Commissioners and advisory board members are still mostly men

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It’s been almost four years since City Council started out working to even out the balance of gender in the city’s commissions and advisory boards.

With new appointments set to be made by the new Council, City Staff presented the following data points to Council at their meeting last week.

Currently there are 9 commissions and 6 advisory boards with a total of 118 members, 113 of which are filled.

As of 2023, 42 percent of the city’s appointed officials are male and 36 percent female. The remaining 22 percent are non-binary, transgender or unstated.

Over the past decade, females have made up between 30 and 42 percent of membership. 2023’s number sits squarely in the middle of that range.

City Staff have been asked to return with more ideas on how to attract women applicants for the boards and commissions.

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Eastside Straight Girl
Eastside Straight Girl
1 year ago

I just have one thing to say about this: Why would any smart, capable woman put her hat in for a commission seat or advisory board member when you can get immediately canceled for mentioning that there wouldn’t be enough parking for example: if we booked a Persian wedding? Until the landscape changes with this walking on eggshells-cancel culture, I like many opinionated, smart women don’t want to come near a volunteer position like that with a 1000 foot pole! It’s not worth the time suck & aggravation!

Joshua88
Joshua88
1 year ago

The comments below – and others preceding them – show me that mostly white men are not cognizant of, tend to ignore, or dismiss the facts that Blacks and women are still discriminated against in 2023.

Qualified people of all backgrounds should sit on boards and the top of the food chains everywhere. Women bring a different perspective, (as do many people), but we are trying to learn from all backgrounds and avoid groupthink. For those reasons, diversity is important.

Gimmeabreak
Gimmeabreak
1 year ago

I thought there was no such thing as male and female anymore so why is this even a discussion? If it matters so much have some of those with penises identify as women and there ya’ go! Problem solved!

But really …… why is gender balance even an issue?

JF1
JF1
1 year ago

OH. MY. GOD! Let’s focus on the question, do we have the best people sitting on the board rather than what sex is sitting in the chairs. West Hollywood has always had a higher percentage of males living in the city, so why is this even an outrage? It seems that people are just trying to find ways to divide us these days.

Last edited 1 year ago by JF1
Roger O
Roger O
1 year ago

OMG!!! How much more bad news can we take? This is horrible, devastating, I tell you. Fire the men, they are an unworthy lot anyway. Find more women, bus them in if you have to! Just bring ’em on!

Joe Bologna
Joe Bologna
1 year ago
Reply to  Roger O

I concur! OMG, Becky, those menfolk are popping up like someone pushed a gremlin in a pool! Sad, sad times we’re livin’ in.

Alan Strasburg
Alan Strasburg
1 year ago

A six percent spread in representation on boards and commissions in a city with a ten percent spread in actual population gender breakdown. Where are the magic formulas that we are trying to achieve? Has anyone paid attention to the fact that the second largest ethnic group in West Hollywood is Asians? Do they reflect the second largest representation on boards and commissions? We can slice and dice these matters in a million ways but there’s still not a single Inuit working at my local Gelsons! Outrage!

Avoid Divisive Silliness
Avoid Divisive Silliness
1 year ago
Reply to  Alan Strasburg

Very troubling that this City keeps finding ways to divide the community. Presence on the Commissions & Advisory Boards should be based on skill, competence and integrity. The quality & integrity of the hearing outcomes are dependent on the integrity of those hearing the item and no less.

JF1
JF1
1 year ago

Exactly.

Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
1 year ago

The 22% “non-binary/transgender/unstated” really throws a wrench into this calculation.

Steve Martin
Steve Martin
1 year ago

On the surface it only appears to be a six percent difference in favor of self-identified males vs. self identified females. But the numbers are skewered by counting the members of the Women’s Advisory Board. Part of the problem with the disparity is that historically West Hollywood’s population has been 55% male. There are plenty of women involved in the City that are not on Commissions, people involved in neighborhood groups and the Chamber of Commerce. So to save staff the effort, I would suggest the Council simply put a moratorium on appointing men and do outreach to existing civic… Read more »

Randy
Randy
1 year ago

42% is mostly? Versus 36%? That’s not a huge spread. Not to say that we don’t need more women in these positions.

Ham Shipey
Ham Shipey
1 year ago

who really cares? focus on results only. are they doing a good job or not?