me, a mayor, said, ‘Whose secretary or wife are you?’
Career highlights:
- First woman Mayor of Toledo
Neighbors go berserk over opponent’s attack
One of the things one of the opponents tried to do was say that I'd gotten awards from gay groups…. it was kind of this, ‘We just want to make sure you know she's a lesbian.’
Career highlights:
- First member of the LGBTQ+ community in the Ohio House and Ohio Senate
- Elected to leadership positions in both chambers
1 Black woman, 12 Black men
I had problems being the only Black female and there were 12 Black men there…. They eased up after a while… and we were all friends.
Career highlights:
- First African American woman in the Ohio legislature
Tough enough to govern?
I hammered down the gavel and the glass broke…. After that, nobody really asked me whether I was tough enough to govern.
Career highlights:
- First woman on the City Council of Reynoldsburg, Ohio
- First woman Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives
Interesting choice for a debate venue
I thought, ‘Well, isn't it convenient that the first debate is… in an environment where I would likely be uncomfortable?’
Career highlights:
- Longest-serving woman in the United States Congress
The Team Behind Trailblazing Women in Ohio Politics
Trailblazing Women in Ohio Politics is a collaboration between WBGU-PBS and Dr. Melissa K. Miller, Professor of Political Science at Bowling Green State University.
PHOTO CREDITS: Dayton Daily News; USA TODAY NETWORK; OGT / The Ohio Channel; Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, Ohio Statehouse (cropped version of Davidson portrait); The Blade
Updated: 07/06/2023 03:45PM