With all the hype of a female running for president, I started to wonder if the work force world dominated by the men was starting to shift? Have all the men gone off to war and left the women to take care of the working world? And how many women have gone off to war? Do we still have a bias-working environment? Are we still bias towards women? It seems women have shown that they can do anything a man can.

The history of women has shown that they belong in this hard working world the same as men. They don’t have to stay at home baking cookies and cleaning.

Women are reaching new heights in the job market. They are in positions of authority: police officers, government officials, and Judges. They have joined the ranks of military officers, astronauts, CEO’s and just about every position once held strictly by men.

Many great women have fought for women’s rights since the 1920’s with Susan B. Anthony, who led the fight for women’s right to vote. Women have come along way.

Now, in 2007 women are real contenders in the running for public office. They are making history. Here in the Central Valley, just last year Margaret Mims was voted in as the first woman to serve as Fresno County Sheriff. That gives a whole new spin to the saying, ‘We got a new sheriff in town.’

Even with success, women must continue to fight for equal representation. With only 24 women serving in the California State Senate out of 80 seats, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

At the Federal level, we have 62 women serving in the House of Representatives out of 435 representatives. There are only 13 female U.S. Senators out of 100, two from California, and Hillary Clinton, Presidential hopeful among them.

When we see the actual numbers we might ask ourselves if women aren’t as interested in politics as men. But, that isn’t the case. According to the polls, more women than men go out and vote.

Perhaps the reason women take politics more seriously is because of how hard they fought for the privilege. The proof is in the progress made from the early 1700’s to present day.

Today, there are eight women worldwide who are top Company Executives Officer (CEO). For example we have Indra Nooyi, the CEO of Pepsi. Brenda C. Barnes, the President of the famous Sara Lee brand of pies and bread. But, only 8 CEOS out of the 500 top companies that we have around the world it is still a really small number.

Here in the Central Valley women have broken through previous barriers such as Carolyn Tomin, the Chancellor of UC Merced. We also have four women out of the seven board members of the Fresno Unified School District. We also have two women that serve in the Fresno County Board of Education. Additionally, we have a female District Attorney, Elizabeth Egan. So, here in the Central Valley we are seeing that women are shifting the dominance away from men.

So, overall I believe that facts prove it is still a man’s world, but women are coming up. Men still dominate the top positions in record numbers and there are still too few women in the highest paying positions.

Women are still fighting to overcome stereotypes and attitudes that hold them back. But, we have learned from history that women will not give up without a fight. We have seen women like Rosa Parks, Sharon Christa McAuliffe and the recent valley native Barbara R. Morgan who went on the Space Shuttle Mission. Yes, women are achieving what some once said was the impossible.

So, what do you say men? With all the successes of these great women, Can’t we just let them in the Big Boy’s club?

If the American public isn’t ready to let women lead, what is all the hype with Hillary Clinton? Do voters see her as a politician, or do they see her husband Bill Clinton in the debates with her? Do they focus on her pink lipstick?

She is a woman. But, will she be the woman to break the final barrier of President? It is really hard to make that decision, or to know what voters are really thinking. Perhaps, she is just opening the door that another woman may follow through later. Only time will tell.

Win or lose, each time a woman stands up and takes over a position once held by men she gives other women the hope to follow their dreams. And perhaps one day the percentages in top positions will be equal to the numbers in society. Hiliary’s race may just open the doors that men once locked and closed. And I believe we are shifting towards a different world: one where more men are staying home and women are the breadwinners in the family.

Maybe, ten or twenty years from now the world will be dominantly lead by women and we will be saying, “It is a Women’s World out there!”