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[nomad soul]

Campaign Wants to Close Gender Gap on Currency
By Kristina Monllos, Adweek | 5 April 2015
Source: http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/campaign-looks-close-gender-gap-currency-163877

Could a woman such as Eleanor Roosevelt or Rosa Parks grace the $20 bill? The "Women on 20s" campaign seeks to have a notable woman featured on the $20 bill.

Rosa Parks. Eleanor Roosevelt. Shirley Chisholm. These are just some of the 15 candidates put forward by "Women on 20s," a grassroots campaign seeking to have a notable woman grace the $20 bill. But just how likely is it that the ongoing viral campaign would impact the face of U.S. currency? According to analysts, the question isn't if, but when, the change will happen.

Founders Barbara Ortiz Howard and Susan Ades Stone launched the campaign website on Valentine's Day, highlighting a potential nominee each day until March 1 when the site's visitors were prompted to vote for their top three picks to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. On Monday, the site whittled the nominees down to the four finalists—Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman and Wilma Mankiller—and a second vote will take place. The site has garnered nearly 256,000 votes so far and even motivated celebrities like Susan Sarandon and Padma Lakshmi to lend their name to the cause. "Women are absent in our daily culture," said Ortiz Howard. "There is no bigger gender gap than the gap on our currency. By trying to close that gap maybe we can help close the gap with some others. We're hoping to stimulate the consciousness of people to step up in every area."

As for why the campaign targets $20, Ortiz Howard explained that Jackson's position is somewhat ironic as he allegedly hated paper money and opposed the central banking system. She noted that Jackson was also responsible for the Indian Removal Act of 1830, and his face on the currency is a grim reminder of that. Beyond that, featuring a woman on a piece of currency that people actually use is essential. Ortiz Howard recognizes that Susan B. Anthony and Sacajawea have been featured on dollar coins but says it was unfortunate that the coins looked like quarters (they aren't used much). The year 2020 also marks the national centennial for women's right to vote.

The Secretary of the Treasury—currently Jack Lew—is responsible for currency design. The primary purpose of redesigning currency is to stay ahead of counterfeiting, according to a Treasury spokeswoman who declined to comment on the campaign. The Treasury, however, is working on modernizing our money and a redesign of the $10 bill.

Even without the explicit consent of the Treasury or the president, analysts believe the campaign has legs. "To some extent it's a matter of how long this campaign lives in social media," said Allen Adamson, North American chairman at brand consulting firm Landor Associates. Brian Hardwick, messaging and activation lead at Enso, agreed. "Seizing this momentum with a grassroots movement will be a very effective way to get our leader's attention," he said. "This is what citizen lobbying looks like today, and without a doubt politicians will respond to real cultural pressure."

Amanda Hughes-Watkins, creative director at Kettle, has her doubts. "To get a bill signed to change currency is not as simple as some Kickstarter campaign," she noted. "This does a lot to raise awareness, to get people motivated to do whatever comes next to make this happen. But there probably needs to be additional elements." Hughes-Watkins suggests the campaign founders organize a march or some other effort that would move the campaign offline. In the end, though, Adamson noted that the decision to change the face of the $20 bill is inherently political. "It would be easy for President Obama to do it on his way out because he's not running for anything," he said. "It's certainly something that would be easier for a male president to do."

(End of article)

[nomad soul]

10 Countries That Put Women on Cash Before the U.S.
By Susie Poppick, Time | March 25, 2015
Source: http://time.com/money/3754777/countries-women-currency/

The U.S. lags far behind several other nations when it comes to recognizing female leaders on paper currency. As a campaign to get a woman on the $20 bill picks up steam, you might be surprised to learn just how far behind the times the United States is compared with other countries. At least 10 other nations have already recognized female leaders on their banknotes, including Syria, the Philippines, and Israel.

Syria: Syria’s current image is that of a nation wracked by civil war and struggling against the violent militant. But it outpaced the United States on one sign of social progress: recognizing women on official currency. Syrian Queen Zenobia, known for fighting back against Roman colonizers in the second century AD, appears on the 500-pound note.

Philippines: During the mid-1980s, the Philippines introduced a 500-peso note featuring prominent senator Benigno Aquino Jr., who had been assassinated in 1983. His wife, Corazon Aquino, went on to become the first female president of the Philippines—and the first female president in Asia, for that matter—and her image was added to the bill after she died in 2009. Early 20th-century suffragette Josefa Llanes Escoda also appears (alongside two men) on the 1000-peso note.

Turkey: In Turkey, the current 50-lira note features turn-of-the-century novelist and women’s rights activist Fatma Aliye Topuz on its reverse side. (The first president of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, appears on the front of every bill.)

Mexico: 500 Mexican pesos notes on a table with traditional Mexican ornament. The note has the portrait of the painter Diego Riviera on one side and Frida Kahlo on the other. Her image is a 1940 self-portrait, alongside a famous painting of hers from 1949, “Love’s Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego and Señor Xólotl.” Seventeenth-century Mexican writer Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz appears on the 200-peso note.

Argentina: Eva Peron (1919-1952) on 2 Pesos 2001 Banknote from Argentina, second wife of President Juan Peron. Argentina’s beloved former First Lady Eva Perón—widely known by her
nickname “Evita”—appears on the current 100-peso bill. The 20-peso note depicts 19th-century Argentine political activist Manuela Rosas along with her father, politician Juan Manuel de Rosas.

New Zealand: Like many other former British colonies, New Zealand features Queen Elizabeth II on its currency—the 20-dollar note to be precise. But Kiwi banknotes also honor suffragette Kate Sheppard, who in 1893 helped New Zealand become the first country in the world with universal voting rights for both men and women. Her image appears on the 10-dollar bill.

Israel: The Bank of Israel recently announced that it will be adding images of two female Israeli writers to forthcoming 20- and 100-New Shekel banknotes, respectively. The former will feature turn-of-the-century poet Rachel Bluwstein, and the latter author, poet, and literary expert Leah Goldberg, who died in 1970.

Sweden: Imagery on the krona celebrates several women in Sweden’s history. Currently there’s Selma Lagerlöf---the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature—on the 20-krona note, as well as 19th-century opera singer Jenny Lind on the 50-krona bill. Starting this fall, a new line of banknotes will feature "Pippi Longstocking" author Astrid Lindgren on the 20-krona, 20th-century soprano Birgit Nilsson on the 500-krona, and classic film actress Greta Garbo on the 100-krona note.

Australia: Australia has one woman on either the front or back of every banknote currently in circulation. They include Queen Elizabeth II on the front of the $5 bill; social reformer and writer Dame Mary Gilmore on the back of the $10; 19th-century businesswoman Mary Reibey on the front of the $20; politician and social worker Edith Cowan on the back of the $50; and turn-of-the-century soprano Dame Nellie Melba on the front of the $100 note.

England: If featuring women on currency were a contest, the Bank of England would win, with every note since 1960 depicting Queen Elizabeth II on the front. Past bills featured nurse and statistician Florence Nightingale on the back, current 5-pound notes show 19th-century social reformer Elizabeth Fry, and the next 10-pound bill will celebrate famed 19th-century author Jane Austen.

(End of article)

[Lack]

First world problems.

[water rat]

Lucky Dave's has a Currency Events Forum or we couldn't even discuss this!



While I can appreciate what Eleanor Roosevelt or Rosa Parks have done, Shirley Chisolm seems a bit of a stretch. Most people will remember her as an 'also ran' congress member who tried for the presidency. I don't believe she warrants such an honor.

Her inclusion on the Women on 20s 'short list' looks like they are really reaching, and that makes me wonder if it's necessary to honor any woman by putting her face on U.S. paper money. I mean, should they grace some person on a new bill just because that person is female? Because women have been under-represented on bills up to now?

While women have of course contributed much to world culture and society, what's the big deal about getting their faces on currency?

If getting the under-represented on currency is the thinking, then why not put Barrack Obama on the new $20? He is no lady, and some would say no gentleman either, but he does represent a large and neglected minority group. Then, he is an actual president, and with the exception of Ben Franklin, U.S. bills traditionally honor deceased or ex-presidents. Obama is neither of these, but if we are patient, bless him, he some day will be.

Also to follow this thinking, maybe Hillary Clinton ought to be elected because we have never had a female president, and bonus! We could put her on a paper note!

I mean, isn't it sexist or overly politically correct to put someone on a bill solely because she is a woman? Wouldn't it be fairer to just choose someone who deserves such an honor and not consider their gender?

Better yet, why not just shrug the entire issue off and create a bill with no one's image on it?

I don't have a list of ten countries who "beat" the U.S. at that, but a fine example is the Indonesian 5,000 rupiah note. It has some sort of musical instrument on its 'face' and a famous pair of different-colored lakes on its back.

http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mqWa7esM0lrGKdgb6TT4q4w.jpg

So why not a 'No One on 20s' campaign? The U.S. could honor a musical instrument, double cheeseburgers or a better mousetrap, whatever...

[johnslat]

Dear water rat,

Hamilton and Franklin.

Ragrda,
John

[water rat]

[cartago]

When I saw the suggestions I was surprised. The only one who I think would really qualify would be Eleanor Roosevelt or Harriet Tubman. While I appreciate Rosa Parks role in the Civil Rights Movement I don't really think it's enough to justify putting her on the money. Same with Wilma Mankiller. She sounds like she was a really successful person who helped the Cherokee Nation but I don't really see how it's enough to justify her being on the money.

Aren't there other women who would qualify better? I prefer someone who's not very current to be on the money as well. Rosa Parks and Wilma Mankiller are only recently deceased.

[water rat]

[johnslat]

I vote for Katherine or Audrey Hepburn

Marilyn Monroe? Liz Taylor?

OK - seriously: Emily Dickinson.

Regards,
John

[esl_prof]

How about Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to the U.S. House, both in 1916 and in 1940, where she represented the state of Montana?

[MuscatGary]

Why not Queen Elizabeth II like your northern neighbours?

[esl_prof]

[grahamb]

Let's see, a woman, preferably with a Presidential connection. US bank notes are called bills... Bill Clinton... ah yes, "that woman." What was her name?

[MuscatGary]

[johnslat]

The mills of government grin slowly. Why wait - make your own?

http://mentalfloss.com/uk/television/27694/bank-of-canada-tells-people-stop-drawing-spock-on-banknotes

Regards,
John