BOISE, Idaho — Women around the Treasure Valley are raising their voices in response to BSU professor Scott Yenor's controversial comments regarding women in the workplace.
"Women are here to stay," said Idaho State Representative and Transportation Planner Brooke Green. "We’re not going to be private. We are going to be present in our daily lives.”
Hundreds of people came to the Boise State campus Saturday morning to rally in support of women. Supporters also came with the intention to show many more women they belong in whatever career and path they choose.
"Women are so critical in solving today’s problems, tomorrow's problems, carving a path and it’s just really important that we continue to elevate each other," said Diana Majerus, an electrical engineer at Micron.
'We’re not going anywhere'
“I think women bring something to the table that not everybody else does," said Brenda Kraus, a chemist and engineer at Micron. "I think women have different perspectives, different outlooks, different ideas, different ways of handling people.”
Green sent out a tweet earlier this week sparking the idea of putting together a rally supporting women wherever they find themselves. Hundreds of people saw and heard, and knew it was something they needed to be part of.
“I came out today to show my fellow friends in STEM, in medicine, and just being a female on this campus that we do matter and we do belong here," said Ally Orr, a Boise State student.
Handmade signs were scattered around the rally of people, with messages for Boise State and professor Yenor. Women also held signs with words they identify within their careers and fields.
“In our society, we’re built with an idea of women are just one thing," said Anna Cousins, a Boise State student. "We are mothers, we are wives but in reality, we are so much more than that. That’s fricking inspiring.”
For Green, Saturday's rally is just the beginning of more conversations.
“That conversation isn't what necessarily was said, but what we’re going to do with those words and turn them into action that's really what the message is," Green said. "I can’t wait to be a part of that and continue that effort because women belong in STEM, women belong in our families, we belong in our careers. We’re not going anywhere.”
In response to Yenor's comments, Orr created a GoFundMe to make a scholarship at Boise State for women in STEM, Medicine and Law. In just a few days Orr has raised more than $11,000. She said if it hits $25,000 there is an avenue to make the scholarship live in perpetuity.
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