Leah Levac: Women in Office and Municipal Anti-Harassment Initiatives

During and following elections, women seeking public office often face harassment by staff, colleagues, and even citizens. In “How to Ensure More Women Run for Public Office,” an article published on 7 March 2018 by The Conversation Canada, 2007 Foundation scholar Leah Levac argued that fighting against harassment at the municipal level will not only make cities and towns safer and more inclusive for all, but will also secure greater gender diversity in public office. By modelling inclusive spaces, municipalities will democratize the idea that women’s experiences can be affected by their physical ability, their Indigenous status, their race, age, and numerous other factors, and will fight against the roots of the pernicious attacks targeting political women.

Leah Levac is a 2007 Foundation scholar and an assistant professor in the department of political science of the University of Guelph. Read her article here.