Women have had prominent roles in Texas politics for a very long time. In fact, there have often been women in politics here when there weren't in more "enlightened" parts of the country.

While there have always been (and still are) some that say women shouldn't be in office, that hasn't kept them from being elected for the most part.

Which should go to show you that sexism isn't an unsurmountable hurdle.

...is how it's run—not by whom.

If it's a well-functioning, non-corrupt tiny town in Texas that's great, and I'm sure it's entirely because of the women they have running it and the forward-thinking ideals that make it possible. If it's a horrible cesspit of a town, then they can take credit for that too.

Also, I would like to see some more detailed demographic information. If, for example, the voting is overwhelmingly along gender lines when given two candidates to choose from but there just happen to be more women-- well that's not very progressive. Cute story, but no substance :(

Diversity = good

Don't we benefit most from a diverse governing body that is informed by its varied life experiences, and that works collaboratively to reflect and serve the entire community?

Or was the point hey, if the mouth-breathing Texans can do it, anybody can!

Don't we benefit most from a diverse governing body that is informed by its varied life experiences, and that works collaboratively to reflect and serve the entire community?

Assuredly.

But in any system in which, overall, women and men in politics are distributed at random, instances where the face of government is overwhelmingly one gender are more statistically likely than it always being a 50-50 split.

To be fair, the situation Lynn Harris cites could also be seen as an interesting extension of the rapid feminization of public-facing private-sector service work. Not long ago it was rare to see women in banking — now one commonly finds women running entire branches, from bottom to top and even beyond, to the upper echelons of central management.

Which does raise an important point — is everything we're seeing, and thinking of as great and exciting advances on the part of women in the workforce, really just a reorganization of the definitions of "women's work" and "men's work," without a more substantial attack on the basic dichotomy?

... for reminding us of the great Ann Richards, who is evidence (along with Molly Ivins and Michelle Shocked) that Texas has produced some of the most glorious of humanity (as well as some of the dregs).