Women in politics: South Carolina has the fewest female state senators in the nation. Here’s why.
Originally published by Matthew Hall for The State
Sexual harassment is alive and apparently welcome at the South Carolina Statehouse. The $3 sign suction cupped to the window of the six-wheel truck that new state Sen. Tom Fernandez parked in the Statehouse garage on his first day last week said: “My other ride has huge boobs.”
Instead of apologizing to those he offended, Fernandez told FITSNews, “What, are they jealous? My wife has an F-cup and theirs are flat? I’m sorry you don’t have as much fun as I do.”
There should be no place in leadership or the working world for such a juvenile sign or appalling retort, but seeing the display at the Statehouse helps explain why South Carolina’s 46-member state Senate will have just two women next session, fewer than any other state in America, after having six in the last session.