PICTURE OF DISSATISFACTION

Thank you for your excellent profile of the legislative accomplishments of our female-led Oregon Legislature in the 2017 session (“Dancing Backward and In Heels,” 2/1). It was, as you note, a “shining hour for progressives” as well as an extraordinarily effective and productive legislative session.

I was surprised, however, given the headline and the focus of the article, to see the accompanying photo of Senator James Manning, rather than one of either Rep. Julie Fahey or Rep. Nancy Nathanson, Lane County’s only two female legislators. Two out of eight, I might add.

I was especially dismayed because the Reproductive Health Equity act was one of the signature accomplishments of this session (which Fahey was instrumental in crafting and carried to the floor) and the Ways and Means committee (co-chaired by Nathanson) will be so crucial to continued progressive success in 2018.

While I respect Senator Manning and am sure he is doing great work in Salem, I found it extremely unfortunate that the Weekly chose to feature neither of our two local female legislators but instead highlighted a man, even when the article was ostensibly about female leadership.

Please do better next time, EW.

Laura Illig, Eugene

Editor’s Note: We try to ensure women and people of color are represented in our pages. The story, which covered women’s accomplishments as well as the increased representation of people of color, was accompanied by three photos of female legislators as well as Sen. Manning and interviewed both Reps. Fahey and Nathanson.