If you missed the first regular Lane County Board of Commissioners meeting of 2023, you may want to watch the initial 15 minutes of male posturing on YouTube.

At a time when men in politics are taking away women’s reproductive freedom, it was appalling to watch the three males, a majority, work together to keep the current female vice chair from being nominated for chairman. Why? The three males made the dubious case for continuity and maintaining momentum. The current chairman first called on one of the newly elected commissioners even though his was not the first hand raised, ignoring the female commissioner.

Customarily, the chair — a male in this case  — serves a year’s term, and the vice chair — a female in this case — has a year’s turn. Rotating leadership ensures those roles are shared fairly. What was exhibited at the meeting was the men on the commission working together to keep women in their place. The male president gets a second term of power and the women stay in second place. Had the male president any moral compass, he would have relinquished his nomination to the female vice chair.

The Lane County Commission started 2023 with a discriminatory slap to gender equality; we can expect more of the same from this male dominated agency.

Respectfully submitted by a seasoned male.

Jim Neu

Eugene