A feminist in the White House, Midge Costanza, the Carter years, and America's culture wars, Doreen J. Mattingly
Type
Label
A feminist in the White House, Midge Costanza, the Carter years, and America's culture wars, Doreen J. Mattingly
Language
eng
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 269-276) and index
resource.biographical
individual biography
Illustrations
plates
Index
index present
Literary Form
non fiction
Main title
A feminist in the White House
Nature of contents
bibliography
Oclc number
921864610
Responsibility statement
Doreen J. Mattingly
Sub title
Midge Costanza, the Carter years, and America's culture wars
Summary
"A feminist, an outspoken activist, a woman without a college education, Midge Costanza was one of the unlikeliest of White House insiders. Yet in 1977 she became the first female Assistant to the President for Public Liaison under Jimmy Carter, emerging as a prominent focal point of the American culture wars. Tasked with bringing the views of special interest groups to the president, Costanza championed progressive causes even as Americans grew increasingly divided on the very issues for which she fought. In A Feminist in the White House, Doreen Mattingly draws on Costanza's personal papers to shed light on the life of this fascinating and controversial woman. Mattingly chronicles Costanza's dramatic rise and fall as a public figure, from her initial popularity to her ultimate clashes with Carter and his aides. While Costanza challenged Carter to support abortion rights, gay and lesbian rights, and feminist policies, Carter faced increased pressure to appease the interests of emerging Religious Right, which directly opposed Costanza's ideals. Ultimately, marginalized both within the White House and by her fellow feminists, Costanza was pressured to resign in 1978. Through the lens of Constanza's story, readers catch a unique perspective of the rise of debates which have defined the feminist movement and sexual politics to this very day. Mattingly also reveals a wider, but heretofore neglected, narrative of the complex era of gender politics in the late 1970's Washington--a history which continues to resonate in politics today. A Feminist in the White House is a must-read for anyone with an interest in sexual politics, female politicians, and presidential history"--, Provided by publisher
Table Of Contents
Making It in a Man's World -- Vice Mayor of Rochester -- Sex, Power and the Campaign to Elect Jimmy Carter -- Window to the Nation : Midge Costanza Opens Up the White House -- Abortion, Controversy, and the Limits of Loyalty -- International Women's Year and the Battle to Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment -- "It Isn't Enough" : Fighting for Feminist Policy -- The Decline and Fall of Midge Costanza -- It Never Rains in California
Creator
Subject
- Feminists -- United States -- Biography
- Biographies
- United States -- Politics and government -- 1977-1981
- POLITICAL SCIENCE / Civics & Citizenship
- Biography
- Politics and government
- Costanza, Midge, 1932-2010
- Friendship
- Culture conflict -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- 1900-1999
- United States -- Social conditions -- 1960-1980
- Women + Political activity -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- History
- POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Process / Leadership
- Sex role + Political aspects -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- Feminists
- POLITICAL SCIENCE / Government / Executive Branch
- Social conditions
- Political consultants -- United States -- Biography
- Carter, Jimmy, 1924-
- United States
- Carter, Jimmy, 1924- -- Friends and associates
- Women + Political activity
- Culture conflict
- Sex role + Political aspects
- Political consultants
Content
Mapped to
Incoming Resources
- Has instance1
Outgoing Resources
- Classification4
- Creator1
- Genre3
- Subject26
- Feminists -- United States -- Biography
- Biographies
- United States -- Politics and government -- 1977-1981
- POLITICAL SCIENCE / Civics & Citizenship
- Biography
- Politics and government
- Costanza, Midge, 1932-2010
- Friendship
- Culture conflict -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- 1900-1999
- United States -- Social conditions -- 1960-1980
- Women + Political activity -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- History
- POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Process / Leadership
- Sex role + Political aspects -- United States -- History -- 20th century
- Feminists
- POLITICAL SCIENCE / Government / Executive Branch
- Social conditions
- Political consultants -- United States -- Biography
- Carter, Jimmy, 1924-
- United States
- Carter, Jimmy, 1924- -- Friends and associates
- Women + Political activity
- Culture conflict
- Sex role + Political aspects
- Political consultants
- Content1
- Author1
- Mapped to1