Linda Kramer Jenning is an independent journalist who moved to Bainbridge Island after several decades reporting from Washington, D.C. She taught journalism at Georgetown University and is former Washington editor of Glamour.
I can say only what this one woman wants: a world where women are honored for more than one month a year; a world where women in every country and of every race and religion enjoy full equality and every door is not only open but has a welcome mat.
At times it looked like almost any other inauguration -- except we saw the first woman, first person of color, sworn in as vice president. And everyone was masked except when singing, taking an oath of office or giving an inaugural address that emphasized "decency and dignity, love and healing."
This anti-media vitriol has been growing for years amid burgeoning mistrust of mainstream media, and not just among extremists. Journalists have become popular targets for extremists from both the left and right, and in politics this blame the media trope has been a favorite of almost all presidents whether Democrat or Republican.
It’s encouraging and inspiring to hear about the “firsts” and the ongoing advancement of women in the news business. But the fact that in 2020 women still are breaking barriers underscores that gender equality remains a goal, not a reality.